# Review: Citizen BJ7110-89E: black dial, 43mm, titanium, sapphire crystal, GMT dive watch



## parv (Aug 4, 2019)

_This review may appear duplicate if you had read my posts elsewhere._[1,3,4]

*Background*

Generally I wear watch above the wrist, pushed up the forearm where circumference is ~*7.125in*. *Legibility is my most important criteria*, followed by function & ease of use.

_Citizen CA0265-59E watch above the wrist, 7.125in, where I usually wear_









At this point in my life I have weak eyesight. I only care for a largest possible watch that I could wear (~43mm case; lug to lug <=49-50mm); a watch with distinct & large enough hour & minute hands which I can easily without Rx glasses and especially just after waking up when eyesight is blurry.

When I saw _Citizen BJ7111-86L_ in the thread _BaselWorld 2019 Citizen GMT Divers ..._[1], I was interested in buying one because I was looking for a ...

~43mm titanium (for being lighter than stainless steel) watch;
with 60-minute timing bezel, without chronograph (I already had _CA0265-59E_ with one); and
at least 100m water resistance.

As it happened to have a "GMT" hour hand, so I would not need to pull out/look for my phone to know the time in another time zone. _Lovely, I thought._

*Purchase*

I was hoping that I would be able to buy from Citizen USA but that was not, and still is not, possible as of Aug 2019. In June 2019 I imported *BJ7110-89E *watch from _Chino Watch Co_, Japan for US$439. I had no issue in dealing with it.

I bought the black dial watch with yellow GMT hand, instead of _BJ7111-86L_ (blue dial with orange GMT hand), so that it would be more visible in poor light due to higher contrast ratio. If the blue dial watch had yellow or white GMT hand, I would have bought that version instead. Or, so I think; I'm not in position to compare the variations.

It arrived, properly packaged, in about 10 days. It arrived when I was on vacation. _Man, was I anxious to collect it and wear it on a rubber strap (instead of the bracelet that it comes with) as soon as possible._

*Regret; Acceptance*

I felt disappointment when I first saw the tiny hands after having been accustomed to wider, longer hands of CA0265 chronograph watch[3]. Visible face area (with normal 12-hour indices) of BJ7110 is smaller too. I was thinking I should have waited for/tried one of _Citizen BJ019[018]_.

_CA0265 on original bracelet -vs- BJ7110 on Bonetto Cinturini Model 281_









After ~2 months, I have _almost_ adjusted to the geometry of BJ7110 watch. In any case, now I have a ...


titanium watch with both
60-minute bezel &
comparatively inexpensive "GMT" movement to track second time zone;
with magnifying lens (cyclops) over the date window which allows me to easily see the date from an angle; even the dates in 20's & 30's are readable unlike on possibly all other current Eco-Drive watches sans magnifying lens or "big date" feature.

I cannot stress the ease of reading the date enough, for trying to read date on CA0265 is a miserable experience.

*Daily Wear; Time Setting*

The watch has *B877* movement. With the included paper instructions in tiny type, I was able to set both local time and date, and the second time zone.

I initially found the watch (on rubber strap) to be top heavy. This watch/strap is heavier than the above mentioned chronograph on its titanium bracelet. Now I am do not _notice_ that.

*Rubber Strap(s)*[4]

I measured the *spring bar* body thickness to be *2.01mm* and tip end to be *1.18-1.19mm* (with an old Mitutoyo digital calipers, if that matters to you). Others had noted the tip diameter to be 1.1mm.

I had purchased *Borealis rubber strap (BRSIB22)*[4]. It fits the 2mm spring bar, but with effort: spring bar went in the strap about half or two-third of its length rather easily; then pushed it with finger; pushed it with pin on the spring bar tool; then pushed it some more, with feeling one last time, so that tip of the spring bar would be exposed enough to go in the lug.

I found it to be not long enough for 8in circumference with enough of tail of the strap left after the keepers. I will use it where I won't need to wear the watch up the forearm.

_Watch on Borealis strap (not that one could see much of it)_








So I currently wear the watch on *Bonetto Cinturini Model 285*[4] rubber strap. The strap is listed to accommodate Seiko fat spring bars (2.5mm). As such the Citizen spring bars easily pass through. Most of time, I wear the watch lower on the arm as shown in the first image (3rd hole from the lug). It is long enough that I can move the watch up the forearm (~8in; 4th or 5th hole from the lug, depends on length of the wrist) before wearing a wristband and still have enough of the strap pass through the keepers.

_Watch on Bonetto Cinturini Model 285: buckle_








Before Model 285, I had bought Bonetto Cinturini _Model 281_. The Citizen spring bars could not be used as there was not enough clearance. The spring bars that came with the strap had thinner tip ends than the space available in the lugs. So I had exchanged model 281 with 285.

*Final Thoughts*

I do wish CA0265 could have included a magnifying lens over the date; Borealis would make a longer version of the strap. I have been alternating between the two about every other day. Oh, also ...

_BJ7110 in some darkness_








_BJ7110 in mostly sodium vapor light_








-- * --

_Discussion elsewhere:_

_BaselWorld 2019 Citizen GMT Divers ..anyone own these yet (Model : BJ7111-86)_
_Citizen GMT Diver BJ710-89E - Quick Review...._
_Bigger visible dial & hands: Kano vs Mako USA II, others?_
_Review: Borealis Vulcanized Rubber Strap (like but short); Bonetto Cinturini Rubber Watch Strap 285_


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## NC_Hager626 (Sep 20, 2018)

Thanks for your honest review. Enjoy your Citizen.


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## Hacknwind (Mar 16, 2018)

Both sharp watches, on the GMT, what did you dislike about the factory rubber/resin strap? I kind of like the big ProMaster letters and was considering purchasing it for other ProMasters i have. Cheapest I've found is just North of $50, which seems steep when I'm providing free advertising for your company. I like the flashy colors of the other GMT models, but after looking at your watch, and I agree with you 100%, contrast is KING. I think the black watch is the better long-term keeper. I wonder if you own any pre-recession Citizen watches? I found the modern Citizen's don't have the quality lume the older watches have. For example my new Fugus' vs my old Ny0040's or BN series ProMasters. The Lume is a step behind. Exclusive of your watches, it just seems like the majority of their modern designs are milk-toast compared to the way-out designs of the past divers. But you've made some great choices there! The world needs more GMTs ; ))


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## parv (Aug 4, 2019)

Hacknwind said:


> ... on the GMT, what did you dislike about the factory rubber/resin strap?


BJ7110-89E comes with titanium bracelet. I am sorry to give you the impression that it came with factory rubber strap. Could you please note the sentence/paragraph which gave that impression so that I could rephrase it?



> ... I wonder if you own any pre-recession Citizen watches? I found the modern Citizen's don't have the quality lume the older watches have. For example my new Fugus' vs my old Ny0040's or BN series ProMasters. The Lume is a step behind. Exclusive of your watches, it just seems like the majority of their modern designs are milk-toast compared to the way-out designs of the past divers.


CA0265, chronograph, has certainly low brightness (teal-looking) luminescence paint.

I had (Promaster) AP0430-51L c. 1999 before the above two. After being in the Sun, indices & hands would shine brightly. Once inside a building, face would be even more noticeable. I would have compared both of Promaster watches but I don't have the earlier, smaller watch anymore.

BJ7110 does not need to be charged for long, unlike the chronograph watch, to show its shiny hands & indices. For example ~20W fluorescent bulb, ~5ft away for ~30 minutes is enough to last at least 30 minutes (possibly may last longer, I do not know). Regardless of (initial) brightness, the length of time at least the hands can be read in dark is what matters to me. On that point I am not the one to test that reliably for I become distracted/bored while waiting for an hour or two to pass.



> But you've made some great choices there! The world needs more GMTs ; ))


FWIW, SakuraWatches currently has older Promaster Land BJ7095-56X & BJ7094-59E (360 degree NEWS ring with GMT hour ring in the middle) for nearly half the price of BJ7110/BJ7111 with the same calibre.


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## LostArk (Apr 19, 2017)

Nice review. I recently picked up a BJ7111-86L. I'm surprised these new Promasters haven't gotten more attention. A true GMT (quickset hour hand) in a titanium diver is a rare combo. The case and bracelet are nicely finished, imo much nicer than the Steinhart Ocean One Titanium (which has a quickset GMT hand — boo, hiss). A very cool watch for fans of titanium, especially for anyone who prefers a bracelet. I think this watch is the only real alternative to the Shogun in the price bracket, and one of only a few true GMT titanium divers at all.


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## hsc1 (May 30, 2019)

Firstly- thanks so much this thread! 


Now what did you guys think about the lume? Comparable to citizen's bn0150 or the bn0190? 

How about the bezel action? Is it feather light like the bn0200? 


These two factors are keeping me away from the buy button. 

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk


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## parv (Aug 4, 2019)

hsc1, I do not have any of the other watches that you have listed to compare to.

To me bezel on BJ7110 seems to work as expected: bezel does not feel overly loose while moving; neither does the bezel move vertically. When trying to rock the bezel back & forth, it has slight give but does not really move back at all.


- parv


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## parv (Aug 4, 2019)

*Dial*

dial appears dark grey in (day- or direct fluorescent) light; appears black under dim light conditions.
its finish is certainly matte; even in bright sun light it remains so.
the solar cell structure did not become obvious, unlike in case of CA0265, neither due to obvious outline nor due to appearance of another color.

*Update on rubber strap*: Some weeks ago I had switched to Borealis rubber strap for it is much faster & easier to, well, strap the watch to my wrist without frustration.


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## eddiefirestone (Oct 14, 2019)

Nice pieces, wear them in good health


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## jwernatl (Dec 21, 2014)




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