Citizen Men's BL1258-53L The Signature Collection Blue Dial Stainless Steel Watch

I didn't need this watch. I am 66 years old, retired, with a lifetime of experience with timepieces that worked hard, sometimes didn't work, looked good. Some had utility some didn't. Every now and then, a watch had an indefinable quality, a "je ne sais quoi", that set it not only apart but gave it real juice.One such watch was the Rolex I bought while I was in Vietnam as a combat soldier. It was a Rolex Explorer. A 1016 with a stainless band and an indomitable spirit. This watch took an incredible beating both in Vietnam and after. It never failed, never got noticed; it just worked. Several years ago, I gave this watch to my son, who was born just before I entered the army. He sent it off to Rolex to be serviced. It came back with a new band, crystal, and seals. It was now a slightly different watch, new and "improved," and it was now his.Yet I missed it. I was proud he had it, but I missed it. I missed its presence, its history, its whatever it is. I own all kinds of timepieces from a 1912 Howard pocket watch masterpiece to a Casio Waveceptor, and a bunch in between. The Casio WVA-470 that does everything one could ask of a watch. It is light, deadly accurate, multi functional. stainless band with an analog dial.....I first saw the Citizen BL 1258-53L on a random search on Amazon. It made an immediate impression, but I was really not in the market. I just missed that damn Rolex. Maybe a year later I saw the Citizen again, at a store. I asked to see it. Now the hook was set good and proper. This watch looks so much better in reality than it does on a web page. And it felt like my old Rolex. It had heft and obvious quality. It was a precise watch in its construction and function. In a historical note, the Rolex Explorer series was first named Precision, at least on Tenzing Norgay's watch.The second hand hit each mark on the dial right on the nail, the minute hand clicked four times a minute also hitting each mark dead on. It has a perpetual calendar that needs one setting and done. The bezel is a cast piece with raised ten minute markers on a blue background. It clicks 120 times counter clockwise around the dial. Yes this watch is an interpretation of the Tag Aquaracer. Similar bezel. But the dial sets this Citizen apart from any watch I've ever seen. Its blue sun burst, faceted face is just gorgeous. It reflects light subtly but colorfully with hints of red, green, purple, a touch of deep yellow. The hour markers have wonderfully faceted silver bases with blue lum that carries the blue theme into the dark. Citizen makes a variant with black face and bezel for variety. The double AR coated Sapphire crystal accents the dial with amazing clarity. The second hand has a red arrow point that makes a final impression of quality.This Citizen has a theme of polished and brushed stainless surfaces that alternate. From the watch to the band this theme catches the eye in a satisfying way. The band, by the way, is easily fitted at home if you have a small, flat, miniature screwdriver. It is made of solid, stainless links, and there are half links as well as full ones which really helps fit this band to your wrist.I fell for this watch hard, but I put off the purchase for another year. I could not get it out of my mind. The Citizen Signature BL 1258-53L had that indefinable something that I was missing. I finally went back to Amazon, where I had first seen the watch, and bought it.I am thrilled I did, too. Sure, one can nit pick about the styling being so close to the Tag Heuer, or the second hand that stops at the 12 o'clock position in the dark as a power saving measure. Actually all functions will go to sleep if you keep it in the dark long enough, but the watch jumps back to life both time and date with the addition of light. This watch keeps accurate time, but it has the ability to save itself for you while it isn't in use. I like this. One might criticize the screw down crown for not having an extra turn. Again, it seems fine to me, and with a 300m water resistance rating, it obviously seems fine to Citizen, too.As nice benefit, the warrantee is five years. Well, actually, when I went to the Citizen web site to register the watch, they added another year on to the warrantee. So six years. The Citizen Signature series is a hand made, highly inspected line. They take these timepieces seriously.This watch is easily a third of the price of the Tag Heurer. And at a little over a tenth the price of a new Rolex Explorer 1, this beautiful Citizen is a giant bargain. I now have no missing hole where the Rolex was. I love this watch plain and simple. I don't wear it all the time, but I didn't need this watch. I wanted it.2/24/14--I've spent a month with this watch, and I still think it has juice. There are things it is not, however. It is NOT a dive watch. It certainly has some elements of a diver, the WR rating, the bezel, etc. but I don't think it was really intended as a diver, per se. Like the Rolex Explorer, it is over built. It takes extremes if you expose it, and it certainly has a functionality similar to a diver, but it.just isn't equipped as a diver. Citizen makes diver watches with band extentions, timers, honker lum, etc. This model is more refined.It is the strong, silent type. Quiet, durable, quite good looking, and does as well in the board room as it does on a surf board.

Bought this watch, was delivered yesterday, and is being sent back today.The watch is beautiful, and well constructed, has one of the clearest, clean dials on any watch I have seen. The sapphire crystal is virtually invisible.The fit and finish are superb, not exactly Omega, Tag or Rolex grade, but extremely nice for the price point.I'm not too keen on the bracelet and clasp though. I like a bracelet that has a fully brushed look, and smoother edges on the links.The clasp is the push button type with no safety fold over catch, which is rather odd on a dive watch. There is also no divers extension on the bracelet, which is also odd. My Sinn 556i aviators tool watch, even has a divers extension on it's bracelet.I think that if I didn't already own a Tag Heuer Aquaracer WAN 2111, with the blue dial, I would have kept this one. With a match up of similar looking watches, the Tag won, hands down.Is this a great watch, yes, would I recommend it, hell yes!I just didn't see a need for two similarly looking watches. I sent this one back.Oh well, now for putting my order in for a Sinn 856 non-UTC. In all of my watch buying days, I have never seen a more bang for your buck watch then the Sinn. Unfortunately there is only one dealer in the U.S. and Amazon isn't one of them.

I was attracted to this Citizen Signature Courageous Perpetual watch because of the reviews posted on Amazon. Other watches I own include an automatic Seiko Orange Monster, a Seiko solar divers watch, and a Rolex DateJust. While I have only had the Citizen a short time, I have found the watch as others described and rated it. It is not a Rolex, but I never thought it would be. However, it seems to be extremely well made. I particularly like the perpetual calendar feature and solar charging. These were among the features that drew me to this watch. I find it very easy to view, with only a slight criticism of the size of the date display. It could be larger. My Rolex date is beyond easy to read. The Orange Monster date is easy to read - black and red letters on a white background. The Seiko solar has small white numbers on a black background. Very hard to read, and one of the major reasons I bought the Citizen. We'll see how it handle the scraps and scratches of daily use. IMO, after having a Rolex for 15 years, nothing is more durable. The Seiko Orange Monster has been a very durable workhorse, but two automatic watches are a pain to keep going. If the Citizen can match the Orange Monster and keep going with only solar charge, I'll be totally satisfied.2016 Update - Excellent watch! The BL 1258-53L has been everything I hoped it would be. The face is highly scratch resistant, and remains easy to read. Accuracy has been excellent. It is a bit difficult to set at first and when manual changes are needed. However the manual is available online at Citizen's website, and it is easy to follow. I highly recommend this watch to others who want great precision, high quality, and wonderful durability. I use it as a daily watch in both business and a myriad of outdoor activities. I just wear it and don't worry about it. I am not a diver, so I can offer no comment about its use as a dive watch. For the money, it offers top notch features and functions at far less dollars than a Rolex. Still wish it had an easier to read date, like my Rolex. However, it is far easier to read in the dark than my Rolex DateJust because of a more luminous display - good for my aging eyes.2019 Update - Just more of the same very positive comments. As the years go by, this watch becomes a better and better buy. 5 years and absolutely no problems. The watch appearance has also held up well. Some light abrasion on the back of the clasp where it rubs against surfaces when I rest my arm on them, but very acceptable. Still 5 stars, and I would definitely buy it again.2023 Update - Still working! And, working flawlessly. Other watches have come and gone, but this one will stay with me. It is a pleasure to wear, keeps perfect time, shows little wear, and no monkey business with batteries. The Eco-Drive works so well that I have purchased two other Citizen Eco-Drives, a Promaster dive watch BN0211-17L and a Promaster Tough. I like them so well that some day, I am going to buy a Japanese domestic market The Citizen AQ4091-56m Eco-Drive. I still see this Citizen BL1258-53L available occassionally. If you see one, snap it up. Great watch!

Ordered the watch from Amazon through Bright Jewelers. Had watch for "4" days and stopped working. The reviews were 4 star for this watch but my personal experience was disappointing.. I liked the appearance of the watch but reliability wasn't there!