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22 of 23 found the following review helpful:
 This is an awesome (looking) watch. Dec 22, 2006
By Robert E. Czeizinger
"The CIZE"
Okay, I admit that I was looking for a watch that was more about looks than function. I wanted something that looked different from the normal "run of the mill" watches that you find everywhere.
When searching Amazon for different choices, I was immediately drawn to the black Citizen Nighthawk. The black metal band and watch is a rarity among watches. The watch face was really appealing especially with the large numbers and red 24 hour numbers.
I did read the Amazon product description and knew that it came with Eco-Drive. That was a real plus since I may never have to replace the rechargeable battery. Most watches are never water resistant after the battery has been replaced.
I purchased the watch and I've had it for about 6 months. First I have to say that the watch is beautiful. I've had multiple comments about the watch from people who apparently agree. I also love the large numbers and hands. The watch is easy to read in both light and dark. The mineral crystal is so clear that it's like it isn't even there. The Eco-Drive works flawlessly and changing the date is a breeze.
If you don't like large heavy watches, then this watch is not for you. But if awesome looks and black stainless steel appeals to you, then you can't do better than this watch.
18 of 19 found the following review helpful:
 Excellent watch, band is a disaster May 28, 2007
By D. Ciomek
I saw this watch at a store in Singapore and fell in love with it. Awesome watch. WR 20 bar (200m), although the manual actually says its ok for swimming but not for scuba diving. Strange, with 20 bar it should be fine for regular scuba diving up to 30m etc. Store price in Singapore was S$699 minus some special sales discount, I still got a better deal at Amazon. The watch is awesome (looking) , runs like a charme (on time), easy to understand and set (with dual time). The only issue I had is adjusting the band, that is a litle tricky. The band could have been a bit more flexible, for US$450 I would expect a better band. To adjust the length (if the regular adjustment is not enough), you need to pinch out the little steel poles with a proper tool or a thumbtack, but they are very tight. Pinch them in the direction of the arrow on the inner side of the watch. Otherwise, great watch, runs on solar power and newer needs a battery! Ordered through Amazon from CDI Watches, came in new box and within 2 days. Excellent deal.
Update! The black band is a disaster, lost its color within 3 weeks, and the watch started to get some silver spots as well, returned it immediately. I ordered the silver one then, and the band still sucks. It's a shame for Citizen to sell such a nice watch at a high retail prize with this poor band. Seems like they do not care about their brand and reputation. Keeping the wath though as I love it, but be prepared even for the silver color band to get color stains and scratches in no time. The band is a very poor product.
Update 10/2008: I love the watch. The silver band is still mostly OK. Much better choice than the black one.
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
Very nice Watch...for a pilot. Jul 17, 2008
By GoHeels
"USN"
Diameter of the actual bezel is 41mm, and with the addition of the crown it adds up to just about 45mm, and the width checking in at 12mm.
First characteristic to strike me was the weight of the watch, it's definately on the heavy side but does not cross over the line to become bulky and weighs in at about 12oz. With a 41mm diameter it is a bit large but does not look akward on small wrists like mine. The color is a satin black and unfortunately it will scratch off over time which was a little dissapointing. The clasp feels a bit weak, and this being the 2nd Citizen watch I've owned with this same clasp type, I am a bit nervous that the folding mechanism will eventually break off as happened before somewhere on I-95 with my last watch.
The slide rule, operated by a crown on the 8 o'clock position, slides very smoothly. The slide rule is able to calculate fuel consumption, groud speed, air speed and distance, division, multiplication, and square roots. This is no easy task and the users manual offers little in the way of clarification, I suppose if you're a pilot this would not be difficult to grasp but for regular people it's more of a novelty feature than a useful one.
To sum up, this is a very nice watch worth the pricetag. Looks good, feels quite solid and of course, never needs a battery. Citizen should look into more effective ways of making sure a black Stainless steel watch stays black, and manufacture a more reliable clasp.
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
A pilot's perspective Oct 27, 2009
By Benedict J. Jackson
I won't comment much on the appearance of the watch, other than to say I like it.
As a pilot the primary feature that appeal to me are:
* The large, easy to read face,
* The continuously visible, offsettable 24H hand (used for GMT),
* And the date display.
The integrated e6b is purely for aesthetics. About the only math operation I can do faster on this watch than in my head is take a square root (which is a neat circular sliderule trick). I personally find a *real* e6b unwieldy in a cockpit environment, and you can turn one of those to any position instantly rather than having to crank it around with a tiny knob. To use the one in this watch you must remove it from your wrist for two reasons: 1) only half of the rotating bezel can really be read on your wrist, and 2) the crown for turning it is at the 8 o'clock position. I have used the outer bezel's red '60>' mark to note a position of the minute hand like you might use a dive bezel, but without the handy minute marks. If the e6b really appeals to you beyond gadget factor, consider a watch where the e6b is operated by rotating the outer bezel and the entire ring is readable without removing it from your wrist.
This brings us to the only really pilot-y feature of this watch, in my opinion: The 24H GMT hand. Everything in aviation is in "zulu" time. Flight plans, weather, winds aloft, NOTAMs, airport hours of operation, etc. This watch has a movement suitable for a 24h outer ring, but instead displays the time with a two-headed 4th hand in two concentric semi-circles on the left of the watch. The scale is much larger than the inner dials used on some watches, but it is still finicky to read. The hand moves continuously, so whenever you are near the top of the hour you have to consult the minute hand first to interpret the 24h hand. The hour and minute hands can both totally eclipse the 24h hand. Twice a day the hour hand obscures the 24h pointer for the better part of an hour. The red markings from 13..24 are not nearly as easy to read as the white marks (there's an otherwise very attractive Asian model of this watch with a brown face where the red marks are almost totally illegible).
The lume is good and lasts for many hours. Immediately after direct sun exposure you can see it glowing even in the shade outside. The date clicks over fairly rapidly at midnight (it does not spend a long time halfway between dates). It has a screw-down crown. The stem could use a little more definition when pulled out to the first detent (used to offset the hour hand and adjust the date on short months). The bracelet is comfortable and easy to adjust in 1/8" increments.
If you buy one, be sure to download the manual from Citizen. The PDF is much more complete than the included booklet, including more detailed charging information and instruction on the use of the e6b if you are not already familiar with it.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
Great watch Feb 14, 2009
By Bo Lorentzen
"Photographer"
Purchased the nighthawk titanium from Amazon a few years back. its ROCK SOLID. always working and on time.
The dial is easy to read and the watch surprisingly comfortable. If anything the watch is missing a stop clock.
Not so sure about the "Pilot Watch" aspect, I am a private pilot, and honestly don't have time fiddling with watch features. For a pilot the number one concern is that the watch is clear and readable day and night, the Nighthawk is just that, and the over sized face can be seen easily in any light and with just a glance at the watch. However, adjusting the calculator while flying is not for the faint of heart, though I believe that applies to any so called "pilot watch", today the cockpit is filled with practical electronics which give all the information required in a much more practical manner (though its nice to be able to calculate travel time in case the GPS stops working, but in that case we probably have bigger problems to worry about).
Interestingly the 8 o'clock nob for adjusting the calculator is to the left and requires the watch to worn on right hand for adjustment while worn, unlike push buttons watches it can not easily be adjusted when worn on left hand.
For me the two time zones is practical for constantly traveling. it is also practical that the main time display is adjusted in 1 hour increments so you do not need to worry about getting the minutes right when setting the watch for a new time-zone. (I always leave the 24h display to home time)
HIGHLY RECOMENDED Along with my mille milia this is my favorite watch.
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