Looks great but the strap is a deal breaker

I love how this watch looks, it is my favorite Citizen that I have seen in a while. I liked it so much that I bought it. After taking it home and wearing it for a bit I realized the strap is terribly uncomfortable. The rubber is extremely thick on the strap which causes a few problems: it is stiff and doesn’t conform to my wrist, and the strap retainers and are irritating. Also the clasp is sharp and digs into my wrist when I wiggle the watch. I LOVE how this watch looks but the ergonomics of the strap are so bad that I will be returning it.

SO close but so far.

Got this watch about 3 weeks ago. I'd been looking for a replacement for my beat up S___o SNE 245 diver I've had for years which they no longer make. I was looking for a black case that was on the small side (42mm) which is hard to find these days. Needed it to be rugged and waterproof. I am a one watch guy and wear it all the time. Sleep, shower, swim, outdoor sports and I am rough on them. I absolutely had to have solar power. I wanted the date, preferably with day of week too. Must have luminous hands and markers. Thought I wanted a rotating bezel too but when I thought about it, I never really used it and it might be worth giving up the extra bulk. I finally thought I had found one in this watch after more than a year of looking. My first impression was that this watch is absolutely beautiful. Love the seamless case and beautiful finish. Looks and feels rugged but elegant at the same time. I a little thinner than most divers which I really like. Now for the bad: 1. The band looks good and I like the black hardware but it is uncomfortable. No big deal. I expected this from the reviews and my experience with Cordura bands. I had a soft rubber replacement waiting when the watch arrived. (Why put a Cordura band on a watch that is going to get wet? They really start to mildew and smell after while). 2. Believe the reviews. The date is absolutely unusable. My eyesight is not perfect but I have never required readers and won’t keep them on me just to read the tiny numbers on my watch. The window is also so deep set that it can not be read unless you are looking straight down onto the surface. 3. The luminosity doesn’t last very long at all. My old watch could be read all night long. This one lasts maybe two hours and is unreadable the rest of the night. 4. This is maybe a minor point but still disappointing. The watch is sold in stores and in other places with a cool, rugged looking plastic/ballistic box. Mine was ordered on the Citizen web site and did not come in that. Just a plain ole cardboard box. Citizen, this is SO close to being my ultimate watch! If you will fix the date and luminosity problems, I would immediately buy 2 more. One for now and one for when I finally wear it out and you no longer make it. As is, I wish I had bought two of my old watch.