[f]Citizen Tsuyosa Vs. Casio Edifice EFK-100

Good morning and welcome to the Sunday morning showdown where you knew you were coming. Today we have played Casio’s all-new mechanical building EFK-100 against fan favorite citizen tsuyosa. It is still not entirely clear why Casio took this new path, but like the citizens’ Tsuyosa, the watch is above its weight. Both brands offer integrated bracelets, automatic movements and decent water-resistant designs all for just under 300 euros. Which one is your favorite? Make your decision as you read the defenses of Thomas and Dern below and prepare for your vote.

The new Edifice EFK-100 is Casio’s first collection of watches with a mechanical movement. This was a very surprising thing, but it was a positive thing as the watch offers a lot of money. Today we will see how they endure fierce competition. But first, let’s take a look at what happened in last week’s article.

Last week, Sunday morning showdown…

This Sunday morning showdown is about affordable, achievable sports watches, but last week’s showdown was all about high-end, challenging chronographs. The Omega Speedmaster Caliber 321 and the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona are two of the most desirable chronographs. The fight sparked considerable debate in the comments, but in the end, Speedmaster won with 64% of the votes. Of course, Fratero is a heaven for Speedmaster fans, so it could explain an overwhelming victory. Other than that, some people thought it was an unfair comparison between manual winding and automatic calibers. Others didn’t like the Daytona under-screw pusher. Anyway, let’s see what happens in this week’s showdown.

Daan: Citizen Tsuyosa

The integrated bracelet watch has been hot for quite some time. Since citizens introduced the Tsuyosa collection in 2022, it has been an uncrowned king at the more affordable edge. There are a variety of options for dialing, with 37mm and 40mm sizes available. In a sense, everyone now has a citizen, Tsuyosa.

The watch offers a classic 70’s style stainless steel case with a combination of brushes and polished surfaces. There are dials with grainy textures, sunburst finishes, or guilochi-like patterns. A more affordable option is the 3 o’clock date window with an enlarger above. It’s not the best date window in the world, but I think I’ve thought about it at least a bit more than the big 6 o’clock cutout on the Casio dial.

Simple but effective

Compared to the Edifice EFK-100, Tsuyosa shows a simpler approach to various dials. There are no skeletonized hands, carbon-like textures, and tiny tracks with angles. But I prefer a simpler approach for citizens. To me, the EFK-100 looks like a typical affordable watch that was a little too far away in terms of dial design. There’s a bit more going on in my eyes. If you can’t provide high-end materials or finishes, the various elements come together to make the watch look cheaper. That’s a real shame as the Angular case of the Casio Edifice EFK-100 looks good and looks more original than the citizen Tsuyosa.

Of course, citizens’ Tsuyosa also have a design quirk. The bracelet link is rounded and doesn’t match the appearance of the case very well. Additionally, the 4 o’clock crown is in a troublesome position and is difficult to reach. Finally, after all these years, there still appears to be no rubber straps available to Tsuyosa. That’s a shame, especially as it comes with the counterfeit carbon buildings in Casio.

What is the name of the building?

But one thing that really bothers me about the Casio EFK-100 series is the name of the building. First of all, the name itself does nothing for me. It means something like “buildings and important structures,” but it doesn’t quite match the affordable clock it represents. Secondly, on the EFK-100 dial, the building name appears first, much larger than the Casio brand name. Why did the designer do this? In my eyes, Casio’s name is more respectful.

In civil defense, first of all, the model name is not displayed on the dial. Instead, you will only see the brand name and “automatic” text. This will make the dial look much cleaner. Secondly, in Japanese, the name Tsuyosa means “strength.” Looking at the design and capabilities of the watch, that’s the spot. Now, Thomas, it’s your turn to protect Casio’s new mechanical family. Let’s see what you have.

Thomas: Casio Edifice EFK-100

Thank you, Darn! This is certainly a showdown that became inevitable as soon as Casio entered this segment. Interestingly, from a specification standpoint, there is no daylight between the citizens Tsuyosa and the Casio Edition EFK-100. The structure is simple and effective. The finishes are both amazingly good. The caliber is also very competitive. The prices are also roughly the same.

In your advantage, one difference I might add is the superior accuracy of the citizens. Blow Casio (+45/-35 seconds) from the water at ±20 seconds per day. Still, I don’t think this will shake up too many people. After all, if you want accuracy in this segment, it’s better to use a Quartz Watch.

So, what are there to discuss? It focuses on branding, Darn. And I agree that these EFK-100s do more to lift the brand of the building than perhaps other ways. Still, to buff up such a brand, you need some good releases, so park for a year or two. I feel that the real difference here is the design. Let’s get into it.

The Casio Edifice EFK-100 has a great design

If I’m spending my money, I’d choose the Casio Edifice EFK-100. why? For two design-related reasons. The first is that it is simply original. I recognize many of the elements of Tsuyosa from other watches. Of course, I’m referring to bracelets, time markers, and cell phones.

The EFK-100 keeps things a little more general. Certainly, this design has little functionality in terms of clear signature and may have originated from any brand. Still, the design queue fits well with the building’s sub-brand. The refined angular case, black carbon or blue, green and silver carbon-inspired dial subtly but effectively refers to Ebision’s lace connections. We provide granules of design DNA that Casio can build.

More cohesive design

Frequently Sunday morning showdown readers may roll their eyes now as they make this point many times. Still, I think aggregation is one of the most important factors in evaluating watch design. Darn, you have already mentioned how Tsuyosa bracelets and cases speak different languages. I agree.

Meanwhile, the Casio Edifice EFK-100 is refreshingly cohesive overall. It offers typical clarity and rigour, combined with relatively complex shapes that represent Japanese watch designs. However, everything is completely gelled. From the bracelet and end links to the case and dial, everything conspires to tell a singular, clear story.

We tend to say that Tsuyosa is surprisingly good for its price. The Edifice EFK-100 proves that we don’t need to. It is certainly possible to create an impressively good watch with an original and cohesive design at this price. All this means I would choose the EFK-100 more easily than the Twiyosa.

Voting will be held!

You have it – two very competitive comparable watches at the most affordable edge of the spectrum. Which one is your favorite? Would you like to choose a citizen’s Tsuyosa or Casio Edifice EFK-100? Vote and share your motivations in the comments section below!