The Citizen OF Seaplane watches hands-on

Alongside the new OF Aviator, Citizen Watches has released a new series deserving their spotlight: please welcome the 2022 Citizen OF Seaplane. That’s the name for a collection whose mission is to merge aeronautical and diving traits in a timepiece looking quintessentially “recreational diver” from afar. Again, as exemplified by the new Aviator collection, the new Seaplane aims at revamping and modernizing the OF proposition, by extending a range whose portfolio is already broad and compelling.

However, I hope the brand will reorganize and downsize the number of references. It is at least what I perceive when scrolling down a collection whose product mix is, no doubt, volume-driven considering most models are sharing the same technical platform, something I understand from a business perspective, less from an enthusiast’s privileged standpoint with no bottom line at all in mind. More realistically, I expected the Citizen OF proposition to offer a more recognizable design, and I feel Citizen has embarked on a project to turn the OF into a more stylish and attractive take on first-price Citizen watches.

With the Seaplane, the brand’s designers did a great job; the timepiece comes with an edgy yet not too polarizing case design, pairing sharp edges and lugs with either an integrated silicone strap or a steel bracelet with a folding clasp surrounding a flat, clean dial, featuring oversized Arabic numerals, and a double “60” digit at noon.

The graduated bezel is thin, and the dial contrasts with the orange-coloured hour hand if you’re opting for a rubber strap. The knurled crown at 13:30 makes for a case geometry that the most experienced watch aficionado would link to the so-called “manta ray” case design, introduced in the sixties. The truth is that it’s merely a source of inspiration since you won’t find a like-for-like style here if we exclude the tapered lugs, the crown protector and a few other cues. I won’t stop telling you how lovely the final result is; the outcome is a powerful, bold yet clean appearance, placing the timepiece higher in the “touch and feel” experience. Citizen is offering five new OF Seaplane watches at launch; two are on rubber and three on a steel bracelet.

The three-link bracelet, with a large mid-link, fits the case and is nicely done given the price point but looks too ubiquitous, and the rubber strap wins hands down while enhancing the watch’s water sports activities pedigree. Furthermore, each three-link formula usually is too mainstream for me, despite being a smart option to attract a wider audience. Nonetheless, build quality and comfort align with the high Citizen standards and won’t disappoint. The case measures 44 mm, while thickness and weight are a no-brainer. Last but not least, choose it with rubber, and you’ll love wearing it while snorkelling under the hottest summer’s days.

The Eco-Drive calibre is the same you’ll find on plenty of base Citizen models and is more than enough; if you’re looking for features and extreme performance, look further. What you’re getting here is a robust Japanese watch providing the most extended power reserve in the benchmark, priced at around 150 euros. The design and the refinement are excellent at such a price and, whether you like the watch or not, you can’t deny this being an attractive, well-thought product whose outcome is new and fresh.

(Photo credit: Marco Antinori for Horbiter®)