Comparing Orient Kamasu and Citizen Promaster

Comparison of Orient Kamasu and Citizen Promaster

Friends, hello everyone, you are on my channel Feeltime, with you as always Stanislav and today there will be a rather interesting review-comparison of two Japanese brands Orient and Citizen.

To be honest - the review is quite sensitive for me, as I don't really like Japanese cars. Especially Orient. I understand that I may offend some of the owners, but I assure you that I have no intention of doing this on purpose. I am simply expressing my opinion.  

Let's define the purpose of the review.  

I specifically took 2 more or less similar models so that I could clearly see which brand looks more advantageous.  

Again, I have a strong feeling that Citizen has significantly outperformed Orient today.  

The former are busy with new models, follow trends, add more modern watches to their range. What can I say, they simply keep their website neat.  

Orient has a slightly different story. It feels like the guys don't understand that the generation of fans of their brand will end someday, and they don't even think about doing anything for the new generation.  

These are some outdated designs, this is some kind of ossified conservatism. Sometimes it seems to me that these watches are made for grandfathers. What is their website worth? Well, you go in, the design is really from the late 90s. It's just a nightmare, you want to leave and never see it again.  

In my opinion, today there is only one sensible direction of Orient - this is Orient Star, that's where they really make things.  

And I know that my speech will really burn someone and there will definitely be comments like: "You don't understand anything. This is a Japanese classic."

Well, yes, as I said earlier, I probably don't understand. Because I have something to compare it with.  

Well, let's see what I have prepared for you. And at the end we will sum it up after watching.

On the Orient side we have the popular diver from the Kamasu collection, and on the Citizen side we have the iconic diver from the Promaster collection.  

Let's start with the Citizen Promaster Eco-Drive BN0100-42E . The design is really old-school. I'd say it's from the early 2000s.  

This is a matter of taste and mood.  

By the way, I have a Citizen Promaster in my watch set. And they don't look particularly modern either. But I really like them.  

Stainless steel case 316l. The sides and top of the lugs are satin-finished. Between them is a strip of mirror polishing.

Mirror polishing is also present on the inner parts of the lugs. The back cover is as simple as possible and satin-finished.  

Overall, the quality of the finish is quite pleasant. I have no complaints.  

The head is under protective caps. It is screwed on. It is quite convenient to operate.

Bezel for 60 clicks. Of course, you shouldn't expect ceramics from the Japanese for this price. This is aluminum.  

Again, don't worry about it getting into trouble. It all depends on how you wear it. My watch has been with me since the war. Look at the condition of the bezel. Perfect.  

Overall, the bezel grip is comfortable, but the rotation itself is a bit tight. Let's hear it.

For comparison, I will immediately show the Orient bezel. It also has an aluminum insert, but the movement is much softer and more pleasant. Plus, Orient has its own signature sound and character that cannot be confused.  

The dimensions of the watch are as follows:

Diameter - 41 mm, from lug to lug - 49 mm, thickness - 12 mm, weight - 79 grams.

My hand is 18 cm. They fit perfectly in girth. Very light, very comfortable.  

For comparison's sake, let's also touch on Orient.

Diameter - 41.8 mm, from lug to lug - 47 mm, thickness - 12.8 mm, weight - 102 grams.

This is the case when sizes can be deceiving, since even in comparison it is clear that Orient is slightly smaller than Citizen. That is, their diameter was apparently changed at the outermost points of the case, but they are perceived more by the bezel.

Plus, the watch has shorter lugs, and this plays a big role. So, frankly speaking, on my thin hand, this watch looks even better. But I will note that its weight is more noticeable.  

Here, trying the watch on my hand, I want to say that the Orient strap is obviously better. It is softer, more elastic, and feels more slippery.  

That is, when I put the watch on my hand, there is no extra friction. This is especially important when you insert the long end into the strap.  

But with Citizen - there is friction and you need to tighten the ties, pull the end of the belt. In short, the belt is worse and noticeably so.  

Since I started talking about Orient, let's take a look at the case.  

It is made of 316l stainless steel with black PVD coating and gold on the bezel.  

It's mostly mirror polished. The quality of the finish seems to be good, but it's hard to appreciate under such a black color. You can't see the DNA of the metal.  

The back cover of the watch is more or less as simple as that of the Citizen.  

The head is also under protective caps, quite comfortable and convenient.  

In terms of the design itself, for me, again, this is a very old watch. That is, a design from the early 2000s.  

Let's talk about the characteristics:

Orient has its own movement on board, the F6922 caliber, which has 22 jewels inside, a power reserve of 40 hours and a frequency of 21,600 vibrations per hour.  

For Citizen, it's their Eco Drive high-tech quartz, which is powered by any color source. The battery in such watches lasts up to 10-12 years.  

It is clear that in terms of comparison there is nothing to compare here. Mechanics are mechanics, quartz is quartz. An acquired taste.  

The Citizen has mineral glass, which is expected for this price, and which is not very good, but the Orient has Sapphire.  

Moreover, Orien actually made a tag indicating that they have a sapphire. As if this is some kind of merit.  

Actually, guys, in 2024 - this should be the default, and not like you're bragging about sapphire on the tag.  

In general, this Orient model is almost 6,000 UAH more expensive than Citizen, so the difference in glass can be explained.  

Both models are water resistant to 200 meters, but the Citizen has the advantage of being a certified diver that meets ISO6425 standards.  

Well, let's compare the quality of the lume. I assume that both models will be excellent. The Japanese usually have rich lume.

I forgot to say, despite the fact that both brands are Japanese, only the mechanisms are made in Japan. Inexpensive Orient and Citizen are now made either in Malaysia, or Taiwan, or China. I can't say for sure.

Let's look at the dials.  

Let's start with Citizen.  

Overall, it's simple, but quite nice. The marks are applied. Even the lines between the main divisions are applied.  

Sword-shaped hands. The minute hand is brightly highlighted in orange, which is good for diving purposes. That is, for better readability.

And the readability here is excellent. There really is nothing superfluous. The date at the 3 o'clock mark is also not annoying. Everything is neat and harmonious.  

It seems to me that Orient is worse in terms of readability.  

Here the main plate itself is blacker. In Citizen it is more grey.  

There are nice applied markers here. Like the hands, they are gilded.  

Orient logo overlay.  

The date and days of the week are at the 3 o'clock mark, as the Japanese like. I don't really like it, I have it on my watch too, but what can you do?  

Overall the dials are nice.  

They are great reads, but Citizen's is better. No wonder he is a certified diver.

Well, I'm ready to sum it up.  

Let's start with a dry look at the watch itself.

I initially rubbed my hands and thought that Citizen would be better. But, if you look at it objectively, Orient is made better.  

The case and dial look somehow more solid.  

The strap is definitely better quality, the bezel is definitely better and more comfortable.  

Again, I can compensate for some things with the price. After all, Orient now costs 17 thousand hryvnia, and Citizen 11,000 UAH. The difference is noticeable.  

This difference boldly includes the sapphire glass and mechanics of the Orient.  

But overall I got the feeling that Citizen made a simple and confident tool for activities in this model. Without unnecessary pathos. When Orient still tried to make a more polished and attractive model for everyday wear.  

As for my attitude towards brands, it still doesn’t change in essence.  

The Japanese are a bit behind the market and they need to catch up. Citizen is doing it faster. Orient, it seems to me, has problems. And they will get worse. Because the buyers of this brand are adults. They have already got it into their heads that this is the best brand in the world, and this is far from true.  

There are microbrands, there are other brands that do something head and shoulders above for the same money.  

And in my opinion, only those who are either loyal to the brand or really appreciate the design will buy such watches, as I did with my Citizen, which does not shine with particular quality.  

But we really don't always choose watches based on their characteristics and quality. Sometimes design is the deciding factor.  

But that’s the problem: if the same Orient expect that their customers will be loyal to the brand their whole lives, and they will only mix it up with design, then they are heading into a hole.  

The generation is getting older, but they don't really come up with new designs. As they say, it's still going by inertia. But maybe I'm wrong, of course.  

And you can buy original Orient and Citizen watches in Ukraine in my Feeltime online store with an official 2-year warranty.  

It is possible to pay in parts from Privat and Mono Bank without % for up to 6 months.  

I leave links to watches at the very bottom of the article.

I hope you found the video useful, support my channel with a like, subscribe if you want to stay in touch, and with you as always Stanislav, until next time. Bye