I've never heard of Croton/Manhattan before but I searched long and hard for an inexpensive, great looking watch. The other reviews seemed positive so I gave it a shot. I've had it for about a month and a half now.
I don't like to wear expensive watches but enjoy having the look of a sharp looking watch. Of course, quality counts for a great deal. If it looks great but doesn't run, well... The watch is indeed sharp and eye-catching. It is a tiny bit on the shiny side, but not too much that it looks too "bling, bling." The watch body is nice and hefty and solid feeling. The body is thick. Don't buy this if you're looking for an ultra thin. But then again most sporty looking watches like this are a bit big. My wrist is small but the watch still looks good, not awkwardly large. The glow in the dark hands are only okay- needs a lot of light ot make it glow and even then it doesn't last that long. I think the only way to really cure this is to get a watch that has lighting of some sort (Timex?).
The black face is easy to read and the shiny hands make it easier to read since it stands out against the black background. Don't know about the blue face. The face is a bit small, no doubt a good portion of the available space is used by the rotating bezel ring. Nontheless, it is easy to read and not much of an issue for me.
The only real con is that the band looks plain and feels tinny (it clacks around like a cheapy band that I have had in the past). Bands can be replaced but they can be expensive for good quality metal ones. That may add more cost and weight, though.
Overall, an eye-catching, stylish, professional looking watch with nice weight and so far good quality. An excellent value for what you get. You can wear this to just about any occasion and it will be fine. I work with the public a great deal and purchased this watch with that in mind.