Review of Citizen Skyhawk AT JY0000-53E

[nhoJ]

Review of Citizen Skyhawk AT JY0000-53E





If you are a gadget person, this is the watch for you.  It does everything, and it does everything well.  This model is the third generation of the Skyhawk model and includes the following features:

Atomic time keeping. Automatic and manual.
Stainless steel case and bracelet.
Eco drive technology.  2.5 year power reserve.
Power reserve indicator with low charge warning.
World Time with 43 cities.
2 World time Alarms
1/100 Second Chronograph Measures up to 24 Hours
99 Minute Countdown Timer
Perpetual calendar.
Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) display.
Black dial with silver tone hands and markers. Digital display.
Digital display back-light.
Luminous hands and markers.
Rotating Slide Rule Bezel.
Non-reflective scratch resistant mineral crystal.
Push-button deployment clasp.
Water resistant to 200m.
Weight is 175 grams.

It is too cumbersome to detail all the features and functions here in this review.  For that I refer you to an excellent video review that demonstrates many of the features.

http://www.thewatchsite.com/index.php/topic,1483.msg6679.html#msg6679

Here is a link to another review for the same watch
 
http://www.thewatchsite.com/index.php/topic,3234.0.html
 
The manual for the U600 module can be found at the link below.

http://www.citizenwatch.jp/support/pdf/u600/e.pdf

Dimensions:

Crystal            34mm
Bezel/case    45mm
To Crown       48mm
Lug to lug      50mm
Lug width      22mm
Thickness      15mm
 
Model Numbers:
 
JY0000-53E -- Skyhawk AT SS Case SS Bracelet
JY0000-02E -- Skyhawk AT SS Case Rubber Strap
JY0005-50E -- Skyhawk AT Black Ion Plate Case and Bracelet
JY0010-50E -- Skyhawk AT Titanium Case and Bracelet
JY0064-00L -- Blue Angels AT SS Case Rubber Strap
JY0040-59L -- Blue Angels AT SS Case SS Bracelet
JY0050-55L -- Blue Angels AT Titanium Case and Bracelet

Dial/hands



There is a lot of stuff on the dial, but most of it is used for reference only and does not require constant attention, so it fades into the background.  The 10 oclock subdial shows the power reserve meter and also indicates the source of the last atomic sync.  The 12 oclock subdial shows UTC time on a 24 hour scale and cannot be adjusted.  The 2 oclock subdial is simply an AM/PM indicator for the time shown on the main hands.  The 6 oclock subdial is important because it displays the mode the watch is in.  The indicator in this subdial is manipulated by pulling the crown out to the first position and then rotated in either direction. 

The LCD window at 9 oclock doesn’t do much.  It is an indicator of the time zone on the main hands and also has some indicator modes for the various functions.  The larger LCD window at 3 oclock is where all the action is at.  It can display a second time zone, timer, stopwatch, calendar, and setting window for the programmable aspects of the watch.  When in time, cal or Rx modes, the upper right button will light up the LCD windows in a red/orange backlight.  Unfortunately this backlight feature is not available in the stopwatch, timer or alarm mode as the button is used for other things.  I find this disappointing as it is useful to see these things in the dark.

The hands are a sword style trimmed in chrome and filled with lume.  The index markers are also trimmed in chrome and filled with lume. The second hand is painted orange and has a cool emblem on the tail.  Second hand ticks in 1 second increments.  The lume on this model is pretty good.  Not up to diver standards in terms of initial brightness, but it is easily visible and lasts most if not all the night.  Unfortunately, it is green and not blue like many other Citizen models.

The dial is a very dark blue and sometimes looks black.  Unlike other Citizen models that I have owned, I cannot see any solar panel underneath the dial.

Crystal/Bezel



The crystal is AR coated mineral glass and has a gentle dome shape.  The bezel is the same very dark blue/black as the dial.  The bezel functions as an E6B slide rule and works with the time index on the chapter ring as well. 

The bezel is lined with little stainless steel nubs which provide a good grip.  A nice little design touch is the nubs line up at the 12, 6, 3, and 9 positions when the numbers on the two slide rules are aligned.  The bezel smoothly rotated in both directions and has a nice instrument feel to it.



Case

The case is nice and heavy.  The whole watch with bracelet weighs 175 grams.  The case is completely brushed.  The shape is relatively simple, but nicely finished.  The lugs have a gentle curve which helps balance the watch, especially on those like myself with smaller wrists.  The profile of the case has a slight angle such that the foot of the case that sits on the wrist is slightly wider than the upper part at the bezel.

The knurled crown is signed with the Promaster symbol and is protected by crown guards.  The pushers on either side are polished, are a good size and have a good spring loaded feel to them when engaged.  The case back has a simple laser etching that is characteristic of US Citizen models.









Bracelet

The bracelet on this model is exceptional.  Lug width is 22mm.  The first link flares out to 24mm and then tapers to a 20mm clasp.  The links are almost completely brushed on the top and sides with some subtle polished accents.  The middle lines of the link are elevated about 1mm above the rest of the link.  Between the height change and the polished accents, a lot of depth is present on the surface of the bracelet. In some ways this bracelet look more Swiss than Japanese to me.  Two partial links are included on the bracelet.  End links are solid.  My only issue with the bracelet is the rigid positioning of the first link does not allow the watch to sit flat.

The clasp is a minor disappointment.  It has 2 push buttons which sit flush to the edge of the clasp which is nice.  There are no adjustment holes in the clasp.  The clasp is of a stamped metal construction which when compared to the scissor style forged clasps that are becoming more common, has a cheap feel to it.  Functionally, the clasp is fine and my issue is a minor, cosmetic one.











Conclusions

If you are looking for a multi-function quartz of good construction and an affordable price, look no further as this is the model for you.  This is a nice watch with great looks and great functions.  I will make a comment on the reception of the atomic signal as in my experience it is superior to that of the atomic Casios I have owned.  Where my Casios require the searching of the house for a hotspot, this Citizen will sync in areas in my house where the Casio will not even get a signal in a side by side test.

In closing I will include some pictures of the case on some Nato straps as well as some side by side pictures with some other common Seikos.

[minidriver]

Excellent review as usual, John.

[microbeta]

I have a Skyhawk AT.  I love this watch.  Nice Review.
 
It's heavy but I like my watches a little loose and heavy. 
 
I'm an engineer and I like playing with the slide rule.  Although the instructions for it's use are not very good.  Another engineer and I knew what a given procedure was trying to do but the manual sucks at describing how to use it.
 
Mike

[minidriver]

I have a Skyhawk AT.  I love this watch.  Nice Review.
 
It's heavy but I like my watches a little loose and heavy. 
 
I'm an engineer and I like playing with the slide rule.  Although the instructions for it's use are not very good.  Another engineer and I knew what a given procedure was trying to do but the manual sucks at describing how to use it.
 
Mike

There is a very good video over at youtube.com that explains how to use the slide rule bezel.

[justsellbrgs]

nice review brother 

[nhoJ]

So after about 6 weeks of ownership, I can say that I am still very happy with this watch is a favorite and sees regular wear.  The radio reception is outstanding.  I can only recall a single failed automatic recpetion and there was a bad storm that night.  I have also had successful manual syncs in the morning and evening hours when reception is not expected to be good.  In my experiences this Citizen has superior reception than the Casio RC models I have owned (CasioWaveceptor and G Shock) even in side by side tests.  As always with radio controlled watches, your mileage may vary.
 
Misses....I still think the clasp is weak but I try not to think about it.  Not implying failure, its just that I know it could be better and doesn't match the quality of the bracelet. Lack of LCD backlight for the timer, stopwatch and alarm setting functions is annoying.  Also the date is only displayed during CAL mode and obviously comes at the expense of displaying the second time zone.  Unfortunately the date displayed is that for the city selected for the second time zone.  So to display your local date, you need to have both time zones set to the same city.  If you normally display a second city time zone and you just need to check the date, you have to remember if the second city is normally in the same day as you.  Lastly, the hands don't move out of the way if they are in the way of the LCD display.  This isn't a problem for me, but may be for others.  I have thought of a simple work around where by you switch the time on the hands with that of your second time zone selection....run your function and then simply switch the time back.
 
For me the misses are minor, but I thought I would point them out for others reading this and potentially making a decision to buy.  If you like multi function quartz and live in range of one of the atomic transmitters, this is the watch for you.  Even if you can't get reception, it is still a super watch.
 
Also below is a good demonstration of the use of the slide rule.
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgCozVUsrF4" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgCozVUsrF4</a>