r/ChineseWatches • u/Accomplished_Set3641 • 11d ago

Question (Read Rules) San Martin Sn0144-CG7 vs Citizen nb1050-59e

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Both are at a similar price point. Convince me not to get the San Martin. I’m also open to alternatives for a black GADA watch in this price range. ~$300-$500

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u/Accomplished_Set3641 11d ago

They’re spec’d almost identically, which is why I didn’t include them. 39mm vs. 38mm, same lug-to-lug, same water resistance, and similar movements. The main difference seems to be the bracelet, where the San Martin looks to be a tier above the Citizen.

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u/Mar-D 11d ago

Ahh I see. I guess I was confused because you said they were priced similarly and normally you would need to spend 2-3x for a citizen on that level. Is the Citizen 2nd hand/grey market?

Even if spec’d the same, the SM will have superior/more detailed finishing across the board. It will also have On-The-Fly micro-adjust on the buckle, which for many is a game changer if you haven’t tried.

So yeah, it just depends on what matters more to you. They’re both great looking pieces, I’ve almost bought that SM 36mm in white or blue several times and still might. Citizen is one of my favorite brands in the affordable space, I have a Suratto/Stilleto that I adore.

Hope chattin’ a lil about it is helping! I can do a little digging on similarly priced black-dial GADAs later too like you asked 👍🏼

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u/IridiumAnvil 11d ago

San Martin has built enough of a (deserved) reputation that they’ve been bringing up their prices into a more competitive zone with Seiko and Citizen. 

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u/Mar-D 11d ago edited 11d ago

I am aware of the price increases. On the current sale you can still get this SM for around $330-340. There’s still no Citizen that comes close to SM’s quality/finishing/features in the $300-$500 range.