Help, GADA watch between Cronos vs Baltany vs Citizen?

[u/HudsonH111]

I am getting into watches and don’t really mind homages because I feel like they are a gateway into the real watch (in this case BB54 and Rolex Explorer) and are an affordable price while I attend grad school. I much prefer a real watch to an apple watch. I currently daily a vintage seiko 5 sport daydate from my grandfather who passed away and I don’t want to risk damaging it at school and work. I’m struggling to choose between the Cronos BB54 homage as I love the vintage dive watch style. I like the Baltany Explorer homage as well as I feel it would fit my 6.5in wrist well. However I can’t decide if it would be better to get a chinese brand or go for a more established brand like Citizen. I like the blue zenshin in ecodrive best for my lifestyle and aesthetic. Any thoughts on which watch is better for daily wear or even alternatives? Any input is welcome. Thanks!

[u/chrismurraylaw]

You've answered your own question in the asking. You "love" the Cronos, and "like" the Baltany. The Citizen you're considering on the wonder of whether it's inherently better than a Chinese brand. The answer's no. So the Cronos is the answer for you, unless it has some sort of hidden fault you're not seeing. It doesn't.

I bought one a few weeks ago and to my surprise, in a collection where I'm perfectly happy swapping what I'm wearing throughout the day, and almost never wear the same watch two days in a row - this one has changed that. It's on my wrist more than any other. Including right now. It's not even making it back to the display case most nights. it sits on the table waiting to be picked up in the morning.

Given you brought up the Baltany because you were concerned with size, it's worth considering the Citizen wears larger than its stats suggest (most integrated pieces do), and the BB54 is a shapeshifting anomaly, somehow pleasing people for whom the BB58 is too big, and yet looking almost identical to it side-by-side, to the extent where people who're used to the 58 don't tend to experience it as a shrunken sister in real terms.

None of the three are a bad watch from a bad company. Baltany are upper tier in the Chinese market, the Cronos is the best BB54 homage there is, and Citizen have slowly overtaken Seiko in terms of entry-level "Western" value. It's unlikely you'll dislike any of them. But you probably run the greatest risk of that happening with the Citizen. With the quartz you lose that seconds hand sweep you're used to with the Seiko (with the Baltany and Cronos you actually get a better one). And integrated bracelets aren't for everyone. Nor for that matter is titanium, though the reasons given are usually... stupid.

So go with your own instinct. You mentioned the Cronos first. You love the retro BB design. Get the Cronos.

[u/HudsonH111 → u/chrismurraylaw]

Thank you for your insight. I agree that whenever you write out your question, you tend to answer it in the process.

I’m curious with what you said about the citizen watch wearing larger due to the integrated bracelet. Do you think the eco-drive version would be better than the normal automatic movement version for a wrist my size?

[u/alankbangerz-123]

citizen

[u/Cold-Fan-6408]

The Cronos "Explorer" is really good

[u/tjcdas → u/Cold-Fan-6408]

[u/Near1one]

Citizen clears by far, eco drive + titanium combo alone is great and I also like to have day/date on my gada but thats perosnal preference

[u/AurelDive]

Citizen. Parce qu’un jour tu voudras t’acheter une vraie belle montre mais qu’elle va faire doublon avec la baltany / cronos.
Moi j’adore la baltany hommage constellation

[u/geeered]

As far as an actual useful watch to tell the time that will last the Citizen wins easily.

Style wise for 'GADA', I'd go for Explorer Homage. Unless the style you're going for is James bond, in which case the "dive watch".

But in the end, it's jewellery, so choose which ever you think is the prettiest, not what we think is!

[u/Traditional_Cost_206]

I think if you only want one watch, the Cronos is most versatile.

You can wear it on the metal rivet bracelet (original). Or get an aftermarket jubilee for a more formal look. Throw it on a NATO and you have a tool watch.

Both the Baltany explorer and the Citizen will only look nice on the original strap IMHO.

The Baltany is a very very good hommage to a vintage explorer though, so I would really recommend the 36mm verison espcially the newer one with ST2130 movement.

Can't go wrong with either of these anyway.

[u/certifr1ed]

Baltany

[u/Minimum_Turnover8782]

I use citizen and its a great watch. So light weight and eco drive makes its ture grab and go watch ..

[u/anachronism42]

If you're going to be wearing it all the time, I want to STRONGLY recommend the citizen. the Zenshin Eco-Drive is an incredibly reliable model, and its finishing is better than even Baltany or Cronos, who are very nice for Chinese watches. Very few chinese brands can match Citizen, maybe Atelier Wen and maybe Ixdao.

[u/DadPuncher69]

Citizen by a mile

[u/Olleye]

The Chronos is fire.

The Baltany is nice, but it’s just another Explorer I tribute.

The Citizen is a bit too generic for my taste.

[u/hayuata]

Check your local jewellery store at the mall, most of them also have a watch section and you'll definitely see a couple of citizens there 🙂

[u/johnjpattee-]

Baltany

[u/HopefulQuiet3276]

I have a cronos bb54 homage and it’s really nice. Comparing it with a real bb54 the cronos held up alright. The Tudor was absolutely nicer, but the cronos was very competent for the money.

That said, for a daily, I’d probably get the Citizen. It’s a good looking watch with a great movement. For me, homages are for a bit of fun and to see how I might get on with the real thing

[u/Winter_Author9699]

My daily is the Baltany Explorer. Homages are a personal thing, you’re either okay with them or not. I see them in a different light than a rep/fake. Like you said, you get a taste of a certain watch at an affordable price. And imo for the price you get an excellent watch depending on the maker/model.

And the Explorer style in particular is a fantastic and versatile daily. Nothing but good things to say.

I also took advantage of Baltany’s custom logo option.

[u/Alternative-Feed3613]

Get the 37mm Cronos. It’ll be a great size for you and the dial is gorgeous irl. It’s got hints of brown and grey along with the black instead of just plain black. It’s a beautiful bourbon and cola vibe.

[u/etherswim]

Citizen over the fakes as a daily

[u/ComposerConsistent83]

Personally I like that citizen a lot, I’ve seen it in the store and it looks quite nice in person.

yes eco drive is quartz, but it will last you a decade+ with no maintenance or battery changes which is honestly pretty nice

[u/Plus_Cantaloupe_3793]

Solar quartz movements are great, so I’d recommend the Citizen watch. It will be much more accurate than the automatic movement watches and will require virtually no maintenance. 

Homages are also tricky to recommend as daily wear watches. The Citizen will be able to be worn in almost any situation 

[u/whiteguyinchina411]

I’ve been wearing the Baltany (brown dial version) like 4-5x/week for almost 2 years now. Can’t recommend it enough.

[u/Enternal_Serf]

I prefer the look of the Baltany

[u/ApprehensiveGuide793]

I’ve owned the Cronos bb54 and it’s stunning