![]() It uses the usual three-fold clasp with two squeeze-buttons for release. Exactly how it’s made is not clear but it works very smoothly and is light and comfortable. The bracelet appears to have three main links across its width but in fact the outer links are joined across the underside of the middle link. Although I have one watch that is 42 mm in diameter, it’s bigger than I really like and I find the size of the Chronomaster ideal. ![]() My 0954 measures 38 mm, considerably smaller than the 40 mm threshold that seems to be the smallest that many buyers will consider these days. They are “Duratect” coated, whatever that is, and between the Ti alloy chosen and the coating, they resist visible wear and tear pretty well. Another characteristic of the titanium models is their resistance to scuffs and scrapes. The steel ones are by no means heavy, at 120 to 130 grams, but the titanium ones seem to announce their lightness whenever one picks them up. One of the features of the titanium models is their low weight, 81 grams. There is a gold case, a number of both stainless steel and titanium-cased models of the quartz version, some with bracelets and some with alligator straps. The men’s models vary between 37 mm in diameter and 39.5 mm the women’s, only in quartz and all without a date, are 26.5 mm across. The automatics and some quartz models have what Citizen calls “spherical” crystals, presumably meaning that their convexity forms part of a spherical surface. The sapphire crystal on mine is optically flat and has anti-reflection coating on both sides. A contrast to this simplicity to my eye, at least, is the rather florid font used for the word “Chronomaster”, the same as for “Automatic” on the faces of the three mechanical models of The Citizen. It looks as if it was designed rather than styled and I really like the complete lack of anything that looks as if it had been added for ornamentation. The case is simply shaped, with elegantly curved lugs, faring smoothly and economically out of the gently convex flanks. I was intrigued, when using a macro lens to take the photographs, to notice that each of the 3,600 tiny, second-by-second movements of the minute hand, synchronized of course with the bigger jumps of the seconds-hand, can be clearly seen. I find that their highly polished surfaces, parallel to the plane of the dial, emphasize them very effectively and contribute both to the handsome appearance and the instant legibility. These, like the word “Citizen”, are all applied. The photographs, I hope, will illustrate the shape and finish of the hands and indicators. The black one was therefore sold, just in time for the blue one to be stolen! After several years with both, I decided that the blue provided plenty of contrast and that I preferred it to the rather severe black. I had come to the conclusion some time around 2007 or 2008 that it was easier to get a quick reading of the time if white or silver hands were contrasted against very dark, dial, so I bought a CTQ57-0955, which is exactly the same as the 0954 except that the dial is black. Both those that Citizen adjusted came back in their right minds. Of the four Chronomasters I’ve owned, one I sold before I checked its performance (I decided I didn’t like the silvery-white face), two were sent back to Citizen for adjustment, via the invaluable and indefatigable Higuchi, and the fourth has only just got here. The Chronomaster uses the Citizen A 660 H movement, which is specified at +/- 5 seconds per year. It has everything I want and nothing surplus and nothing by way of ornamentation. When the replacement arrived, paid for only in part by the insurance company, I was struck all over again by how complete and yet economical this watch is. Its third adventure was that it was stolen when my house was burgled on December 13th last year. I chose the new case and they sent the old case back when they returned the watch. Citizen said they couldn’t just replace the bezel, and I would either have to have a whole new case or put up with the ding. I had somehow put a ding in the highly polished bezel just under the 6 and it irritated me just about every time I checked the time. The original had a fairly adventurous life, flying back to Japan twice, the first time to have its rate adjusted by Citizen and the second time to visit Citizen for a new bezel. It is a replacement for my first high accuracy watch, exactly the same model, bought in late 2006 or early 2007. The Citizen Chronomaster This is a brief review of The Citizen Chronomaster CTQ57-0954, a blue-faced model with a titanium case and bracelet. I posted the following review a few weeks ago on another forum and then thought I ought to put it here, too.
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