Sunday Morning Showdown: Citizen Tsuyosa Vs. Casio Edifice EFK-100

Good morning, and welcome to the Sunday Morning Showdown you knew was coming. Today, we put Casio’s all-new mechanical Edifice EFK-100 up against the fan-favorite Citizen Tsuyosa. We’re still not entirely sure why Casio took this new path, but, like the Citizen Tsuyosa, the watches punch way above their weight. Both brands offer a design with an integrated bracelet, an automatic movement, and decent water resistance, all for just under €300. Which one is your favorite? Make up your mind while reading Thomas’s and Daan’s defenses below, and get ready to vote.

The new Edifice EFK-100 is Casio’s very first watch collection with a mechanical movement. This came as quite a surprise, but it was a positive one because the watches offer a lot of bang for the buck. Today, we’ll see how they hold up against the fierce competition. But first, let’s take a look at what happened on last week’s installment.

Last week, on Sunday Morning Showdown…

While this week’s Sunday Morning Showdown is all about affordable and attainable sports watches, last week’s showdown was all about higher-end and hard-to-get chronographs. The Omega Speedmaster Calibre 321 and the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona are two of the most desirable chronographs out there. The battle sparked considerable debate in the comments, but in the end, the Speedmaster took the win with 64% of the votes. Of course, Fratello is a haven for Speedmaster fans, so that might explain the resounding victory. Other than that, some people thought it was an unfair comparison between a hand-wound and an automatic caliber. Others simply didn’t like the Daytona’s screw-down pushers. Anyway, let’s see what will happen during this week’s showdown.

Daan: Citizen Tsuyosa

Integrated-bracelet watches have been hot for quite a while now. Ever since Citizen introduced its Tsuyosa collection in 2022, it’s been the uncrowned king at the more affordable end of the spectrum. There are now many different options in terms of dials, and you can choose between 37mm and 40mm sizes. In a way, there’s now a Citizen Tsuyosa for anyone.

The watches offer a classic ’70s-style stainless steel case with a combination of brushed and polished surfaces. There are dials with a grainy texture, a sunburst finish, or even a guilloché-like pattern. The more affordable options have a date window at 3 o’clock with a magnifier on top. It’s not the best date window in the world, but I think it at least received a little more thought than the big cutout at 6 o’clock on the Casio’s dial.

Simple but effective

Compared to the Edifice EFK-100, the Tsuyosa shows a simpler approach to its various dials. There are no skeletonized hands, no carbon-like textures, and no angled minute tracks. However, I prefer Citizen’s more straightforward approach. To me, the EFK-100s look like the typical affordable watches that went a bit too far in terms of dial design. In my eyes, there’s a bit too much going on. If you can’t offer high-end materials or finishing, the various elements together cheapen the look of the watch. That’s a real shame because the Casio Edifice EFK-100’s angular case looks great and seems more original than the Citizen Tsuyosa’s.

Of course, the Citizen Tsuyosa has its design quirks as well. The bracelet links are rounded, which doesn’t match the look of the case very well. Also, the crown at 4 o’clock is in an awkward position and hard to reach. Finally, after all these years, there still doesn’t seem to be a rubber strap available for the Tsuyosa. That’s a pity, especially because Casio’s forged carbon Edifice does come with one.

What’s with the Edifice name?

However, one thing that truly irks me about the Casio EFK-100 series is the Edifice name. First of all, that name in itself doesn’t do anything for me. It means something like “a building or important structure,” but that doesn’t quite match with the affordable watches it represents. Secondly, on the EFK-100’s dial, the Edifice name comes first and is much larger than the Casio brand name. Why have the designers done this? In my eyes, the Casio name earns a lot more respect.

In Citizen’s defense, first of all, the model name doesn’t appear on the dial. Instead, it shows only the brand name and “Automatic” text. This makes the dials look much cleaner. Secondly, in Japanese, the Tsuyosa name means “strength.” That’s spot on when you look at the watch’s design and capabilities. All right, Thomas, it’s your turn to defend Casio’s new mechanical family member. Let’s see what you’ve got.

Thomas: Casio Edifice EFK-100

Thank you, Daan! This is indeed a showdown that became instantly inevitable once Casio entered this segment. Interestingly, there isn’t a ton of daylight between the Citizen Tsuyosa and the Casio Edifice EFK-100 in terms of specifications. The construction is simple and effective on both. The finishing is surprisingly nice on both. The calibers are very competitive as well. Even the prices are nearly identical.

The one difference — in your advantage, I might add — is the superior accuracy of the Citizen. At ±20 seconds per day, it blows the Casio (+45/-35 seconds per day) out of the water. Still, I doubt this would sway too many people. After all, if you want accuracy in this segment, you are better off with a quartz watch.

So, what’s there to debate? I get your focus on branding, Daan. And I agree that these EFK-100s probably do more to lift the Edifice brand than the other way around. Still, it only takes a few good releases to buff up a brand like that, so let’s park that for a year or two. The real difference here, I feel, is in design. Let me get into that.

The Casio Edifice EFK-100 has a superior design

If I were spending my money, I would pick the Casio Edifice EFK-100. Why? Because of two design-related reasons. The first is simply that it is more original. I recognize too many of the Tsuyosa’s elements from other watches. I am, of course, referring to the bracelet, the hour markers, and the handset.

The EFK-100 keeps things a bit more generic. Granted, this design could have stemmed from any brand, as it features little in terms of a clear signature. Still, the design cues fit the Edifice sub-brand well. The sleek, angular case and the black carbon or blue, green, and silver carbon-inspired dials reference Edifice’s racing connection subtly but effectively. It provides a grain of design DNA that Casio can build upon.

A more cohesive design

Frequent Sunday Morning Showdown readers might roll their eyes now, as I make this point time and again. Still, I think cohesion is one of the most important factors in assessing a watch’s design. Daan, you already mentioned how the Tsuyosa’s bracelet and case speak different languages. I agree.

The Casio Edifice EFK-100, meanwhile, is refreshingly cohesive throughout. It offers that typical clarity and starkness, paired with relatively complex shapes that typify Japanese watch design. Everything gels together perfectly, though. From the bracelet and end links to the case and the dial, everything conspires to tell a singular, clear story.

We tend to speak of the Tsuyosa as surprisingly good for its price, which also makes us forgive its design sins. The Edifice EFK-100 proves that we don’t have to. It seems it is indeed possible to make an impressively good watch with an original and cohesive design at this price. All of this means I would easily pick the Edifice EFK-100 over the Tsuyosa.

Cast your vote!

There you have it — two very competitive and comparable watches at the most affordable end of the spectrum. Which is your favorite? Would you pick the Citizen Tsuyosa or the Casio Edifice EFK-100? Cast your vote, and please share your motivations in the comments section below!