As one of many largest watch corporations on this planet, Citizen produces an extremely extensive assortment of various fashions, and it is among the few manufacturers that creates what I’d take into account to be completely trendy watches that also adhere to a standard analog show. Moreover, once I say “trendy,” I don’t simply imply fashions with modern styling, however quite that the actions themselves provide performance that also feels cutting-edge, even in at the moment’s world of digital shows and smartwatches. A chief instance of that is the Citizen PCAT assortment, which takes the model’s light-powered Eco-Drive know-how and provides a perpetual calendar, radio managed timekeeping, and a wealth of different superior options. The PCAT identify itself really stands for “Perpetual Calendar Atomic Timekeeping” and the Citizen PCAT CB5918-02L is a totally analog timepiece with refined styling that provides most of the identical options as a complicated multi-function digital watch.
Crafted from chrome steel, the case of the Citizen PCAT CB5918-02L measures 43mm in diameter by 13.4mm-thick, with 22mm lugs and an general lug-to-lug profile of roughly 50.7mm. Whereas the case largely incorporates a high-polished end, the highest surfaces of the lugs are brushed, which gives extra distinction and helps to focus on their angular faceted form. Moreover, much like different Japanese watches with massive case diameters, the Citizen PCAT options thought-about proportions, and the way in which that the lugs sharply angle downwards helps to create a surprisingly manageable presence on the wrist. In contrast to many different Citizen watches, the PCAT sequence incorporates a sapphire crystal above its dial, and on the CB5918-02L model featured right here, the mounted bezel surrounding it features a darkish blue insert with an engraved tachymeter scale completed in white.
The reverse aspect of the Citizen PCAT CB5918-02L receives a strong chrome steel caseback that has been given a brushed end, whereas entry to the motion is granted by a multi-function crown flanked by a pair of pushers that protrude from the three o’clock aspect of the case. Though this management format is equivalent to a regular chronograph, the precise performance of the crown and pushers is much totally different, and they’re used to manage a number of totally different options of the watch, merely relying on the designated mode of operation (extra on that later). Even though neither the crown nor pushers screw down, and the caseback seems to be of the pressure-fit selection, the Citizen PCAT CB5918-02L nonetheless gives a quite beneficiant depth score, and it options 200 meters of water resistance, which means that it’s totally able to being worn all through the overwhelming majority of aquatic actions.
Given the pretty intensive performance of the Citizen PCAT sequence, its dial is quite info heavy, and it might greatest be described as an expanded model of a three-register chronograph dial. With that in thoughts, similar to the crown and pushers, a few of the registers and arms carry out a number of totally different capabilities, merely relying on the precise mode of the watch. On the Citizen PCAT CB5918-02L, the dial is a navy blue shade with polished silver parts and small white and gold accents. Along with its three sub-dials, a date window sits on the 4 o’clock place, whereas each the minute observe and a scale for measuring hour offsets from UTC sit alongside an angled chapter that surrounds the periphery of the dial. The general look is kind of cohesive, and regardless of the numerous quantity of performance supplied by the radio-controlled Eco-Drive motion, the dial really incorporates a pretty minimal quantity of numbers and textual content.
Luminous parts on the Citizen PCAT CB5918-02L are restricted to its hour and minute hand, together with small blocks which can be situated on the outer edges of its faceted hour markers. Concerning the needs of its three sub-dials, the register at 6 o’clock serves as a operate selector that shows the present mode of the watch (time, chronograph, setting, and alarm), whereas the sub-dial on the left-hand aspect shows the time in a 24-hour format. With that in thoughts, the sub-dial sitting on the right-hand aspect is a multi-function show that modifications primarily based on the precise mode of the watch. When the PCAT is in its customary time-displaying mode, this register tracks the day of the week; nevertheless, it additionally serves as an influence reserve indicator, operate selector for the alarm, show for daylight financial savings settings, and even the minutes totalizer for the chronograph.
Equally, whereas the centrally-mounted seconds hand with a trident-shaped counterweight tracks the operating seconds for the time, it additionally jumps to the 12 o’clock place when the watch is ready to its chronograph mode, and this permits it to operate like a standard chronograph seconds hand and be used with the tachymeter scale on the bezel. With that in thoughts, the seconds hand can also be used for displaying different items of knowledge, and it jumps across the dial to function an indicator to convey sure issues like the present world time setting and whether or not or not the motion has just lately been synchronized to its radio-controlled sign. Having these multi-function show parts helps the Citizen PCAT CB5918-02L preserve a reasonably clear show, though it additionally complicates its working directions since you have to to memorize totally different capabilities which can be carried out by the identical arms and buttons on the watch.
Whereas the minimal quantity of dial markings on the Citizen PCAT CB5918-02L permits this mannequin to have a comparatively refined general look, this method additionally barely hinders sure points referring to its performance. For instance, the 24-hour register solely options faint tone-on-tone hash marks positioned each two hours alongside the inside of its contrasting ring, and because of this is basically simply an AM/PM indicator except you actually look carefully on the dial. Equally, the one strategy to observe the elapsed minutes when utilizing the chronograph is to measure them towards the tiny scale that’s printed alongside the skinny gold ring that outlines the sub-dial. Different fashions from the Citizen PCAT assortment function extra text-heavy dials, and whereas these choices do profit from superior at-a-glance legibility, in addition they provide a considerably much less refined general look in comparison with the CB5918-02L and its siblings that observe an identical core design.
Fitted to the lugs of the Citizen PCAT CB5918-02L is a blue leather-based strap with a crocodile-style sample and white distinction stitching that tapers from 22mm on the case right down to 20mm the place it connects to its signed deployant clasp. Like most of Citizen’s leather-based straps, the model fitted to the PCAT CB5918-02L is of surprisingly good high quality, and the clasp is a step or two above what is usually discovered on Citizen’s watches. Crafted from brushed and polished chrome steel, the double deployant-style clasp is signed with Citizen’s brand, and it incorporates a double push-button launch with perlage adorning the within floor of its folding construction. All issues thought-about, the included leather-based strap is kind of good (particularly for this worth level), though given the quite beneficiant depth score supplied by this explicit mannequin, a extra moisture-friendly various may need been a extra sensible possibility.
On the coronary heart of the Citizen PCAT CB5918-02L is the Caliber E660, and similar to all of Citizen’s Eco-Drive actions, the Cal. E660 will be powered by both pure or synthetic mild. Along with that includes radio-controlled timekeeping that synchronizes to an atomic clock for twenty-four totally different time zones, the Citizen Cal. E660 additionally features a 60-minute chronograph, a programmable alarm, a perpetual calendar, day and date shows, an extra 24-hour register for the time, daylight financial savings settings, and the flexibility to examine each the facility reserve and whether or not or not the watch has just lately acquired its atomic timekeeping sign. Moreover, the Cal. E660 motion additionally gives on-demand sign reception, which permits customers to manually set off the watch to scan for its sign to synchronize its timekeeping. In the case of long-term accuracy, my expertise with the Citizen PCAT CB5918-02L has been more-or-less excellent. The perpetual calendar correctly accounts for the totally different variety of days in every month, and any time that I checked its timekeeping, the watch was almost spot-on to the precise second because of its radio-controlled synchronization.
Fairly than setting the time or the date, pulling out the crown and rotating it should transfer the small hand inside the sub-dial at 6 o’clock, which modifications the mode of the watch. In the meantime, the 2 pushers are used to function the varied options inside every of the totally different modes. For instance, when the watch is ready to its chronograph mode, the 2 pushers will can help you begin, cease, and reset the chronograph. Nevertheless, when the watch is in its “time” mode, the higher pusher will can help you examine each the world time and daylight financial savings settings, whereas the decrease pusher will can help you examine the facility reserve and confirm whether or not the watch has been synchronized to its radio managed sign. In these situations, the seconds hand and the smaller hand inside the multi-function register will soar to varied places and keep there for 10 seconds, with their positioning indicating the totally different values of their respective settings.
Should you had been to put on the Citizen PCAT CB5918-02L as your on a regular basis watch, I think about that you’d rapidly get fairly snug with navigating its numerous totally different modes and options. Nevertheless, for many who usually neglect find out how to use their digital watches after extended intervals of not sporting them, working the Citizen PCAT’s absolutely analog show would possibly show barely tougher. For instance, ought to you end up needing to regulate the time whereas touring, doing that is achieved by altering the present world time setting for the motion, quite than by simply pulling out the crown and adjusting the hour hand to its new location. Equally, except you completely maintain the PCAT in its chronograph mode, you have to to first pull out the crown and rotate it so as to change the mode of the watch earlier than you may really use it to start out timing an occasion.
In some ways, the Citizen PCAT CB5918-02L barely suffers from what I prefer to name “Swiss Military Knife Syndrome” — which basically has an identical underlying message to the well-known “Jack of All Trades” adage. The traditional Swiss Military Knife is an extremely sensible and great tool; nevertheless, as a result of it tries to do all the things, it doesn’t really do all that many issues particularly properly. With that in thoughts, whereas the Citizen PCAT CB5918-02L is much less sensible than a regular chronograph for measuring elapsed time and tougher to make use of than a digital alarm watch, the easy indisputable fact that the PCAT sequence is able to such all kinds of various capabilities is its personal distinctive energy, and it’s a extremely succesful various for the one that needs quite a lot of performance in a watch that also gives a reasonably refined and conventional general look.
Going again to the well-known “Jack of All Trades” analogy, the precise full saying is “a jack of all trades is a grasp of none, however oftentimes higher than a grasp of 1” — and this definitely applies to the Citizen PCAT CB5918-02L. Whereas it’s plain that the PCAT sequence is much less sensible than different watches relating to performing a single particular operate, this mannequin scores massive relating to versatility. Whereas a Swiss Military Knife is much less sensible than a standard knife relating to merely slicing issues, it’s the very best possibility for the one that often would possibly want a knife, tweezers, a screwdriver, and a can opener, however actually solely needs to hold a single instrument. Equally, the Citizen PCAT CB5918-02L isn’t the look ahead to the one that requires absolutely the most sensible stopwatch or alarm, however quite for the one that typically would possibly require all kinds of various options, however actually solely simply wants an correct and dependable every day timekeeping companion.
With an official retail worth of $650 USD, it’s plain that the Citizen PCAT CB5918-02L gives various performance for the cash, and similar to many Citizen fashions, you may usually discover the PCAT sequence at a reduction with a bit of little bit of on-line looking. Whereas the marginally convoluted working directions could be a bit overwhelming for some people, it’s necessary to do not forget that this actually solely comes into play if you wish to use a few of the watch’s extra superior options. For many who take pleasure in the additional performance however actually simply need a true set-it-and-forget-it possession expertise, the Citizen PCAT CB5918-02L is a perfect candidate, and with refined seems and ample water resistance, this explicit mannequin is completely positioned to be somebody’s on a regular basis watch. For extra info on the Citizen PCAT assortment, please go to the brand’s website.
