# Watches similar to Citizen Navihawk / Skyhawk



## crankcase (Sep 14, 2012)

Hi,

I bought a Citizen Navihawk Blue Angels JN0040 about 3-3.5 years ago.








I love the look and features of this watch, especially:

 - slide rule bezel
- dedicated UTC clock
- easy swap between time zones in analog & digital sections

Not to mention the 'normal' features like day/date, stopwatch, timer, etc.

Unfortunately, the watch has proved rather unreliable, with frequent breakdowns & repairs. It even had a "complete overhaul" at the authorised service centre in April, including a movement change... and has still been back for repairs twice since then. Not trying to start an argument here, but that was my experience and it has made me rather hesitant to buy another Citizen.

So now I'm looking for alternatives from other brands. Does anybody know any watches with similar style/functionality? I love that fact that this is a pretty much "do anything" watch, and I'd love to get something along the same lines.

Any suggestions? Thanks in advance!


----------



## boeing767 (Nov 18, 2009)

I have a Citizen Nighthawk and I know what you mean about all the features 
I'm thinking about buying a Hamilton Flight Timer, I think it looks just great...

Hamilton Watch · Flight Timer









Also the Tissot T-touche could be a good option 

Tissot


----------



## Andrew McGregor (Dec 27, 2011)

I'd suggest you got a lemon, and actually another Citizen would be fine (mine has been). I'd suggest that as a first option... get a later model Skyhawk or Super Pilot (the brand new Blue Angels model looks great).

However... there are a variety of options.

Breitling Airwolf Raven (very expensive, but a superb watch, one of very many variations):








There are a bunch of other Breitlings.

Possibly a Seiko SSC009 (not nearly the same feature set, especially not the world time, but still nice, solar, and cheap):








Seiko SNAE97 (much the same as the SSC, but somewhat higher in the range, not solar):








Some will suggest the SNA411, but I had one and really don't like it, the slide rule is all but unusable.

Hamilton flight timer (no slide rule):








World time and slide rule is an uncommon combination... add perpetual calendar and you're down to Citizen and Breitling, AFAIK.


----------



## Ace X (Sep 6, 2012)

Mine is unreliable too with frequent repairs because one of the pins (same one every time) for the link constantly falls out. Happens every month & is irritating because I wear it all the time when its fixed. Its the Skyhawk Blue Angels 2nd gen by the way. I'm hesitant to buy another Citizen with a steel band. I probably will not unless I really want it & only comes with that kind off band.


----------



## Andrew McGregor (Dec 27, 2011)

Ace X said:


> Mine is unreliable too with frequent repairs because one of the pins (same one every time) for the link constantly falls out. Happens every month & is irritating because I wear it all the time when its fixed. Its the Skyhawk Blue Angels 2nd gen by the way. I'm hesitant to buy another Citizen with a steel band. I probably will not unless I really want it & only comes with that kind off band.


Hmm, mine's a titanium 2nd gen, and it's still got the factory pins in it. Maybe the problem is that particular model?.


----------



## crankcase (Sep 14, 2012)

Ace X said:


> Mine is unreliable too with frequent repairs because one of the pins (same one every time) for the link constantly falls out. Happens every month & is irritating because I wear it all the time when its fixed. Its the Skyhawk Blue Angels 2nd gen by the way. I'm hesitant to buy another Citizen with a steel band. I probably will not unless I really want it & only comes with that kind off band.


If only my problem was so cosmetic, I'd just change the band and be done with it. My watch just blanks out/resets from time to time, and then I have to reset the time and realign the hands all over again! Truly bizarre behaviour.

Anyway, thanks for the recommendations, @*boeing767* and @*Andrew* ! Breitlings are beyond my price range, but I'll check out the Hamilton. I saw the Seiko solar chrono model as well, that's already on my shortlist 

Thanks again!


----------



## ZedU54 (Sep 18, 2012)

...most interesting. My 'daily driver' for the last 6+ years has been a JR3000-51F (the earlier 'basic' stainless Skyhawk--there were A LOT of different variants in that JR3000 series!) and it has run pretty flawlessly from day one. I did have to replace the crystal in it (my own fault--I whacked it really hard one day on a metal post), actually I got a 'parts' watch with a good crystal and case and put the good movement into it). Now--Ace X--I don't know which Skyhawk you had with the band problem (you did say 'Blue Angels 2nd gen', but I don't know if by '2nd gen' you mean the JR3080 or the JYxxxx 'Blue Angels' edition), but on mine, there is a tiny roll pin in each link that secures the link pin. If you take the band apart, the roll pin can fall out of the link and get lost. And if the roll pin is missing from a link, that particular link pin will be very loose and prone to falling out...

...edit: got a much better picture...


----------



## Ace X (Sep 6, 2012)

ZedU54 said:


> Now--Ace X--I don't know which Skyhawk you had with the band problem (you did say 'Blue Angels 2nd gen', but I don't know if by '2nd gen' you mean the JR3080 or the JYxxxx 'Blue Angels' edition), but on mine, there is a tiny roll pin in each link that secures the link pin. If you take the band apart, the roll pin can fall out of the link and get lost. And if the roll pin is missing from a link, that particular link pin will be very loose and prone to falling out...


My Skyhawk Blue Angels watch is the C651-T000959


----------



## JML (Dec 21, 2006)

The AT8020-54L is the newest "Blue Angels" watch (shown on the Citizen website, and making it into stores right now). Sapphire, radio control, 43mm, list $650. Different movement than the previous Blue Angels ana/digi models. I really like this one. Similar AT models have solid end links and excellent bracelets. There's also a version with a blue strap (not leather).


----------



## ZedU54 (Sep 18, 2012)

Ace X said:


> My Skyhawk Blue Angels watch is the C651-T000959


...ok; you've got the JR3080. 'C651' is the 'caliber' (movement) number, and the JR3xxx 'family' used C650 or C651 movements (mine uses the C650). Your band will look quite different from mine, but I suspect it's construction is similar...here's a section of the band used on my watch, along with both pins used in the links:









...I still think you're missing that roll pin as shown in the picture above...









...You need to make sure there is one of those roll pins in the hole in the link indicated by the arrow in this picture before you put the band together and insert the link pin. Otherwise the link pin will be loose as you have described...


----------



## crankcase (Sep 14, 2012)

JML said:


> The AT8020-54L is the newest "Blue Angels" watch (shown on the Citizen website, and making it into stores right now). Sapphire, radio control, 43mm, list $650. Different movement than the previous Blue Angels ana/digi models. I really like this one. Similar AT models have solid end links and excellent bracelets. There's also a version with a blue strap (not leather).


Those look really nice. Back to a more 'old school' look I feel, but in the process they seem to have lost the unique combination of features that I mentioned in my original post. There's no sign of a UTC clock or world time (though it does say "World Chronograph", so maybe I'm missing something?). Also seems a bit expensive for the features it does have. All in all, I have to say I'm not bowled over...


----------



## Andrew McGregor (Dec 27, 2011)

crankcase said:


> Those look really nice. Back to a more 'old school' look I feel, but in the process they seem to have lost the unique combination of features that I mentioned in my original post. There's no sign of a UTC clock or world time (though it does say "World Chronograph", so maybe I'm missing something?). Also seems a bit expensive for the features it does have. All in all, I have to say I'm not bowled over...


See the list of airport names around the chapter ring, just outside the hour markers? That's the world time setting scale. Also see the SMT (summer time) setting scale by the top subdial. It's a clever movement, but no, it doesn't match the old ones for features, quite.


----------



## brandon\ (Aug 23, 2010)

Momentum Format 4?

I have never owned a Skyhawk or any watches mentioned in this thread, including the Momentum Format 4. But I figured it kind of falls in line with the Hamilton Flight Timer and Breitling Air Wolf.


----------



## jules2 (Dec 5, 2012)

ZedU54 said:


> ...ok; you've got the JR3080. 'C651' is the 'caliber' (movement) number, and the JR3xxx 'family' used C650 or C651 movements (mine uses the C650). Your band will look quite different from mine, but I suspect it's construction is similar...here's a section of the band used on my watch, along with both pins used in the links:
> 
> View attachment 826283
> 
> ...


Hello,

I need one additional band link to my old JR3000 Skyhawk watch.
Can You help me?

I wait Your reply to my e-mail address: [email protected]

Thanks, regards
Gyula Feher
Hungary


----------

