Citizen BL5250-02L: Eco-Drive Perpetual Calendar Chronograph
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Authored by: FroFro
I would like to say a little something about my new addition andbasically start of my watch collection; the Citizen Eco-Drive PerpetualCalendar Chronograph, number BL5250-02L with the E812 movement.
I would like to say a little something about my new addition andbasically start of my watch collection; the Citizen Eco-Drive PerpetualCalendar Chronograph, number BL5250-02L with the E812 movement.
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The case is made entirely out of titanium including the uniderictionalrotating bezel. It is extremely polished which may look like cheapchrome to some, but I absolutely love it, as it always looks new. Thewatch has a very nice brown croc-style genuine leather strap with awhite-beige stitching along the sides. It features a dark blue dial andeven though it is véry dark, you can definitely tell it's blue.Combined with the waffle-relief this gives a very nice effect,especially when strong light strikes it directly. In the dial are 3round more black-ish dials, with the same detail for relief, this timeconcentric circles like little waves.
[center][img]http://i46.tinypic.com/2afer61.jpg
The subdials give you a function-selection unit, a 1/20th of asecond-timer and a 24 hour clock. At first, this 24 hour clock seemedrather redundant to me, as you obviously already have the main handsgiving time, but it is useful to tell wether it's AM or PM, and allowsyou to easily set the 24h-alarm. This alarm is rather silent I can'tmanage to have it wake me up, but it is more useful to use during theday, to remind you of things to do. When switching to alarm mode usingthe function-selection subdial, the main hands slide automatically overthe dial to the hour the alarm is set. The slow speed at which thishappens apparently bothers some, to me it doesn't, as you can justcontinue working while it happens or look at it, because truthfully, itis beautiful t see the watch do its thing. What does bother me is thatwhile it is in progress, you cannot stop it and set a new time, so ifyou want to set a new alarmtime, you'll first have to wait till it goesto the old time. This can be rather stupid when you want to put youralarm forth like half an hour during the evening, but you last used itto (try to ;p) wake up. This means you'll have to go all the way backand forth for nothing.The case is made entirely out of titanium including the uniderictionalrotating bezel. It is extremely polished which may look like cheapchrome to some, but I absolutely love it, as it always looks new. Thewatch has a very nice brown croc-style genuine leather strap with awhite-beige stitching along the sides. It features a dark blue dial andeven though it is véry dark, you can definitely tell it's blue.Combined with the waffle-relief this gives a very nice effect,especially when strong light strikes it directly. In the dial are 3round more black-ish dials, with the same detail for relief, this timeconcentric circles like little waves.
[center][img]http://i46.tinypic.com/2afer61.jpg
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Using the function-selection subdial you can also go to thechronograph, which uses the second hand as second counter, and the1/20th of a second timer as minute counter. After stopping it, pressingthe lower right button causes the 1/20th of a second dial to show youthe hundreds of a second. It can only time a maximum of 60 minutes,this should suffice for most things but of course maybe you'll want totime something longer. I have to say that I use the bezel a lot. It ismuch more quickly to use than the chronograph, so it is great forthings that don't require a lot of accuracy and would actually prefer acountdown timer, like coocking times. Just rotate the dot on the bezelto when your pizza is supposed to be finished, and voila!
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Of course, this watch features Citizen's acclaimed Eco-Drivetechnology, which charges the battery using all different kinds oflight. This is not what impresses me the most. The best are thepower-saving functions, which will guarantee your watch will keep timefor months if you happen to get lost in a very dark forest, getkidnapped or of course just like to put the watch in its box to wearanother one. When the watch decides there is not enough light it stopsthe second hand the next time it passes the 12 and keeps it at thatposition. It does however keep counting in its "head" so time is kept,and next time light hits the dial, the second hand immediately shootsto the position where it should be. This is a real joy to see, and Imust admit I giggle of excitement when it does a 55 second run. I haveyet to achieve the 59 second run1 ;p
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Light also charges the lume, on the hour and minute hands as well as onthe hour indications and the dot on the bezel. When working with mywatch visible at my desk under strong desklight, the watch shines likea star when darkness takes over. However, when walking around all dayin typical Belgian weather conditions, the battery gets charged but thelume has a rather disappointing reaction. Of course, this is logicalchemistry, so I guess I'd have to blame Belgium in stead of Citizen forthat.
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Overall, I am extremely pleased with this watch. I will always rememberit as my first decent watch and I could also really recommend it topeople in the same position I was in. You're young (I'm 20 btw, forwhat it's worth), don't have a million gazillion billion to spend on awatch but do want something top notch. I was doubting between this anda Tissot PRC200 Chrono. The longer chronotime (60 vs 30 min), theEco-Drive technology, basically the looks, the fact that I hate theTissot clasp on the leather strap, the fact that over here no-one hasCitizen and everyone has Tissot, and last but definitely not least; thePerpetual Calendar (how could I forget to mention this!) which assuresyou'll never have to count your knuckles to know if a month has 28, 29,30 or 31 days, and you won't have to reset your watch every 1st. Alsoless young people should join the fun of course! It's modern, it'sclassy, it's cool, it's dressy, it's must.
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One problem; It got me interested and I think it will get me addictedto buying watches. Now that I have a nice daily driver I'm scoutingEbay for (cheap!) "sidewatches" that I missed in history. Right now I'mthinking of a Seiko 5 with the 7009 movement. Suggestions are alwaysappreciated. Another thing is sure; you got a new member haha :D I hopeyou had fun reading! The photos may not be what you would expect but myskills don't go much further than taking my father's camera andpressing the auto-button.
[center][img][/center]
Greetings,
Bruno!
Using the function-selection subdial you can also go to thechronograph, which uses the second hand as second counter, and the1/20th of a second timer as minute counter. After stopping it, pressingthe lower right button causes the 1/20th of a second dial to show youthe hundreds of a second. It can only time a maximum of 60 minutes,this should suffice for most things but of course maybe you'll want totime something longer. I have to say that I use the bezel a lot. It ismuch more quickly to use than the chronograph, so it is great forthings that don't require a lot of accuracy and would actually prefer acountdown timer, like coocking times. Just rotate the dot on the bezelto when your pizza is supposed to be finished, and voila!
[center][img][/center]
Of course, this watch features Citizen's acclaimed Eco-Drivetechnology, which charges the battery using all different kinds oflight. This is not what impresses me the most. The best are thepower-saving functions, which will guarantee your watch will keep timefor months if you happen to get lost in a very dark forest, getkidnapped or of course just like to put the watch in its box to wearanother one. When the watch decides there is not enough light it stopsthe second hand the next time it passes the 12 and keeps it at thatposition. It does however keep counting in its "head" so time is kept,and next time light hits the dial, the second hand immediately shootsto the position where it should be. This is a real joy to see, and Imust admit I giggle of excitement when it does a 55 second run. I haveyet to achieve the 59 second run1 ;p
[center][img][/center]
Light also charges the lume, on the hour and minute hands as well as onthe hour indications and the dot on the bezel. When working with mywatch visible at my desk under strong desklight, the watch shines likea star when darkness takes over. However, when walking around all dayin typical Belgian weather conditions, the battery gets charged but thelume has a rather disappointing reaction. Of course, this is logicalchemistry, so I guess I'd have to blame Belgium in stead of Citizen forthat.
[center][img][/center]
Overall, I am extremely pleased with this watch. I will always rememberit as my first decent watch and I could also really recommend it topeople in the same position I was in. You're young (I'm 20 btw, forwhat it's worth), don't have a million gazillion billion to spend on awatch but do want something top notch. I was doubting between this anda Tissot PRC200 Chrono. The longer chronotime (60 vs 30 min), theEco-Drive technology, basically the looks, the fact that I hate theTissot clasp on the leather strap, the fact that over here no-one hasCitizen and everyone has Tissot, and last but definitely not least; thePerpetual Calendar (how could I forget to mention this!) which assuresyou'll never have to count your knuckles to know if a month has 28, 29,30 or 31 days, and you won't have to reset your watch every 1st. Alsoless young people should join the fun of course! It's modern, it'sclassy, it's cool, it's dressy, it's must.
[center][img][/center]
One problem; It got me interested and I think it will get me addictedto buying watches. Now that I have a nice daily driver I'm scoutingEbay for (cheap!) "sidewatches" that I missed in history. Right now I'mthinking of a Seiko 5 with the 7009 movement. Suggestions are alwaysappreciated. Another thing is sure; you got a new member haha :D I hopeyou had fun reading! The photos may not be what you would expect but myskills don't go much further than taking my father's camera andpressing the auto-button.
[center][img][/center]
Greetings,
Bruno!
