Citizen vs Seiko
How the current Citizen and Seiko ranges compare on price and specs, from each brand's published data.
The short answer
Citizen and Seiko are Japan's two biggest watch brands. On price, the median Citizen we track lists at $495 and the median Seiko at $750.
The two brands in numbers
| In our data | Citizen | Seiko |
|---|---|---|
| Parent company | Citizen Watch Co. | Seiko Group |
| Current references we track | 466 | 271 |
| US list prices | $250–$8,425 | $315–$6,500 |
| Median US list price | $495 | $750 |
| Case sizes | 14–53 mm | 27–45.6 mm |
| Movements | Solar 86%, Automatic 14%, Quartz 0% | Automatic 77%, Solar (GPS/radio) 13%, Solar 4%, Quartz 3% |
| Sapphire crystal | 56% | 58% |
| Rated 200 m or more | 86 of 466 | 66 of 271 |
| Certified chronometers (COSC or METAS) | 0 of 466 | 0 of 271 |
Counts cover current references on each brand's site that we track; they are not full catalogues.
Which should you buy?
Lower median US list price ($495 vs $750).
More of its range is 38 mm or under (31% vs 19%).
Model-by-model comparisons
Browse both ranges
All Citizen collections · All Seiko collections · Citizen price list
Questions
Is Citizen more expensive than Seiko?
Usually no: in our data the median current Citizen lists at $495 in the US and the median Seiko at $750. Ranges overlap, so compare specific models.
Are Citizen and Seiko owned by the same company?
No. Citizen belongs to Citizen Watch Co. and Seiko to Seiko Group.
Where does this data come from?
From current references on each brand's own website that we track, summarised in our own words. We haven't tested these watches.
Watch.co is independent and not affiliated with any brand. We haven't handled these watches for this page: everything here comes from brand-published specs and our own analysis. Brand names are used only to identify products.