Citizen has added a rotating bezel and bolder dial to the very popular Tsuyosa, and this one is dubbed the Citizen Tsuyosa Shore. While at first glance it looks like a dive watch, it’s more what one would call a dive-style watch, or maybe a sports watch. Why not a true dive watch, and why bother with the bezel at all? My guess is just another variation of the Tsuyosa, as it’s been quite a big seller for Citizen since debuting in 2022 as an extremely affordable homage to the Rolex Datejust and Oyster Perpetual. This Shore model has the look of a dive watch, without being a true 200m diver, but let’s face it, many who buy dive watches never dive, and this Tsuyosa Shore is quite an attractive watch. While not a diver, it does have 100m water resistance along with an automatic movement and a sapphire crystal.
Specifications
40mm Stainless Steel Case
22mm Lug Width
45.3mm Lug to Lug
12.5mm Thick
164 Grams
Sapphire Crystal
Aluminum Bezel Insert
3 LinkBracelet (3.4mm Thick)
Push Button Clasp
Miyota 8210 Automatic Movement
Blue Green Color
Price from Sakura Watches: $304
MSRP $495
https://www.sakurawatches.com/citizen-collection-tsuyosa-nj0231-56l
This Citizen Tsuyosa Shore is based on the original Tsuyosa model, sized at 40mm with a 45mm lug to lug, and a barrel-shaped case and integrated bracelet/lugs. It currently comes in 4 colors, shown below, and I believe Citizen refers to this color as green blue, and in certain stock pics online, it can look more like a turquoise or aquamarine color, but it’s actually more of a subtle blue green, and I call it ocean blue. It definitely is lighter than the navy or standard model they sell. At this time, these are the only four colors.
The 4 colors of the Tsuyosa Shore
Case design and finish have remained the same on the Citizen Tsuyosa Shore. The barrel-shaped case, brushed steel on top, but the case sides are highly polished, as well as the edge of the rotating bezel and the push-pull crown. The crown remains unsigned, but I have to say the finishing here for a watch that is selling for the $300 pretty regularly, is really well done. Nice brushed lines, while high polish is prone to picking up marks and scratches more easily, this Tsuyosa model does not look all marred up, at least not with the time I spent with it. I love the case shape as well, especially from the side profile; it’s a flat slab with unique downturned ends, which flow nicely into the integrated lugs.
Of course, the big change here from the regular Tsuyosa model is the rotating bezel, and the dial has more sporty style hands, bolder and thicker polished hands, and thick applied rectangular indices. It has a gorgeous sunburst dial, really grabs the light, and because of that, the more light that is on it, the more it can give the dial that greenish hue. The carryover from the original Tsuyosa is the date magnifier, not my favorite on any watch, but it doesn’t look horribly out of place on this piece.
The bezel insert is aluminum, more than sufficient at this price point, and it really matches the dial well, both in color and material. And more interestingly, is the action of the bezel. Unlike the Citizen Promaster Dive, which has a 6o click unidirectional bezel, Citizen gave this Citizen Tsuyosa Shore a 120 click bezel, and the action is better in my opinion compared to the aforementioned dive watch.
The Shore has a budget movement, the same movement as the standard Tsuyosa, the Miyota 8210, and this is the latest version of the movement, which hacks, a big improvement over the older versions. And you can see the movement through the exhibition case back, though I believe the crystal here is mineral, not sapphire.
While there is lume applied to the dial indices and hands, the hands will glow a bit longer than the indices, and of course, the triangle on the bezel is not lumed at all. There’s lume, it’s decent, but don’t buy this watch for the lume at all.
The bracelet is solid, a good heft to it, matter of fact, I feel the Citizen Tsuyosa Shore is a solid feeling watch throughout, and more solid than I was expecting for a watch like this. The center links and high polished as well as the bracelet sides, the links are held together with the pin and collar system, and the links are 3.5mm thick. The clasp is pretty basic, a push-button style, though it does have a machined hinge opening, and is not stamped.
The fit of the Citizen Tsuyosa Shore is excellent. Even though it’s only a 40mm watch with a short lug to lug, I don’t find this watch to look small on my 7 1/2 inch (19.05cm) wrist at all, and from the factory it should fit up to an 8 inch wrist. The bracelet flows perfectly from the case, and it’s extremely comfortable while looking good.
At full retail of $500, there are a lot of options out there these days from factory brands, microrands, and of course, buying grey market. At $304, its current price from Sakura Watches, this Citizen Tsuyosa Shore is not a bad deal at all. It has the look of a dive watch, has enough water resistance for day-to-day activities, and the design is suitable for both casual and dress, especially if you opt for one of the two-tone versions.
I was mostly surprised by the heft and overall build quality of this watch. For whatever reason, I was expecting a watch that was lightweight and rattled, and this is anything but. I’m still not sure what to classify this watch as; it looks like a dive watch, but it’s clearly not. It’s much better built than most fashion watches. Whatever the category, I do really like this Tsuyosa Shore, much more than I thought I would.
I've been an avid watch lover since the age of 7. Watches are not only my hobby but a passion. My favorite style used to be dive watches, but field or non bezel watches have been growing on me. When I'm not reviewing watches I am either cooking or with family and friends.
