I appreciate your transparency and honesty at the end of the video about the Seiko and Citizen overhead and it's one of the reasons I keep coming back to your store and videos.
Of those 3, the Citizen. You are right about Citizen going eco-Drive and leaving auto's behind... for a long time. I am glad to see them back in the game.
I am a Citizen fanboy and have a nice collection started. I have built several Seiko watches with nh35 and 36 movements and cases. I love that you can buy and customize seiko’s by sourcing parts from a variety of different places. That being said I just love watches and enjoy collecting them
I'm a big Orient Fan and I couldn't speak higher of my Kamasu. However of the 3 watch brands you showed, Citizen takes first place. I'm quickly becoming a Citizen fan. My Citizen CHANDLER chronograph gets plenty of wrist time.
I purchased one due to the hype and everyone saying how phenomenal it was. Even bought a new bracelet from Marc for it. I have to say I didn’t like it one bit as the Kamasu felt super cheap and poorly made. Sold it off in less than a months time. Seiko is still the king of under $500 and it’s not even close.
I always considered myself a Seiko fan but looking at my collection, I have more Promaster Divers than any other brand. In my opinion they have overtaken Seiko for best budget divers. Seiko need to stop increasing prices, increase their QC and up their specs if they want to compete.
To be fair, I agree, but only in the sense that Seiko really needs to offer sapphire across the entire spectrum inside the Prospex line. That should be a standard offering. But I don't have an issue with the Hardlex being an option for a price drop. I have 2 Turtles (one is the PADI shown here) and they are excellent. But, BUT, my Promaster BN0151 (blue) looks really good on the Islander Jubilee bracelet.
The Seiko King Turtles, like the Save The Ocean versions, have about the same MSRP as the Citizen. They include a sapphire crystal and a ceramic bezel along with beautiful dials. Like you said, the Seiko would be about $75-$100 more than the Citizen after you added a bracelet. In my opinion, the Seiko has a lot more 'street cred.' It seems like people see a Citizen and assume it is a quartz mall watch, probably unfairly. If you just want a tool watch, these all will do the job and the Orient is far and away the best value. The Seiko and Citizen will do the same job when judged as a tool watch. However, let's face it. Most people buy watches as jewelry, not tools. When buying jewelry people choose flash and I think the Seiko provides the most flash of these three!
My choice is the Kamasu. I've put mine on a leather strap, so i'ts an office diver for now, but I still like it's unique dark green/teal dial with a red sec hand, and on this strap it looks even better. The only thing is you'll inevitably scratch the back of the lugs a little bit when you take off the bracelet, if it's a problem for you.
I think the Citizen Promaster is the best watch of the three. I have the previous iteration (without the sapphire crystal) of the Citizen and I love it. It's a lot like the SKX I used to own, just better.
I’m a Seiko fanboy but feel priced out lately. I bought a Citizen ProMaster Diver in Eco-Drive recently and it’s an excellent watch. I can switch off days between watches and not have to be concerned with adjusting the time and date. Just strap it on and go! BTW, I’ve also gone down the NATO/Zulu strap rabbit hole and love the mood changes of the watch.
The answer is easy because we have history, Seiko! Buying watches is fun, wearing them is cool too however if you want to sell them afterwards, anything but Seiko at this level will not retain its resale value. I’ve just sold a 10 year old Seiko for 3 times its original value, the other watches don’t even come close to this. I wasn’t even careful with that Dive watch, I wore it on many dives (I’m a diving instructor as it happens) I just came back from Egypt (I was there for Christmas) and my wife bought me another Seiko dive watch. Best value watch out there, never had an issue with the QC either.
I own all three brands in similar models (read dive watches) but to be honest I prefer my micro brands because the offer something a little different. SEIKO for me represents a quality going back to my very first watch experience in the 70's.
Awesome comparison. The best all around everyday piece is the kamasu. The best fun diver or summer watch is the Seiko! I do have a blue kamasu and a Padi turtle. They are both awesome! Should have citizen sticked to the ny0040 case size, it would have been a better overall fit in my humble opinion.
I bought an Orient Ray 1 from you and wore it about every day for 8 about years straight. Loved it. Great watch for the money. I won a Citizen Promaster NY-0086 from @JustOneMoreWatch last xmas (thanks Jody!) and I love it. Neither had great stock bracelets. I've been wearing the Pepsi Promaster on a blue perlon strap and it is hard to beat. It wears smaller than the dimensions would suggest, and it is just delightful. Keep up the good work Marc.
If you want a cheap but acceptable dive watch, Orient is great. Nice beginner automatic watch too. Citizen is simply a solid watch, and I'll be adding more to my collection. With Seiko redefining itself to counter the gray market, the higher prices do give many pause, but there's something about a Seiko diver. It's hard to describe, but iykyk.
Very well said, my thoughts exactly. Orient is the value pick, Citizen is the no-nonsense tool watch, and Seiko has the brand heritage/mystique/je ne sais quoi! Really can't go wrong with any of them.
Seiko all day long . However I did acquire two awesome Citizens watches this year . The NY0086 Pepsi Fugu and the new Japanese import NY0129 on bracelet. Both of these Citizens watches are amazing 🤩.
When I was deciding on my first diver I considered all these pieces (in addition to Islander, of course). I have zero buyer's remorse with my decision to buy the Kamasu. I'll get a bracelet upgrade eventually but it continues to blow me away.
@@dyslexicbien I was so close to deciding on the red dial, it's a gorgeous hue that just didn't compliment my wardrobe enough to justify. Maybe one day..
Nice video ! There is nothing wrong to be a Seiko fanboy, but the reality is that this Promaster Fugu is the better watch from those 3. The finish quality is on different level than the Turtle and Kamasu. The bezel alignment scream perfection, with zero back play. Although is 44mm case, the design is very slick and wear like 41mm, and will fit perfect on the smaller wrist. Side by side with my 41mm Longines Conquest the size is identical, and even look smaller because of the bezel. To anyone interested at those Promasters, I'll suggest checking out the blue sunburst(two tone) and the white dials. No offence Mark, but this Turtle looks like "cooked sunny-side-up egg" on your wrist, comparing to that slick Fugu :).
When I first saw the seiko padi, I fell in love with it. Still wear it and love it 7 years later. The steel strap looks and feels a bit cheap, but you can easily upgrade it, I rotate nato’s and classic black silicon straps on it anyway. I’ve bought 2 more seiko turtles since then, interestingly none of those have the same feeling of quality or smoothness when handwinding as the padi version. Not sure why that is.
In that price range, islander is a great option. Good point about the history and overhead the brands have. Just got my first two islanders recently and I am very impressed! Thanks!
bought a red dial Kamasu last year. they are about 240 USD over here. love it, dial is crazy. specs are all you want. nice heavy feel. definately going to get a new Mako 3.
Great honest opinion and heads up about the overhead of big watch companies. Makes perfect sense. I have the mini-turtle (full turtle is too big), a red kamasu and the older citizen Promaster diver (NY00040). My favorite is the mini-turtle 😅
Orient every day for me. I bought one a few months ago, but not the Kamasu/Mako, but one that simply goes by its reference number, which is RA-AA08, and had a sapphire crystal as well. On a leather strap it's just a fantastic daily wearer that dresses up or down very easily and has a gorgeous fume turquoise sunburst dial. It's my personal recommendation for a diver at this price point and I think it's even nicer than either the Kamasu or the Mako and anything Seiko or Citizen offer at that price point. It's also perfectly sized and you're not getting better case finishing before you enter the $1,500+ category. It's true that the bracelet is not very nice though - can't speak for the quality as mine came off on day 1.
I have at least one of each of these watches. I personally think the best value is The Kamasu. I have the red dial version and I think you get a lot for the money. My second pick for value ( by a hair ) would be the Citizen. Great watches. They don't get the love they deserve. Ironically, I own more Seiko divers than any other brand, but I love them. I just can't say they're the greatest value anymore because they can get pricey. Especially lately. Great video as usual, Marc. Speaking of Seiko divers, I just got your bracelet you made for the Solar Diver for my Birthday .Great bracelet! 😉👍🏻
The seiko is such a classic. It sits in between my Sub 114060 and Breitling Pistachio and looks just as good, it doesn’t miss a beat in the looks department. An icon for a reason IMO.
I love your humble approach to this. That being said, I own 2 Islanders and none of the brands above. Thanks for making great watches and awesome content.
Just bought my first true diver, Seiko's 38.5mm SNE569, thanks in part to you, Marc. Incredible, with that peacock blue bezel and, yep, sapphire at less than the Seiko here. Only minus--that bracelet; will be ordering yours soon!
Its tough to balance the watvh business that Marc works in. Which makes it even more noticable how much integrity Marc has. We greatly appreciate the transparency.
I have the Citizen NY0151 green dial. Glad I found the Islander BRAC-70 to replace the stock bracelet, it's a tight fit but will work. Great review of the divers in this price range.
I love the citizen so much I have two. I have the older NY-004 and the newer PVD full lume Fugu. Going to start my hand at watch modding and you can't deny the parts you can source for the seiko movements.
Bought that exact Fugu last year…for years I kept passing over Citizen, but I have been extremely impressed *for the money. I’m actually impressed with the quality (most of my other watches are mid-range swiss). The green dial looks fantastic in the sun and never shows correct in videos. Two minor complaints - the band is okay, not great but not fantastic. Given the price not a deal breaker for sure. The other thing is I think it would look better if the aluminum bezel was black. Citizen has a cheaper eco drive diver that has a similar green dial with black bezel and I find it just makes the dial pop even more. Again, still a great watch, and I would easily pick it over any hardlex Seiko at similar pricing.
I couldn't decide so I got them all, but if you want a certified diver you've got to go with Citizen, Seiko prices are going through the roof, Orient is always the best economical choice.
Thanks for the video,this is a deserve comparison 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼i'll choose Seiko because it have fullfill heritage diver with ISO 6425 compare to the kamasu, although without sapphire. The icon is stronger than both competitors. The citizen not always wearable to mostly wrist size. and plus point to the Seiko is the most good looking watch here.
I have a Seiko flight master, Orient Blue Ray and Orient Field Watch all from Long Island Watch. Never really considered Citizen until this comparison. But I think I need more Seikos. lol. Thanks for the video, love your content as always. 👍🏼
Hey love watching your videos (pardon the pun) purchased the Citizen NY0040-50e for $170 and love it so far. Love Seiko but prices have been driven up so high and in my opinion Citizen doesn't come with the QC issues Seiko can be known for
Seiko for me although I take the QC point. Citizen turn out some superb Eco Drive divers for not much money. Three excellent watches though and an excellent review.
In a big fan of the citizen promaster eco drive . Orient Star have the 1964 2nd edition diver which has ISO certification. Would love to see a review of the Orient Star diver from you Marc :-)
Don't really have a preference depending on style and taste you can't go wrong with any of them have all these makes in my collection but none of these particular watches thanks Mark.
I just bought an orient mako v3 and it’s my first real watch aside from my gshock. And so far I love the thing! I’d like to swap the bezel and insert to one of yalls thou if the Kamasu swap would work!
Really nice video Marc. I own each of those watches in your review and like the Seiko Turtle the best. Just fits well and the quality is outstanding. Really like the look of the classic Turtle case as well. I have to say my beloved Islander ISL-19 gives the Seiko a run for the money. Cheers!
As usual solid perspective Marc. While I love and appreciate Sapphire, Hardlex is not the end of the world. I have a few Seiko's with them and they have held up well. My two cents, buy it with the original Hardlex and if it fails, replace with Sapphire!
I would like the Seiko technically, but I prefer the look of the Citizen over the Seiko, and the Orient look the best, which is why I have the Kamasu in red :). All of them are worthy however, but to each his own.
I like all of them , and its a hard pick.....maybe the orient because of the cost. However i do love Seiko, and the Citizen isnt a slouch. Very tough pick.
If you want the seiko diver with the sapphire I believe the Manta Ray special edition Sumarai and Turtles can be had on bracelet for under 500 street price. They retail for 625, but sites like Macy have them on sale for 455-475 all the time.
After owning all the brands here I have found my £112 Ratio SKX style dive watch the best value EVER! Model: Ratio FreeDiver Black Dial Sapphire Crystal Stainless Steel Automatic RTA100 200M
Well, the bracelet for your turtle that you make I bought because I don’t like seiko bracelets so I bought your bracelet that you make for the turtle and it fits a great it looks like it belongs right on the watch. You do a great job Marc
Considering a dive watch per se and the brands overall, i think Citizen does it best. What can beat a NY0040 at around $250? There's simply nothing. Orient deserves great credit for offering the many Rays, Makos and Kamasus in many colours, which coupled with the epic reliability of the brand (which compensates the lack of professional specifications in real world use) and the style of the watches themselves, offer great versatility beyond the basic sportive-professional capabilities and looks of the usual Citizen Promaster. As for Seiko, i have the impression that it's playing increasingly badly under $500. No SKX anymore, the "5KX" aren't divers (although the GMTs are respectable - but they're on another field) and the Turtles aren't as available and as diversified as the Kamasus, for instance. If Seiko wants to claim that affordable realm, more availability of the Turtles and a reduction on price are the ways to go.
I love the 12-6-9 Arabics on an Orient Mako. Not as traditional as the other styles of indices, but they’re a lot of fun, and they do something different that really stands out in this price segment. Some nice colorways, too. I keep being tempted by the champagne dial Mako 3, and the specs on those newer Makos are pretty nice. Otherwise… I’m not unhappy with my Casio Duros.
Great video Marc, I’m a fan of all three bands and have them in my collection as well. However, I have more Seiko’s than anything. I have two dozen Seiko watches.
I really liked my Kamasu. Had it for almost 2 years before I hit a tree or 2 in the woods on a single track trail (dirt bike). Didn't know it fell off until the next day ☹
PADI all the way. Sure, it has Hardlex. But, look wise, it blows the competition. Add to that, the most comfortable case on the wrist of all watches is a Turtle (followed closely by the slim-case SKX case).
What is interesting is that the dial of the Citizen is larger than the dial of the Seiko. That is a conundrum for me as I prefer a larger watch. I did not notice this until I saw the lume shots of each side by side.
I own an Orient solar diver/chrono combo and I really like their bezel rotation feel...impressive build quality. I also own a Citizen Promaster NY0040-17L (not a Fugu), and while the bezel feels rough and crude, this is the watch I wear when I swim and kayak or otherwise do active things around water...actually, almost always my everyday wear. I don't own a Seiko yet...I was going to order an SRPE93 from Long Island Watch yesterday, but you're out of stock!
Update: I received an automated email from Long Island Watch that the SRPE93 is back in stock, so I pulled the trigger and ordered one! It's like you read my mind!
Seiko and other watch brands really needs to teach their vendors about the pin and collar band adjustment on the Seiko turtle there, I had to return 2 watches to different vendors, after they “fitted” the band it came apart 4 hours later Ultimately ended up doing it myself after I had them order it for me in the end since no refunds after adjusting I ask them if they can do it for a reason jeez
I think out of those three I would pick the Orient. I don't like the crown position on the Citizen, and though I think the Seiko is the best looking of the three I just don't like the weight or the way the Turtle feels on wrist. Also, since I'm not a diver the lack of ISO rating or diver extension does not bother me, so Orient Kamasu for the win! FWIW, I do own a Seiko SKX007 with an upgraded NH36 movement with an Islander bracelet and the Islander ratcheting clasp. I also own the blue Citizen Promaster Eco-Drive diver with an Islander bracelet. I like both of these watches a whole lot more than the Turtle and the Promaster Automatic. I guess I should look at adding an Orient so I have one each of the big Japanese brand divers. 👍
I bought my 2 Kamasus on a bracelet from a third party seller on Walmart for just over $200 each. One blue, one green, I couldn't decide between the two.
Although I get the appeal of mechanical watches, I have a Citizen Eco-drive chronograph that is 15 years old and has never stopped. It runs 1-2 seconds fast a day. It has seen some abuse and held up well. The only complaint I have about it is the mineral crystal is pretty scratched up. I think sapphire should be standard on watches in this price range. Also, I have a 7 inch wrist but still prefer thinner watches that fit under sleeves comfortably.
The Kamasu looks tiny compared to the other two. LOL I have the turtle SRP779 & think it fits great even on my 6.5 inch wrist. I might have to get a Kamasu now. Great video!
My Orient Ray II is still going strong after 7+ years & is my winter watch. My Seiko monster did great for awhile; til it didn't. I've never owned a Citizen automatic but my Promaster Eco with the ratchet clasp is the one I've taken with me any time I need one I know will work for the last 8 years. My Islander seems good when I wear it but I've learned Seiko automatics don't last on my wrist so it's relegated to occasional use.
@islandwatch I don't wear it much in the summer but it comes out in the winter months. Maybe the rest it gets helps it. Whatever the reason, I also got a Mako USA from you in case the Ray ever gives up but it's still waiting... thanks for your products & service.
Nice comparison. The Kamasu is obviously great value but always felt it looked a bit too blingy/dressy not tooley enough for a diver... partly it's the handset, partly the bezel... Between the Seiko and the Citizen I personally prefer the Citizen overall especially given it has sapphire (I always worry about scratching mineral crystals)... that said I do prefer the Seiko hands and dial, just not a big fan of the turtle case shape... if they'd only do new version of the skx with a hacking movement and diver's rated 200m I'd pick that over the Citizen any day even with a mineral crystal...
Hi Mark. I own a Seiko 5 blue diver 160 bucks at Costco. I own a citizen promaster satellite wave green diver. I own an Orient kamasu red diver. And I own an islander black waffle GMT diver and an islander white diver. I guess islander WINS!!!!
I have the padi turtle, and it's just such a good looking watch combining the dial and aluminum (yes it just works better with the dial) bezel insert. Any of the other turtles and it's a fairer competition.
![[MV] A leap of faith...ความเชื่อใจครั้งสุดท้าย (From "Petrichor the series")](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/U1piZH2CNXA/mqdefault.jpg)
I appreciate your transparency and honesty at the end of the video about the Seiko and Citizen overhead and it's one of the reasons I keep coming back to your store and videos.
Thanks so much. I have to be honest with people.
@@islandwatchI am loving my late model Citizen Promaster NY00-17L everything lines up, no dust anywhere and decent accuracy.
I think Citizen and Orient are becoming what Seiko used to be, the well built, affordable, Japanese diver.
I pulled the trigger on the Kamasu with the red dial. What a good looking watch!
Of those 3, the Citizen. You are right about Citizen going eco-Drive and leaving auto's behind... for a long time. I am glad to see them back in the game.
I am a Citizen fanboy and have a nice collection started. I have built several Seiko watches with nh35 and 36 movements and cases. I love that you can buy and customize seiko’s by sourcing parts from a variety of different places. That being said I just love watches and enjoy collecting them
I'm a big Orient Fan and I couldn't speak higher of my Kamasu. However of the 3 watch brands you showed, Citizen takes first place. I'm quickly becoming a Citizen fan. My Citizen CHANDLER chronograph gets plenty of wrist time.
I purchased one due to the hype and everyone saying how phenomenal it was. Even bought a new bracelet from Marc for it. I have to say I didn’t like it one bit as the Kamasu felt super cheap and poorly made. Sold it off in less than a months time. Seiko is still the king of under $500 and it’s not even close.
I've worn an eco drive chronograph everyday for 5.5 years
Thanks for watching. Love the Kamasu also
I always considered myself a Seiko fan but looking at my collection, I have more Promaster Divers than any other brand. In my opinion they have overtaken Seiko for best budget divers. Seiko need to stop increasing prices, increase their QC and up their specs if they want to compete.
Wow! Tides have turned.
I’d just like to see sapphire from Seiko. Obviously Islander has proven it can be done without too much expense and hardlex isn’t that great.
Seiko divers are overpriced and have QC issues.
To be fair, I agree, but only in the sense that Seiko really needs to offer sapphire across the entire spectrum inside the Prospex line. That should be a standard offering. But I don't have an issue with the Hardlex being an option for a price drop.
I have 2 Turtles (one is the PADI shown here) and they are excellent. But, BUT, my Promaster BN0151 (blue) looks really good on the Islander Jubilee bracelet.
The Seiko King Turtles, like the Save The Ocean versions, have about the same MSRP as the Citizen. They include a sapphire crystal and a ceramic bezel along with beautiful dials. Like you said, the Seiko would be about $75-$100 more than the Citizen after you added a bracelet. In my opinion, the Seiko has a lot more 'street cred.' It seems like people see a Citizen and assume it is a quartz mall watch, probably unfairly.
If you just want a tool watch, these all will do the job and the Orient is far and away the best value. The Seiko and Citizen will do the same job when judged as a tool watch. However, let's face it. Most people buy watches as jewelry, not tools. When buying jewelry people choose flash and I think the Seiko provides the most flash of these three!
I've always had seiko and prefer the quality of seiko . But the citizen Promaster has been on my mind.
Marc is very humble about how good his Islander watches are.
Just laying down the truth
My choice is the Kamasu. I've put mine on a leather strap, so i'ts an office diver for now, but I still like it's unique dark green/teal dial with a red sec hand, and on this strap it looks even better. The only thing is you'll inevitably scratch the back of the lugs a little bit when you take off the bracelet, if it's a problem for you.
I think the Citizen Promaster is the best watch of the three. I have the previous iteration (without the sapphire crystal) of the Citizen and I love it. It's a lot like the SKX I used to own, just better.
Of the three, the one that is making the best and most beautiful watches and is quite honest is ORIENT.
I am big fan of the Citizen and Orient. The promaster is my favourite, but i think the Orient is a close second.
👍🏻
If I could somehow swap the citizen crown and put it on my ray I'd be set
I’m a Seiko fanboy but feel priced out lately. I bought a Citizen ProMaster Diver in Eco-Drive recently and it’s an excellent watch. I can switch off days between watches and not have to be concerned with adjusting the time and date. Just strap it on and go!
BTW, I’ve also gone down the NATO/Zulu strap rabbit hole and love the mood changes of the watch.
The ecodrives are amazing
Citizen diver’s are the real frogman’s watch
And that's why I prefer solar, I only wear my watch on the weekend and everytime I pick up my solar I don't need to adjust it:-) .
Being a fellow fan I want to pass on some wisdom. You know how to spot a Seiko fake? The chapter ring is aligned.
The answer is easy because we have history, Seiko! Buying watches is fun, wearing them is cool too however if you want to sell them afterwards, anything but Seiko at this level will not retain its resale value. I’ve just sold a 10 year old Seiko for 3 times its original value, the other watches don’t even come close to this. I wasn’t even careful with that Dive watch, I wore it on many dives (I’m a diving instructor as it happens) I just came back from Egypt (I was there for Christmas) and my wife bought me another Seiko dive watch. Best value watch out there, never had an issue with the QC either.
This is an easy choice, for me, Orient, because I get a lot of the Watch for an affordable price and it also sits comfortably on my wrist.
I have a green kamasu and I love it. I bought an aftermarket bracelet from Long Island watches, and it made my watch that much more special!!!
I own all three brands in similar models (read dive watches) but to be honest I prefer my micro brands because the offer something a little different. SEIKO for me represents a quality going back to my very first watch experience in the 70's.
Seiko is king of design and variety. They always come up with a reason for me to want one more watch!!
I am using seiko 5 from 1983 to till time. Not yet over hauled
Awesome comparison. The best all around everyday piece is the kamasu. The best fun diver or summer watch is the Seiko! I do have a blue kamasu and a Padi turtle. They are both awesome!
Should have citizen sticked to the ny0040 case size, it would have been a better overall fit in my humble opinion.
Noted with thanks
I bought an Orient Ray 1 from you and wore it about every day for 8 about years straight. Loved it. Great watch for the money. I won a Citizen Promaster NY-0086 from @JustOneMoreWatch last xmas (thanks Jody!) and I love it. Neither had great stock bracelets. I've been wearing the Pepsi Promaster on a blue perlon strap and it is hard to beat. It wears smaller than the dimensions would suggest, and it is just delightful. Keep up the good work Marc.
That's awesome, and free is better.
If you want a cheap but acceptable dive watch, Orient is great. Nice beginner automatic watch too. Citizen is simply a solid watch, and I'll be adding more to my collection. With Seiko redefining itself to counter the gray market, the higher prices do give many pause, but there's something about a Seiko diver. It's hard to describe, but iykyk.
Thank you.
Very well said, my thoughts exactly. Orient is the value pick, Citizen is the no-nonsense tool watch, and Seiko has the brand heritage/mystique/je ne sais quoi! Really can't go wrong with any of them.
Seiko all day long . However I did acquire two awesome Citizens watches this year . The NY0086 Pepsi Fugu and the new Japanese import NY0129 on bracelet. Both of these Citizens watches are amazing 🤩.
The Orient with Divers 200 was Triton/Neptune. A great watch. Got two from you back in the day: one for me one as a gift
Triton/Neptune is a great watch!
When I was deciding on my first diver I considered all these pieces (in addition to Islander, of course). I have zero buyer's remorse with my decision to buy the Kamasu. I'll get a bracelet upgrade eventually but it continues to blow me away.
Great watch, great choice.
Thats my 1st auto watch. I got the red one. Its so beautiful. I got 10 watches rn but still i keep going back to my kamasu, my 1st love.
@@dyslexicbien I was so close to deciding on the red dial, it's a gorgeous hue that just didn't compliment my wardrobe enough to justify. Maybe one day..
Nice video ! There is nothing wrong to be a Seiko fanboy, but the reality is that this Promaster Fugu is the better watch from those 3. The finish quality is on different level than the Turtle and Kamasu. The bezel alignment scream perfection, with zero back play. Although is 44mm case, the design is very slick and wear like 41mm, and will fit perfect on the smaller wrist. Side by side with my 41mm Longines Conquest the size is identical, and even look smaller because of the bezel. To anyone interested at those Promasters, I'll suggest checking out the blue sunburst(two tone) and the white dials. No offence Mark, but this Turtle looks like "cooked sunny-side-up egg" on your wrist, comparing to that slick Fugu :).
Thanks for watching and commenting
I like the Citizen.
Right now I'm wearing my Islander ISL-19 Pepsi dive watch. I love it! Thanks Marc.
Sweet. Thank you.
I really enjoy my Seiko Turtle. Heritage. Quality. Warranty. In house. Service etc.
When I first saw the seiko padi, I fell in love with it. Still wear it and love it 7 years later. The steel strap looks and feels a bit cheap, but you can easily upgrade it, I rotate nato’s and classic black silicon straps on it anyway. I’ve bought 2 more seiko turtles since then, interestingly none of those have the same feeling of quality or smoothness when handwinding as the padi version. Not sure why that is.
In that price range, islander is a great option. Good point about the history and overhead the brands have. Just got my first two islanders recently and I am very impressed! Thanks!
Thanks for believing in ua
*us
bought a red dial Kamasu last year. they are about 240 USD over here. love it, dial is crazy. specs are all you want. nice heavy feel. definately going to get a new Mako 3.
Great honest opinion and heads up about the overhead of big watch companies. Makes perfect sense. I have the mini-turtle (full turtle is too big), a red kamasu and the older citizen Promaster diver (NY00040). My favorite is the mini-turtle 😅
I just recently got the blue dialled NY0040 I prefer the design to its successors design
@@OscarOSullivan yes, the new case is bigger... The ny00040 is slimmer and wears very well
Islander watches slay all of these. 💪🏼
My Citizen might not be the best but it was a gift and I love it.
Orient every day for me. I bought one a few months ago, but not the Kamasu/Mako, but one that simply goes by its reference number, which is RA-AA08, and had a sapphire crystal as well. On a leather strap it's just a fantastic daily wearer that dresses up or down very easily and has a gorgeous fume turquoise sunburst dial. It's my personal recommendation for a diver at this price point and I think it's even nicer than either the Kamasu or the Mako and anything Seiko or Citizen offer at that price point. It's also perfectly sized and you're not getting better case finishing before you enter the $1,500+ category. It's true that the bracelet is not very nice though - can't speak for the quality as mine came off on day 1.
I have at least one of each of these watches. I personally think the best value is The Kamasu. I have the red dial version and I think you get a lot for the money. My second pick for value ( by a hair ) would be the Citizen. Great watches. They don't get the love they deserve. Ironically, I own more Seiko divers than any other brand, but I love them. I just can't say they're the greatest value anymore because they can get pricey. Especially lately. Great video as usual, Marc. Speaking of Seiko divers, I just got your bracelet you made for the Solar Diver for my Birthday .Great bracelet! 😉👍🏻
Love the red dial Kamasu. Green too
The seiko is such a classic. It sits in between my Sub 114060 and Breitling Pistachio and looks just as good, it doesn’t miss a beat in the looks department. An icon for a reason IMO.
I love your humble approach to this. That being said, I own 2 Islanders and none of the brands above. Thanks for making great watches and awesome content.
Just bought my first true diver, Seiko's 38.5mm SNE569, thanks in part to you, Marc. Incredible, with that peacock blue bezel and, yep, sapphire at less than the Seiko here. Only minus--that bracelet; will be ordering yours soon!
You know it! See you soon 😂
Its tough to balance the watvh business that Marc works in. Which makes it even more noticable how much integrity Marc has. We greatly appreciate the transparency.
Thank you
In my opinion it a matter of your choice. Those brand have a good reputation and tested quality. You can't go wrong on choosing any of those
Orient, esp if you don’t already have an Orient. And, as always, we appreciate how transparent you are.
Thank you
I have the Citizen NY0151 green dial. Glad I found the Islander BRAC-70 to replace the stock bracelet, it's a tight fit but will work. Great review of the divers in this price range.
I love the citizen so much I have two. I have the older NY-004 and the newer PVD full lume Fugu. Going to start my hand at watch modding and you can't deny the parts you can source for the seiko movements.
Just bought a Greenport blue dial. Beautiful watch
Bought that exact Fugu last year…for years I kept passing over Citizen, but I have been extremely impressed *for the money. I’m actually impressed with the quality (most of my other watches are mid-range swiss). The green dial looks fantastic in the sun and never shows correct in videos. Two minor complaints - the band is okay, not great but not fantastic. Given the price not a deal breaker for sure. The other thing is I think it would look better if the aluminum bezel was black. Citizen has a cheaper eco drive diver that has a similar green dial with black bezel and I find it just makes the dial pop even more. Again, still a great watch, and I would easily pick it over any hardlex Seiko at similar pricing.
I couldn't decide so I got them all, but if you want a certified diver you've got to go with Citizen, Seiko prices are going through the roof, Orient is always the best economical choice.
I'd go Citizen every day of the week and twice on Sunday. Orient in a close second. Both are way better than the Seiko.
Lol. Love that saying.
Thanks for the video,this is a deserve comparison 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼i'll choose Seiko because it have fullfill heritage diver with ISO 6425 compare to the kamasu, although without sapphire. The icon is stronger than both competitors. The citizen not always wearable to mostly wrist size.
and plus point to the Seiko is the most good looking watch here.
I have a Seiko flight master, Orient Blue Ray and Orient Field Watch all from Long Island Watch. Never really considered Citizen until this comparison. But I think I need more Seikos. lol. Thanks for the video, love your content as always. 👍🏼
Hey love watching your videos (pardon the pun) purchased the Citizen NY0040-50e for $170 and love it so far. Love Seiko but prices have been driven up so high and in my opinion Citizen doesn't come with the QC issues Seiko can be known for
Seiko for me although I take the QC point. Citizen turn out some superb Eco Drive divers for not much money. Three excellent watches though and an excellent review.
Citizen for me. I have both Seiko and Citizen watches, but my Citizen collection has overtaken my Seiko lineup.
In a big fan of the citizen promaster eco drive . Orient Star have the 1964 2nd edition diver which has ISO certification. Would love to see a review of the Orient Star diver from you Marc :-)
Great comparison! Bulova oceanographer (that is ISO certified) just misses the sub 500
Yeah, true. Good thing. 😂
Don't really have a preference depending on style and taste you can't go wrong with any of them have all these makes in my collection but none of these particular watches thanks Mark.
I just bought an orient mako v3 and it’s my first real watch aside from my gshock. And so far I love the thing! I’d like to swap the bezel and insert to one of yalls thou if the Kamasu swap would work!
Thanks for watching
Really nice video Marc. I own each of those watches in your review and like the Seiko Turtle the best. Just fits well and the quality is outstanding. Really like the look of the classic Turtle case as well. I have to say my beloved Islander ISL-19 gives the Seiko a run for the money. Cheers!
As usual solid perspective Marc. While I love and appreciate Sapphire, Hardlex is not the end of the world. I have a few Seiko's with them and they have held up well. My two cents, buy it with the original Hardlex and if it fails, replace with Sapphire!
I would like the Seiko technically, but I prefer the look of the Citizen over the Seiko, and the Orient look the best, which is why I have the Kamasu in red :). All of them are worthy however, but to each his own.
Very true. Variety!
I like all of them , and its a hard pick.....maybe the orient because of the cost.
However i do love Seiko, and the Citizen isnt a slouch.
Very tough pick.
If you want the seiko diver with the sapphire I believe the Manta Ray special edition Sumarai and Turtles can be had on bracelet for under 500 street price. They retail for 625, but sites like Macy have them on sale for 455-475 all the time.
That is true
My favorite diver out of my collection is the Islander 38mm 😬. I know it’s not ISO but it’s 200m WR and held up lifeguarding in the summer and diving.
Thanks so much
ISO is still a useful certification for protection against shock, magnetism, temperature, condensation, water pressure
I'm with you Mark, seiko all the way. I currently have 13 in the collection. Oh an unlucky number, I'll have to get another one 😂
I’ve owned all of them, but the one on my wrist 80% of the time is my ISL-91. 😊
I love my Fugu, but my favorite is its granddaddy, the NY0040-17L on the Islander bracelet.
After owning all the brands here I have found my £112 Ratio SKX style dive watch the best value EVER! Model: Ratio FreeDiver Black Dial Sapphire Crystal Stainless Steel Automatic RTA100 200M
Thank you
I’m take the Citizen every time. I love their watches Ana I think the Fugu is just a better looking watch.
Well, the bracelet for your turtle that you make I bought because I don’t like seiko bracelets so I bought your bracelet that you make for the turtle and it fits a great it looks like it belongs right on the watch. You do a great job Marc
Love them all but I really love my discontinued Orient Triton/Neptune. Will never understand why they stopped making it
Considering a dive watch per se and the brands overall, i think Citizen does it best. What can beat a NY0040 at around $250? There's simply nothing.
Orient deserves great credit for offering the many Rays, Makos and Kamasus in many colours, which coupled with the epic reliability of the brand (which compensates the lack of professional specifications in real world use) and the style of the watches themselves, offer great versatility beyond the basic sportive-professional capabilities and looks of the usual Citizen Promaster.
As for Seiko, i have the impression that it's playing increasingly badly under $500. No SKX anymore, the "5KX" aren't divers (although the GMTs are respectable - but they're on another field) and the Turtles aren't as available and as diversified as the Kamasus, for instance. If Seiko wants to claim that affordable realm, more availability of the Turtles and a reduction on price are the ways to go.
I love the 12-6-9 Arabics on an Orient Mako. Not as traditional as the other styles of indices, but they’re a lot of fun, and they do something different that really stands out in this price segment. Some nice colorways, too. I keep being tempted by the champagne dial Mako 3, and the specs on those newer Makos are pretty nice.
Otherwise… I’m not unhappy with my Casio Duros.
Great video Marc, I’m a fan of all three bands and have them in my collection as well. However, I have more Seiko’s than anything. I have two dozen Seiko watches.
Excellent review! I've always been a huge Seiko fan, but I'm leaning toward the Orient!
)
I really liked my Kamasu. Had it for almost 2 years before I hit a tree or 2 in the woods on a single track trail (dirt bike). Didn't know it fell off until the next day ☹
PADI all the way. Sure, it has Hardlex. But, look wise, it blows the competition. Add to that, the most comfortable case on the wrist of all watches is a Turtle (followed closely by the slim-case SKX case).
Very cozy
What is interesting is that the dial of the Citizen is larger than the dial of the Seiko. That is a conundrum for me as I prefer a larger watch. I did not notice this until I saw the lume shots of each side by side.
I own an Orient solar diver/chrono combo and I really like their bezel rotation feel...impressive build quality. I also own a Citizen Promaster NY0040-17L (not a Fugu), and while the bezel feels rough and crude, this is the watch I wear when I swim and kayak or otherwise do active things around water...actually, almost always my everyday wear. I don't own a Seiko yet...I was going to order an SRPE93 from Long Island Watch yesterday, but you're out of stock!
Update: I received an automated email from Long Island Watch that the SRPE93 is back in stock, so I pulled the trigger and ordered one! It's like you read my mind!
Great comparison review. Thank you.
I would take the Turtle! Ooops i did! 😂❤
Seiko and other watch brands really needs to teach their vendors about the pin and collar band adjustment on the Seiko turtle there, I had to return 2 watches to different vendors, after they “fitted” the band it came apart 4 hours later
Ultimately ended up doing it myself after I had them order it for me in the end since no refunds after adjusting
I ask them if they can do it for a reason jeez
When it comes to dive watches, I usually prefer Citizen.
I think out of those three I would pick the Orient. I don't like the crown position on the Citizen, and though I think the Seiko is the best looking of the three I just don't like the weight or the way the Turtle feels on wrist. Also, since I'm not a diver the lack of ISO rating or diver extension does not bother me, so Orient Kamasu for the win!
FWIW, I do own a Seiko SKX007 with an upgraded NH36 movement with an Islander bracelet and the Islander ratcheting clasp. I also own the blue Citizen Promaster Eco-Drive diver with an Islander bracelet. I like both of these watches a whole lot more than the Turtle and the Promaster Automatic. I guess I should look at adding an Orient so I have one each of the big Japanese brand divers. 👍
Maybe the Orient Triton is more comparable to the Turtle and Citizen than the Kamasu.
Great video!! Cheers Mark!!!
I bought my 2 Kamasus on a bracelet from a third party seller on Walmart for just over $200 each. One blue, one green, I couldn't decide between the two.
Good choices.
Although I get the appeal of mechanical watches, I have a Citizen Eco-drive chronograph that is 15 years old and has never stopped. It runs 1-2 seconds fast a day. It has seen some abuse and held up well. The only complaint I have about it is the mineral crystal is pretty scratched up. I think sapphire should be standard on watches in this price range. Also, I have a 7 inch wrist but still prefer thinner watches that fit under sleeves comfortably.
Citizen’s warranty is 5 years. Something to consider.
All three are great. Gut says Citizen, heart says Seiko, head says Orient... If that makes any sense. 😬
The Orient dive is nice design but I take Citizen for dive watch.
I have the Kamasu. But at some point I will own the other two watches shown 😁
Cool!
The Kamasu looks tiny compared to the other two. LOL I have the turtle SRP779 & think it fits great even on my 6.5 inch wrist. I might have to get a Kamasu now. Great video!
My Orient Ray II is still going strong after 7+ years & is my winter watch. My Seiko monster did great for awhile; til it didn't. I've never owned a Citizen automatic but my Promaster Eco with the ratchet clasp is the one I've taken with me any time I need one I know will work for the last 8 years. My Islander seems good when I wear it but I've learned Seiko automatics don't last on my wrist so it's relegated to occasional use.
Amazing performance from the Orient.
@islandwatch I don't wear it much in the summer but it comes out in the winter months. Maybe the rest it gets helps it. Whatever the reason, I also got a Mako USA from you in case the Ray ever gives up but it's still waiting... thanks for your products & service.
Nice comparison. The Kamasu is obviously great value but always felt it looked a bit too blingy/dressy not tooley enough for a diver... partly it's the handset, partly the bezel... Between the Seiko and the Citizen I personally prefer the Citizen overall especially given it has sapphire (I always worry about scratching mineral crystals)... that said I do prefer the Seiko hands and dial, just not a big fan of the turtle case shape... if they'd only do new version of the skx with a hacking movement and diver's rated 200m I'd pick that over the Citizen any day even with a mineral crystal...
Mark I get more compliments on my ISL-07 then I do my Rolex or Zelos. So, Islander for the win!
Thanks so much.
I prefer Citizen because I prefer quartz movement with solar. I of course love automatic drive but quartz is more comfortable.
Hi Mark. I own a Seiko 5 blue diver 160 bucks at Costco. I own a citizen promaster satellite wave green diver. I own an Orient kamasu red diver. And I own an islander black waffle GMT diver and an islander white diver. I guess islander WINS!!!!
I have the padi turtle, and it's just such a good looking watch combining the dial and aluminum (yes it just works better with the dial) bezel insert. Any of the other turtles and it's a fairer competition.
Love your fair reviews. I have the kamasu, my dressier diver. Tried turtle on my wrist, don't like it. Tried promaster too, don't like it either!
I love the Geochron in the background!!