Pre-Owned Citizen: Buying Guide & Prices

Citizen is a Japanese watchmaking giant and pioneer of solar-powered (Eco-Drive) watch technology. Positioned at the entry-level to mid-range, with secondhand prices ranging from $50 to $500 for most models, Citizen offers exceptional technology at accessible prices. The brand is also a serious manufacturer — Citizen’s parent company Citizen Watch Group owns Miyota (one of the world’s largest movement manufacturers), La Joux-Perret (Swiss complications), and Bulova.

For general pre-owned buying advice — inspections, payments, and avoiding scams — see our Complete Guide to Buying Secondhand Watches.

Best Models to Buy Pre-Owned

Promaster Dive NY0040

The Promaster NY0040 is Citizen’s legendary automatic diver, often compared to the Seiko SKX for its combination of robust build quality, 200m water resistance, and accessible pricing. The Miyota 8204 movement is reliable and easily serviced. It’s been in production since 1997 — a testament to how well the design works — and secondhand examples can be found for under $150, making it one of the best value automatic divers in existence.

Promaster Dive “Fugu” (NY0136-52L)

The Promaster Dive NY0136-52L “Fugu” is Citizen’s pufferfish-inspired diver, featuring a distinctive cushion case and bold dial. Released in 2023, it builds on the Promaster platform with a more modern design while keeping the accessible price point. The automatic Miyota 8203 movement and 200m water resistance make it a genuine tool watch. Secondhand examples are already appearing at attractive prices as the line matures.

Eco-Drive BN0150

The Promaster BN0150 is Citizen’s core Eco-Drive diver — 200m water resistance, ISO 6425 certified, solar powered, and available for $100-$150 used. No battery changes, ever. It’s the practical choice for anyone who wants a genuine dive-rated watch they can wear daily without thinking about it.

Tsuki-yomi A-T (BY1010-57L)

For something more unusual, the Tsuki-yomi (Moon Reader) is Citizen’s radio-controlled world timer with moon phase. Eco-Drive solar, atomic timekeeping, and a busy but legible dial that shows moon phase, day-night indicator, and world time. It’s a lot of watch for the $200-$350 you’ll find it for secondhand — technology that would cost several thousand from a Swiss brand.

The Vintage Scene

Vintage Citizen is underappreciated and full of value — making it one of the most rewarding categories for budget-minded collectors.

Key vintage highlights:

• The Chrono Master (ref. 4-520840Y, nicknamed “Homer”) is a high-beat (36,000 vph) chronometer from the late 1960s that competed directly with Swiss observatory-grade chronometers. These are serious watches that remain affordable.
• Vintage Citizen 8110 chronographs from the 1970s — with their distinctive flyback function and colorful dials — are an increasingly popular alternative to vintage Seiko chronographs and can still be found under $500.
• Early Eco-Drive models from the 1990s are interesting collectibles that showcase the early days of solar watch technology.
• The The Citizen line (Citizen’s top-tier offering) features ultra-accurate quartz and Eco-Drive movements with annual accuracy of +/- 5 seconds per year — a remarkable achievement that many collectors overlook.

Vintage Citizen prices typically range from $50 to $500, with rare models like the Chrono Master reaching $1,000–$2,000. This is one of the last truly affordable vintage watch categories.

What to Check Before Buying

Citizen counterfeits are rare at these price points. Focus on function over authenticity:

• Eco-Drive health: Expose the dial to strong light for a few minutes — the seconds hand should start. Solar cells can degrade after 15-20 years; a replacement capacitor costs $20-$50 and is an easy fix.
• Movement code: The 4-digit number before the hyphen on the caseback identifies the caliber. Cross-reference with Citizen’s specs to confirm it matches the model.
• For vintage pieces: Check that the logo matches the era (it has evolved over decades) and look for consistent dial printing. Refinished dials are uncommon on Citizen but do exist on older models.

Where Citizen Fits

Citizen is the technology-forward Japanese brand — Eco-Drive solar, Satellite Wave GPS, and Super Titanium are all Citizen innovations. The brand offers outstanding value at entry-level prices, with the Promaster line delivering serious tool-watch capability for less than $300. The secondhand market is buyer-friendly with ample supply and minimal counterfeiting risk.

Browse all Citizen references in our encyclopedia, or start searching for Citizen listings on Hobby Bot.

---

Looking for more? Read our complete guide to buying secondhand watches. Browse all Citizen references in our encyclopedia.