A pioneer in solar-powered watches, Citizen has hundreds of such models in its catalogue. But the brand’s latest solar-powered offering, the Eco-Drive 365, is different. Distinctly 1970s in style, the oversized and chunky case is modelled on the Quartz E.F.A. of 1973, one of the brand’s first quartz watches.

Named after its 365-day power reserve, the Eco-Drive 365 makes its debut in three variants: a pair of regular-production models in muted colours as well as a limited edition remake of the Quartz E.F.A. that celebrates the 1970s with its ruby-and-gilt dial.

From left: The Eco-Drive 365 in steel, black-coated steel, and the limited edition with synthetic ruby markers

Initial thoughts

Most Eco-Drive watches are either chunky sports watches or conservative and plain. The Eco-Drive 365, on the other hand, is bold and retro. In other words, it is a different solar-powered watch.

Almost over the top in style, the large case easily evokes the chunky forms typical of the 1970s. On its face the combination of 1970s design and a solar-powered movement might seem peculiar, but the styling makes this far more interesting than the typical Eco-Drive. Citizen would certainly do well to install the Eco-Drive movements in more watches like this.

I’ve yet to see the Eco-Drive 365 in the metal, but assuming the build quality is on par with similarly priced Citizen watches, it should have good tactile feel, particularly for the US$500-ish price tag.

And while it costs slightly more at over US$800, the limited edition is undoubtedly the coolest watch of the trio. It’s essentially a remake of the Quartz E.F.A. but bigger and bolder. The large size combined with the ruby hour markers and gold chapter ring are 1970s style almost to excess, but it is striking and original.

The regular production model in steel with a black-coated bezel

Retro tech

Citizen launched the Quartz E.F.A. – short for “Extra Fine Adjustment” – in October 1973, just a month after its first-ever quartz watch. While the Quartz E.F.A. was the brand’s second quartz watch, it was Citizen’s first top-of-the-line quartz watch, explaining its unusually elaborate design.

Priced at almost double the standard model with a similar but non-E.F.A. movement, the Quartz E.F.A. featured a gilt chapter ring with synthetic ruby hour markers – both of which have made it into the Eco-Drive 365 limited edition.

The Quartz E.F.A. of 1973

Sporting a sparkly dial finish, the dial of the Eco-Drive 365 is modelled on that in the vintage original, including the chapter ring with integral hour markers.

As with most Eco-Drive watches, the dial is translucent, allowing light to charge the solar cells below the dial. The dial itself is actually polycarbonate finished with “glittering accents”. Notably, the new watch does away with the date on the chapter ring, allowing for a symmetrical, unbroken hour track – an improvement for purists no doubt.

Also reproduced on the Eco-Drive 365 is the shell-like case of the Quartz E.F.A. But the design has been scaled up to 42.5 mm wide and 11.1 mm high (while the original was under 40 mm wide), giving the Eco-Drive 365 a modern-day size.

Like the Quartz E.F.A., the limited edition has an entirely polished steel case

The Eco-Drive 365 limited edition is essentially a remake of the Quartz E.F.A. so its dial features four synthetic rubies set. Because the date has been repositioned closer to the dial centre, the chapter ring can accommodate four rubies at the quarters, unlike on the Quartz E.F.A. that had only three ruby markers due to the date at three.

The rubies are naturally products of Japanese technology: they are a type of synthetic gemstone known as Crescent Vert that was developed by Japanese materials giant Kyocera.

The regular production versions of the Eco-Drive 365 retain the same overall design, dimensions, and sparkling dial, but are rendered entirely in muted colours. Both feature a radially brushed case – a finish typical of the 1970s – along with a matching steel bracelet.

One version is entirely black thanks to an ion-plating process, while the other retains the natural steel finish with a black-coated bezel for contrast.

All three models are powered by the E365, a solar-powered movement that will run for 365 days on a full charge. The E365 is rated to within 15 seconds a month – half a second a day on average.

Key facts and price

Citizen Eco-Drive 365
Ref. BN1014-55E (steel case)
Ref. BN1015-52E (black case)
Ref. BN1010-05E (steel with lab-grown ruby indices)

Diameter: 42.5 mm
Height: 11.1 mm
Material: Stainless steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: Cal. E365
Features: Hours, minutes, seconds, and date
Frequency: Quartz
Winding: Solar
Power reserve: One year

Strap: Matching steel bracelet for BN1014-55E and BN1015-52E; calfskin strap for BN1010-05E

Limited edition: 1200 pieces for the BN1010-05E, otherwise regular production 
Availability: Starting last quarter of 2023 at Citizen boutiques and retailers
Price:
BN1014-55E – US$480
BN1015-52E – US$530
BN1010-05E – US$875

For more, visit Citizenwatch-global.com.

This was brought to you in partnership with Citizen.

Correction March 15, 2023: The dial of the Eco-Drive 365 is not a solar cell, rather it a translucent polycarbonate dial that allows light to charge the solar cell just below. Additionally, the Quartz E.F.A. was the second quartz watch launched by Citizen, rather than the first. 

Introduced just last year, the Promaster Mechanical Diver 200m is an distinctive and compelling “tool” watch with an over-the-top style and impressive specs that include a hardened titanium case and magnetism-resistant movement.

Now the watch returns in even more striking livery in a limited edition that will be available only in Asia. Dressed in green and gold, the Promaster Mechanical Diver 200m Asia Limited Edition “Green Anaconda” has a hobnailed dial and bezel, while the case, bracelet, and bezel are all black coated.

Initial thoughts

The original model was easy to like, especially if you like chunky dive watches. Its technical features are amongst the best in at its price segment, while the slightly exaggerated styling also helps it stand out in the crowded segment of affordable dive watches.

What the first version lacked, however, was flair. Thought the watch was big and hard to miss, it was dressed almost entirely in shades of grey, which felt too restrained for the size and design. The “Green Anaconda” certainly took that lesson to heart with its striking colours that leave the hobnail patterning seem even more obvious than before.

The colours and textures are brought out even more by the contrast with the black-coated case and bracelet. They are finished in diamond-like carbon (DLC), resulting in a charcoal finish that’s slightly glossy. The dark finish also makes the watch look smaller than it is, which is useful given its 46 mm diameter.

With its sculpted lines and facets, the case is identical to the original but all black

Though the Green Anaconda is largely a change of colours, it is decidedly more attractive than the muted original. The appealing look does come at a price – the Green Anaconda retails for about 50% more than that of the original model.

But the price is justified by a couple of things. For one, the original was supplied on a rubber strap instead of a bracelet. And it also did not have a DLC coating.

While the Green Anaconda is not as much of a value proposition as the original, it is still fairly priced. . And it is certainly more appealing given its design and relative scarcity (since the edition is a 500-piece run). More broadly, it remains a value buy when compared to the competition, since similarly priced watches have less impressive specs, while similarly spec’ed watches usually cost more.

An emerald serpent

While green is a faddish colour and more common than it should be, it is still attractive when applied in the right context. The Green Anaconda gets it right in both tone and complements.

The dial is in a verdant green that’s nevertheless livened up with by the warm, gold-tone accents on the hour markers and hands, which are echoed by the two-tone bezel with an insert of Duratect Gold, essentially hardened titanium coated with gold. The gold-plated insert has DLC-coated studs and sits within a DLC-coated bezel ring for pleasing contrast.

The domed sapphire crystal is uncommon at this price and is highly attractive

Fortunately, the case and bracelet opt for a restrained, brushed finish with a DLC coating so the watch doesn’t seem over designed. But the case and bracelet aren’t just merely conventional titanium. Instead both are made of Citizen’s proprietary alloy known as Super Titanium, which is lighter and harder than the common alloys used in watchmaking.

And they are further treated with Duratect MRK, a surface hardening process that allows the hard DLC coating to better adhere, boosting scratch resistance.

The clasp is equipped with both micro-adjustment system as well as a wetsuit extension. Notably, the micro-adjustment mechanism can be engaged with the watch on the wrist, so the bracelet length can be adjusted on the fly

Inside the watch is the Miyota cal. 9051, a significantly improved version of the standard 9000-series movement.

The cal. 9051 is magnetism resistant thanks to its balance spring and escapement parts that are made of non-magnetic alloys, giving it magnetism resistance of 16,000 A/m. That’s more than three times the minimum dictated by the ISO standard for an anti-magnetic watch (which is pretty much most conventional watches).

Key facts and price

Citizen Promaster Mechanical Diver 200 m Asia Limited Edition “Green Anaconda”
Ref. NB6008-82X

Diameter: 46 mm
Height: 15.3 mm
Material: Super Titanium with Duratect coating
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 200 m

Movement: Cal. 9051
Features: Hours, minutes, seconds, and date
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 42 hours

Strap: Super Titanium bracelet with diving extension

Availability: Starting August 2022 at Citizen boutiques and retailers
Price: 2,354 Singapore dollars, or about US$1,670

For more, visit Citizen.com.sg.

This was brought to you in partnership with Citizen.

Having debuted the world’s first titanium wristwatch in 1970 – it was the X-8 Chronometer with a case of nearly pure titanium – Citizen now boasts some 50 years of experience with the lightweight metal. Now the brand has taken its materials expertise into outer space, literally. Citizen supplies its proprietary Super Titanium alloy to ispace, a Japanese company that specialises in robotic spacecraft technology for landers and rovers.

Ispace utilises Super Titanium for the legs of the lunar lander slated to launch around the end of 2022. Known as Hakuto-R, the ispace lunar programme now as its own commemorative watch, the Citizen Hakuto-R Collaboration Satellite Wave GPS F950. Its case is naturally Super Titanium but some components are made of “Recrystallised Titanium”, a unique, textured alloy that evokes the Moon’s surface.

Initial thoughts

Like many high-end quartz watches, the Hakuto-R is an electronic grand complication – it features a perpetual calendar, world time, a 1/20th of a second chronograph, and then some.

Though this isn’t the first Hakuto-R collaboration, it is the most appealing in terms of aesthetics. It looks the part for a high-end quartz watch – even without the GPS sync it will run within five seconds a month.

It has busy, complex aesthetics entirely appropriate for a watch packed with various cutting-edge features. But like Citizen’s other high-end electronic watches, also excellent fit and finish on the external components such as the case and dial, which is most obvious with the textured titanium parts of the case and bracelet.

In fact, the build quality is comparable to mechanical chronographs in its price range (which is about US$3,000). And it is arguably more interesting in technical terms than mechanical chronographs at this price, most of which rely on stock movements from ETA and Sellita.

At about US$3,000, the Hakuto-R is priced comparably to high-end quartz watches offered by Casio and Seiko that have similar functionality, but it stands out for its tangible connection to space exploration.

All-in-one

The Hakuto-R has the typical functions of an electronic watch, but that’s not all. It is solar-powered – Citizen has perhaps the most advanced solar technology for wristwatches – and more importantly, it is also equipped with a GPS satellite syncing capability, which means the simple press of a button will synchronise the time displayed with the nearest GPS satellite, ensuring its timekeeping is spot on. Without satellite reception, when in a building for instance, the movement will keep time to within five seconds a month.

Recrystallized Titanium is titanium that’s been heated to a high temperature and then quickly cooled, creating a crystalline structure that gives it the textured finish

Beyond its functions, the Hakuto-R has an appealing aesthetic in terms of materials and finish. The dial is surprisingly elaborate in terms of materials: it’s textured to resemble Recrystallised titanium while its registers are sunken and its twin scales are in contrasting finishes.

And the case is made of Super Titanium, just like the legs of the ispace lunar lander. But it is further coated with Duratect DLC – a hard, carbon-based layer – giving it a hard-wearing surface that is scratch resistant while also helping preserve the definition and case finish.

The case back is printed with the lunar lander of Hakuto-R, of which legs is made of Super Titanium just like the watch

Key Facts and Prices

Diameter: 44.3 mm
Height: 16 mm
Material: Super Titanium with Duratect DLC coating and Recrystallised Titanium
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: F950
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, day, date, second time zone, chronograph, alarm, and satellite wave GPS; accuracy of ±5 seconds per month without GPS sync
Winding: Eco-Drive
Power reserve: Five years

Strap: Super Titanium and Recrystallised Titanium

Limited edition: 1000 pieces
Availability: At Citizen retailers and boutiques from July 2022
Price: 290,000 Japanese yen, excluding taxes

For more, visit Citizenwatch-global.com.

Update June 28, 2022: Added movement accuracy without GPS sync.

Not long after Citizen unveiled the Caliber 0200 in early 2021, it followed up with an affordable alternative, the Series 8 870. Resembling its bigger brother with an integrated bracelet, the Series 8 outperforms in its price segment.

And just as Citizen unveils a limited edition Caliber 0200 in shades of grey, it is also taking the covers off the Series 8 870 First Anniversary Limited Edition, which features an all-black case matched with a carbon-composite dial.

Initial thoughts

While the standard 870 has excellent fit and finishing considering the price, it is available with just two dial options – black or silver – that are pretty plain, especially when bold textures or colours are all the rage.

The new 870 caters to current fashions, but still remains low-key in a manner that’s typical of Citizen’s higher-end watches. With its cleaner look, the all-black case is an improvement from the two-tone standard model, while the carbon composite dial adds a degree of interest that is only obvious up close. It’s also an unusual take on the patterned dial, which is typically stamped.

Unlike the standard model, this has a see-through back. The movement has been made a little more interesting with a gilded rotor, which stands out even more than usual as the case is entirely black. In fact, the gilded rotor is the sole bit of colour on the watch, but one that will only be known to the owner.

Arguably the only shortcoming of the new 870 is the lack of a bracelet. The bracelet is an integral part of the standard model and also one of its most appealing features. The new limited edition, on the other hand, is only available on a strap.

Steel and carbon

While the case is still steel as with the standard model, it receives Duratect DLC treatment. The treatment is for aesthetic purposes – it results in the black finish – while also improving the scratch resistance due to the hardness of the coating.

Case details of the standard Series 8 870

Inside the 870 is the cal. 0950, which runs at a frequency of 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz). It also has an acceptable power reserve of 50 hours. Importantly, the cal. 0950 is thin, which allows for a case only 11.4 mm high, making it one of the thinnest watches in its segment.

Notably, the movement is rated to run within +10/-5 seconds per day, which is not too far away from COSC standards (and credit goes to Citizen for reporting the regulation standard, unlike most brands in this price segment).

Key facts and price

Citizen Series 8 870 First Anniversary Limited Edition
Ref. NA1025-10E

Diameter: 40.8 mm
Height: 11.4 mm
Material: Stainless steel with Duratect DLC coating
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: Cal. 0950
Features: Hours, minutes, seconds, and date
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 50 hours

Strap: Rubber strap

Limited edition: 700 pieces
Availability: Starting from the third quarter of 2022 at Citizen boutiques and retailers
Price: Unavailable at press time

For more, visit Citizenwatch-global.com.

This was brought to you in partnership with Citizen.

A year ago, Citizen debuted its first all new, high-end mechanical watch in decades, The Citizen Caliber 0200. A wristwatch par excellence, the Caliber 0200 was so good that it was one of our tops watches of 2021.

Now Citizen is following up with the Caliber 0200 “Japanese Armour”, the first limited edition of the model that’s available globally. Topped with a black ceramic bezel and textured dial, the samurai-inspired Caliber 0200 has a low-key aesthetic that still distinguishes it from the all-steel models.

Initial thoughts

Even though production hasn’t yet caught up with demand – there’s still a waiting list for the watch – the Caliber 0200 is still a niche product, just because it is a high-end, mechanical offering from a brand better known for its solar-powered or quartz watches, and mostly affordable ones at that.

So a limited edition makes sense, since the small run will boost desirability and create buzz worldwide (Citizen did launch a 50-piece limited edition last year that was sold only in Japan).

That said, the new edition is still very much a restrained design that’s almost monochromatic. It’ll be one of those watches that are recognised only by those in the know.

Interestingly, both the new limited edition and the standard model stick to the same palette – grey, silver, and black – with the difference between the two being the quantity and intensity of each colour. On the limited edition, black becomes the dominant colour thanks to the ceramic bezel as well as the pebbled strap.

Samurai style

The highlight of the Caliber 0200 is the case and movement finish, which was uniform across all models. As a result, the key feature of the “Japanese Armor” is the dial, which gets a new texture.

Unlike typical textured dials that are fabricated via stamping, the dial of the Caliber 0200 is produced with a slightly more high-tech manner – metal deposition via an electrochemical process. This builds up the layers one by one, resulting in extra precision and complexity.

As a result, the dial of the “Japanese Armor” is actually comprised of three different textures. The most obvious are honeycomb-like forms, which are in turn made up of tiny dimples arranged horizontally. The pattern brings to mind the dial of Grand Seiko SLGA007 “Minamo” (and its siblings with similar dials), although those are stamped in a traditional manner.

Meanwhile, the small seconds register does away with the conventional concentric patterning and instead has a simple, grained texture that suits the overall minimalist feel.

To go with the masculine dial, the bezel is black ceramic finished with a brushed top and polished flank. And the metal bracelet has also been eliminated and replaced by a strap made of leather from Himeji Kurozan, a Japanese tannery that specialises in lacquered cowhide that’s more resilient that standard leather.

Golden movement

As far as mass-produced movements go, the cal. 0200 is one of the finest. Not only does it boast an elegant architecture that calls to mind a hand-wind movement, it is also precisely finished. The bridges sport wide, clean bevelling that is more often found in pricier haute horlogerie.

Arguably the biggest aesthetic weakness of the standard cal. 0200 is the rotor, which is somewhat plain compared to the rest of the movement. With the “Japanese Armor”, the rotor gets an upgrade: it’s solid 22k gold and bears the eagle emblem of The Citizen, the brand’s line of chronometers.

Detail of the balance assembly in the cal. 0200

Key facts and price

Citizen The Citizen Caliber 0200 “Japanese Armor”
Ref. NC0206-18E

Diameter: 40 mm
Height: 10.9 mm
Material: Stainless steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 50 m

Movement: Caliber 0200
Features: Hours, minutes, and seconds
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 60 hours

Strap: Himeji Kurozan leather

Limited edition: 90 pieces
Availability: Starting autumn or winter 2022 at Citizen boutiques and retailers
Price: JPY968,000 inclusive of Japanese taxes

For more, visit citizenwatch-global.com.

One of Citizen’s earlier dive watches, the Challenge Diver of 1977 is rated to 150 m – but it evidently can withstand more than pressure under water. In 1983, a long-submerged example was discovered at Long Reef Beach in Sydney, Australia. And despite being encrusted with barnacles, it was in working condition according to Citizen.

Now Citizen revisits the Challenge Diver – and memorialises the barnacle-covered watch – with the Promaster Mechanical Diver 200m “Fujitsubo”. The new watch retains the retro design and dimensions but has been thoroughly upgraded with modern materials and mechanics, including a titanium case and movement resistant to magnetic fields of up to 16,000 A/m (or about 200 Gauss).

Initial thoughts

While the new launch is headlined by an interesting story, the watch itself is appealing, especially for its slim proportions and affordability.

At 41 mm wide and 12.3 mm tall, the Fujitsubo is one of the thinnest dive watches in this price segment. In fact, it’s even thinner than the vintage original. And it’s also slimmer than its most obvious rival, the Seiko 1965 Diver’s Modern Re-Interpretations “62MAS”, which is about 1 mm taller.

And it will also be lightweight. As is convention for most of Citizen’s mid-range dive watches, the case is Super Titanium, the brand’s proprietary alloy that has undergone surface hardening, leaving it five times more scratch resistant than steel.

Visually, the Fujitsubo is simple and almost generic, but paradoxically that’s the appeal. The Fujitsubo is the most restrained mechanical dive watch in Citizen’s line up, both in terms of size and style – good news for anyone who wants something more minimal than its recent offerings.

It’s a faithful reproduction of the vintage original, right down to the bezel with its extra-large numerals. The markings on the bezel are wide enough they look exaggerated and almost comical, which is antithetical to the overall functional style. The bezel markings feel incongruent and are perhaps the only aspect I would change.

Overall, the Fujitsubo is one of the most compelling divers at this price considering the design, form, and specs.

Mix and match

At arm’s length, the Fujitsubo looks clean and traditional, but up close the dial and bezel reveals a few quirks. The hour hand is especially unusual with the familiar “Mercedes” tip that’s mostly associated with a famous Swiss brand. That said, the dial is faithful reproduction of that on the 1977 original, a period where brands borrowed liberally from each other –  just look at the number of 1970s sports watches with integrated bracelets in every level of the price spectrum.

As a result, the minute hand and the “lollipop” seconds feels a bit derivative, but combined with the extra-wide, typically 1970s hour markers, the overall look still manages to be original and appealingly retro.

Inside the Fujitsubo is the cal. 9051. Compared to other Japanese movements at this price, the cal. 9051 is notable for its high frequency of 28,800 beats per hour that promises more stable timekeeping, instead of the more typical 21,600 beats per hour. However, it has a modest power reserve of only 42 hours.

The Fujitsubo is available in either a black or blue dial – the former has a vintage-style patterned rubber strap while the latter is equipped with a titanium bracelet

Key facts and price

Citizen Promaster Mechanical Diver 200 m “Fujitsubo”
Ref. NB6021-17E (black)
Ref. NB6021-68L (blue)

Movement: Cal. 9051
Features: Hours, minutes, seconds, and date
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 42 hours

Strap: Rubber strap or steel bracelet

Limited edition: No
Availability: From summer 2022 at Citizen boutiques and retailers
Price: Unavailable at press time

For more, visit Citizenwatch-global.com.

This was brought to you in partnership with Citizen.

For an uncompromising mechanical watch enthusiast, one of the most dreaded words in the specifications of a watch is surely “quartz”. Oftentimes that dread is followed by the thought, if only it was mechanical…

I must admit this went through my mind when I discovered the lovely Cartier Santos Dumont in 2019. And that was despite Cartier’s best efforts in communicating that the movement inside was a long-autonomy quartz calibre with a six-year battery life.

The Cartier Santos Dumont trio, with only the XL variant (extreme left) being mechanical

In the time since, I began to ponder the question: why do I seek the latest electronic gadgets, but am dismissive towards quartz watches? Just because quartz movements are often cheap and easily available, does that leave them uniformly uninteresting?

The Quartz Crisis

On Monday, December 29, 1969, tucked somewhere in the The New York Times was an eight-line paragraph that ended with “[the] world’s first electronic wrist watch with a crystal oscillator.” That electronic watch, as you may have guessed, was the Seiko Quartz-Astron. It was barely obvious at the time, but the announcement, innocuous as it was, would be the harbinger of a crisis for Swiss watchmaking.

The father of all quartz watches, the Seiko Quartz-Astron 35SQ in 18K yellow gold

The Quartz-Astron cost as much as a Toyota Corolla at the time of of its release – its price was equivalent to about US$1,200 – and was without a doubt a luxury product. Over a decade later, in 1982, Seiko launched a new line of affordable quartz watches, with its American advertising carrying the tagline “The People’s Quartz. It’s Everything Except Expensive.”

Alongside Seiko, American companies such as Texas Instruments began manufacturing affordable quartz movements and over the next few years, the sales of quartz wristwatches skyrocketed. These relatively high-end quartz watches faced low-cost competition from Hong Kong and elsewhere, where lengthy, automated production lines were set up to churn out quartz movements by the millions, working round the clock as though they were running out of time.

Taking place alongside the Quartz Crisis was the digital revolution, which saw the emergence of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) on wristwatches. Casio famously introduced the all-digital G-Shock DW-5000 in 1983, which still remains the pinnacle of the Go-Anywhere-Do-Anything (GADA) category of watches, some 40 years and 100 million watches later.

While the low cost of quartz watches was the primary driver of sales in the 1980s, the advantages of quartz over mechanical were manifold – impact and magnetism resistance, superior timekeeping, additional complications without the corresponding increase in complexity, and the list goes on.

The original G-Shock of 1983

The only drawback of a quartz watch is that the movement may stop without warning once the battery goes flat. An unscheduled trip to the departmental store for a replacement battery is the plan when you are in the car, but reality is that you would most likely end up with another departmental-store quartz watch. Quartz watches are disposable, as we have long been educated by salespeople all over the world.

With this reputation, it is impossible to change the consumer mindset to one where quartz is luxury. Naturally, premium brands like Rolex and Patek Philippe swiftly abandoned the concept of a high-end quartz watch after a brief foray into the field with the Beta 21 quartz movement – Switzerland’s first commercially available quartz movement – and instead doubled down on mechanical watchmaking. However, Japanese watchmakers like Seiko and Citizen remained resolutely committed to quartz watches, created a niche for themselves that few Swiss watchmakers wanted to compete in.

Beyond the philosophical difficulty of accepting a quartz movement as high-end, the technology is accompanied by a dead giveaway – the jumping (or deadbeat) seconds hand. While I have extolled the technical and philosophical perfection of having a deadbeat seconds in a mechanical watch, the ticking seconds of quartz movement is a horological afterthought – devised to minimise energy consumption and maximise battery life.

The Rolex Beta 21 ref. 5100 “Texano” – only 1,000 were made, the majority in yellow gold, with the white gold example pictured being exceedingly rare

Wait a second, what is quartz?

The story of quartz timekeeping began in 1880 with French brothers Paul-Jacques and Pierre Curie – the latter was Marie Curie’s husband – when they discovered the piezoelectric effect. For my learned friends who are proficient in Greek, piezoelectricity is self-descriptive, the very word is as direct a translation as possible of the effect.

For the rest of us, piezo means “to squeeze”, and piezoelectricity thus refers to an electric charge created due to squeezing, or mechanical stress in other words. And the laws of physics allow for a reciprocal phenomenon – the converse piezoelectricity effect – where a voltage can be applied to deform a piezoelectric material.

The piezoelectric effect is why a battery resides in a quartz movement: it is the source of voltage that causes the deformation of the quartz crystal. With the quartz crystal shaped like a tuning fork, its deformation and subsequent relaxation creates vibrations with a natural frequency that are a function of the length of the arms, like any other tuning fork.

Most quartz movements have a natural frequency of 32,768 Hz, which is about four orders of magnitude (or approximately 10,000 times) faster than the beloved balance wheel of a lever escapement. The vibration of the quartz crystal in turn generates a voltage via the piezoelectric effect, which is transmitted to an integrated circuit. The circuit then counts the number of oscillations.

When the preordained number of oscillations (for example, 32,768) is reached, the circuit records one second as having elapsed. Naturally, that results in two questions. Why is the natural frequency 32,768 Hz? And how are the constant vibrations maintained?

The tuning fork of a quartz Grand Seiko movement is small enough to fit into the 1 mm diameter tube in the background. Image – Grand Seiko

The first brand to utilise a 32,768 Hz quartz crystal was Girard Perregaux in 1971, when it debuted the GP 350 movement. The mathematically-inclined will realise that 32,768 is two raised to the 15^th power. In terms of computing, powers of 2 are preferred because they are the easiest to implement in binary terms.

The execution would look like this: the quartz crystal outputs a sinusoidal wave at 32,768 Hz, and it is first converted to a square wave or pulse. The first bit of the counting circuit registers every falling voltage (“negative edge-triggered”) and flips itself (from “0” to “1”, or vice versa). Notice that the output of this first bit is also a square wave, and this is fed to the second bit. At every negative edge, the second bit is flipped.

This chain of “flip-flop” circuit, 15 bits long, will reach 1 Hz at the 15^th bit. The electronic circuit then tells the second hand to advance one second according to that information. The smallest power of two that is greater than 20,000 Hz, the limit of human hearing, is 32,768 Hz, which explains why there is no audible noise generated by the vibrations within a quartz movement.

To keep the vibrations of the quartz crystal going, remember that every oscillation of the quartz crystal generates a voltage to the circuit. This voltage is then used in the circuit that oscillates at 32,768 Hz, amplifying the voltage, and then sending it back to the quartz crystal, providing the energy for long-term oscillation. The process is analogous to the the setup of a mechanical movement with a mainspring barrel that keeps the balance wheel going. 

High-accuracy quartz

While the basic principles of all quartz movements are the same, not all quartz movements are made the same. Just as mechanical movements use hairsprings of different grades, quartz movements utilise varied types of quartz crystals.

And that brings us back to the magic number 32,768 – the rapid oscillation of a quartz crystal lies behind the superior accuracy of quartz compared to a conventional mechanical movement.

Just as it is with high-beat mechanical movements, increasing the frequency of quartz oscillation by using higher powers of two can boost accuracy. An example is the 262,144 Hz Precisionist movement made by Bulova, now a subsidiary of Citizen. It runs eight times faster than a conventional quartz movement.

The Bulova Lunar Pilot Chronograph with a 262 kHz Precisionist quartz movement

A higher frequency makes for a more accurate calibration because for the same amount of elapsed time, the integrated circuit is able to “count” more oscillations when the movement runs at a high frequency, and then tune the crystal accordingly to achieve a higher accuracy.

Increased precision due to a higher frequency

In real world usage, the Precisionist is almost eight times more accurate than a conventional quartz movement, which means a deviation of a few seconds a month. To achieve yet another magnitude of accuracy – a few seconds a year – other factors come into play. We will return to frequency at the end of this section.

Despite the vast gulf between the two, a quartz crystal’s natural frequency is affected by temperature, just as it is with a traditional balance wheel. While mechanical movements use Invar-class alloys for balance wheels and Elinvar-class alloys for hairsprings in order to deal with the effects of temperature fluctuations, the quartz crystal cannot be swapped out for another material for better behaviour at a range of temperatures. Instead the solution is thermocompensation.

Thermocompensation works as follows: after tuning a quartz crystal to the chosen frequency, its natural frequency is then determined at several temperature points. The movement samples ambient temperature alongside the quartz crystal, and uses a reference table (“Look Up Table”) to translate the new frequency to timekeeping. In the Grand Seiko 9F quartz movements and the new 9RA2/9RA5 Spring Drive movements, the temperature is sampled 540 times a day at fixed intervals.

Also, thermocompensation makes it necessary to have the full resolution frequency of 32,768 Hz, instead of the binary counting described above. This method is informally known as the digital-count method.

However, this is not the only method for thermocompensation. As it turns out, the frequency of the crystal can be tuned by applying a slightly different voltage. This class of quartz timing circuit is known as voltage-controlled crystal oscillator (VCXO). And when the input for the voltage control is the instantaneous quartz temperature, the system is known as temperature-compensated VCXO, or TCVCXO for short. The Rolex Oysterquartz movements of the 1970s used such a system, and it is not known if TCVCXO has been implemented in wristwatch movements since then.

The cal. 5055 in the Rolex Oysterquartz Day-Date ref. 19000/19019. Image – Antiquorum

Quartz crystals used in watch movements have temperature sensitivity of about 0.035 ppm/°C². Assuming the crystal is tuned to exactly 32,768 Hz at 25°C, operating temperature cannot deviate beyond a few degrees Celsius in order to keep time to within a few seconds a year.

Thermocompensation is therefore essential to reach the required accuracy in daily use, when sharp differences in temperature can happen when exiting an air-conditioned building and going into the sun for instance.

In contrast, the oven-controlled crystal oscillator (OCXO) that is used for highly accurate scientific instruments relies on maintaining a constant temperature. However, OCXO is not suitable for low SWaP (size, weight and power) applications, such as wristwatches that are usually powered by a lithium battery smaller than a coin. OCXO, on the other hand, are found inside master clocks, which are stationary, desktop devices that provide reference time to other electronic devices.

The G-02X OCXO master clock (above) made by Esoteric of Japan for high-end audio systems. Image – Esoteric

The relationship between frequency and temperature is approximately quadratic around this selected temperature range

As mentioned above, since quartz movements are restricted to quartz crystal as the sole material for the oscillator, better behaviour at a range of temperatures is impossible. That said, while the material cannot be changed, its behaviour can be influenced by another factor: quartz orientation.

Quartz is an anisotropic material, meaning that its physical properties are dependent on the direction the property is measured. Another example of an anisotropic material is wood – wood fractures more easily along the grain than perpendicular to the grain.

Quartz crystal axes. Source – ‘Three-electrode self-actuating self-sensing quartz cantilever: Design, analysis, and experimental verification’, Vol. 81, The Review of Scientific Instruments, June 2010

The temperature sensitivity diagram above is typical for a tuning fork quartz crystal, but for a small block of quartz cut in a specific direction – AT cut and 35° theta rotation – the result is a much flatter curve around the same temperature range. This means less reliance on thermocompensation for better timekeeping, or a movement can be made more accurate in the window before thermocompensation kicks in.

There is another benefit with moving into AT-cut quartz crystals: the frequency of oscillation is much higher, measured in the MHz (megahertz, or millions of Hertz). In theory, this can achieve reach sub-second accuracy per year. The Citizen Caliber 0100, for instance, promises accuracy of within one second per year.

Running a quartz movement at ultra-high frequencies, however, increases computational complexity and energy consumption. The solution adopted by Citizen is its Eco-Drive solar-power technology that charges the power cell regularly via solar panels on the dial.

The world’s most accurate quartz wristwatch, the Citizen Caliber 0100

However, while quartz crystals are very effective at maintaining a stable frequency (they possess a high quality factor), they may not maintain the exact frequency over prolonged periods, namely months or years. The term for this is quartz drifting or ageing. It has been established that frequency drift is most significant over the first few months of operation, and the drift decays logarithmically.

This is relevant for high accuracy quartz movements because the natural frequency of the crystal drifts over time due to a few factors. The purity of the crystal as well as outgassing from the crystal packaging can form surface contaminants that affect the mass of the crystal and hence frequency stability. Mechanical stress from the mounting of the quartz crystal also affect the long-term stability of the frequency.

These potential pitfalls can be mitigated during production by assembling the movements in a high-precision cleanroom environment, hermitic sealing of the crystal packaging, and calibration of the quartz crystal after a period of ageing. Both the Citizen Caliber 0100 and Grand Seiko 9F movements thus rely on quartz crystals aged for at least three months as well as sealed crystal capsules to counter these effects.

The anniversary edition of the Grand Seiko 9F quartz with the movement revealed through an open back. Image – Grand Seiko

Extending the Power Reserve

Increasing accuracy, however, comes at a cost of increased energy consumption. As noted above, the Citizen Caliber 0100 uses solar power to charge the movement, but there are other methods to increase the autonomy of the watch.

One of the best known is Seiko’s Kinetic self-winding quartz movements that are recharged with a rotor, similar to an automatic mechanical watch (though the Kinetic calibres are not high-accuracy quartz).

And then there is the unexpected – the Geneva independent watchmaker F.P. Journe. Its Élégante wristwatch with the quartz cal. 1210 goes to sleep after about 35 minutes of inactivity. A mini-rotor, essentially a free-spinning half-circular disc, functions as a mechanical motion detector.

The F.P. Journe Élégante 48

When the watch is moved, the rotor spins and generates a current. This current wakes up the movement, which then propels the stationary hands to show the correct time. F.P. Journe claims that this power-saving feature enables the watch to go without a battery replacement for up to 18 years, compared to the typical three to five year interval for conventional quartz watches.

In fact, if luxury is all about ease and convenience for the owner, then the Élégante is probably at the top of the game. The drawback is, of course, is that fact that the Élégante is not a high-accuracy quartz, so it only keeps time to an average accuracy.

The motion-sensing mini-rotor in the F.P. Journe Élégante, located near 4 o’clock

Can quartz have its day in the sun?

Beyond the allure of a brand, the draw of luxury timepieces is usually laborious finishing and assembly – all done by hand. We note that both are not exclusive to mechanical movements, the quartz-regulated but hand-wind Grand Seiko 9R02 Spring Drive movement boasts world-class finishing. Its full, rounded anglage that incorporates sharp, inward angles – exemplified by the corner between the two jewels below – are characteristic of high-end, traditional hand finishing.

The hand finished Grand Seiko 9R02

At a slightly more affordable level, the cal. 1210 of the Élégante is decorated as fully as a quartz movement can be. Its 18k red gold plate is finished with Côtes de Genève, giving it an aesthetic that is similar to most mechanical F.P. Journe movements.

The cal. 1210 of the Élégante with its 18k red gold plates, with even the electrical traces made of red gold

In short, just because the vast majority of quartz timepieces are made without human involvement does not preclude the existence of finely-made, well-considered quartz watches.

But that leaves the perennial reason to object to all things quartz: the electronic circuits cannot last forever and luxury should be forever.

With proper storage, high-quality electronic circuits can last a very long time, with a lifespan measured in decades. In fact, satellites and spacecraft constructed in the 1970s are still transmitting valuable scientific data from deep space back to Earth, despite the harsh radiation beyond our Solar System. And these space voyagers are naturally equipped with electronic clocks, albeit primitive timekeepers compared to those of today. Yet there they are, having travelled far beyond human imagination and still oscillating away.

Granted, it is often more cost-effective to simply replace a quartz movement instead of repairing it, explaining the perception that quartz watches are disposable. But that is a matter of economics and not an intrinsic fault of electronic circuits.

This reminds me of the philosophical paradox known as the Ship of Theseus: would the ship be exactly the same ship if it were entirely replaced piece by piece?

While there are no quick answers in the philosophy of identity, we have grown to accept H. Moser’s philosophy of replacing the entire balance assembly, or the “heart” of the movement, during a servicing thanks to its proprietary modular construction. Indeed, I am hard-pressed to think of a legitimate reason that quality quartz watches are inherently inferior to their mechanical counterparts.  

Concluding thoughts 

“Nearly everything is really interesting if you go into it deeply enough” – a good philosophy to live by, especially since it was good enough for Richard Feynman, the legendary, Nobel Prize-winning physicist. I wrote this article to prove to myself that quartz technology can be interesting beyond its most obvious point of appeal – good timekeeping affordable enough for anyone.

Quartz timekeepers are more accurate and requires less maintenance than mechanical watches. They are practically fuss free regardless of what the wearer is doing. From that standpoint – and our preconceptions aside – quartz is unequivocally better. If luxury hinges on time and effort invested, then the convenient quartz watch can stand shoulder to shoulder with the best mechanical wristwatches.

The author is a scientist working in the public sector. He graduated from Caltech with a Bachelor of Science in physics and history and philosophy of science.

Long available only to the Japanese domestic market, Citizen’s top-of-the-line quartz watches have been slowly making their way into foreign countries in recent years (although last year’s high-end mechanical Caliber 0200 was launched internationally).

The latest high-end quartz model, however, is being launched globally. The Citizen Iconic Nature Collection is a quartet of lightweight titanium watches featuring dials made of traditional, translucent Japanese paper dyed in vivid, natural colours. But the mechanics are cutting edge in contrast – a solar-powered quartz movement accurate to within five seconds a year.

Initial thoughts

Citizen’s ultra-accurate quartz watches are largely unknown outside of Japan, but that is gradually changing with the global rollout of new models, which are crucially dressed in eye-catching colours instead of the muted dials historically found on these watches. Citizen has used washi for dials on The Citizen before, but usually in a low-key white.

The new Iconic Nature quartet calls to mind high-end quartz watches from Citizen’s Japanese rival, though Citizen’s offering edges ahead, at least on paper.

The solar-powered A060 inside the Iconic Nature is accurate to +/- 5 seconds per year, while the Grand Seiko 9F movement is rated to +/- 10 seconds per year. And the practicality of the A060 is boosted by a perpetual calendar as well as an “on-demand” power reserve indicator.

The price tag of US$3,500 is might seem high for anyone unfamiliar with high-end quartz watches, but it is entirely reasonable for the excellent quality.

Similarly priced mechanical watches will be equipped with basic movements that are decades-old and usually having a simpler case and dial finish. The Citizen, in contrast, boasts one of the world’s most advanced analogue quartz movements, as well as excellent external fit and finish.

Notably, the latest models are priced similarly to Citizen’s regular-production, high-accuracy quartz watches, which means the Iconic Nature offers better value, considering the 250-piece limited edition and special dial material.

Striking case and dial

Like most high-end quartz watches from the brand, the Iconic Nature has a case made of Citizen’s proprietary Super Titanium. The alloy undergoes a surface-hardening process known as Duratect, leaving it five times more scratch resistant than a typical steel case. The surface hardness not only gives the case an appealing gleam but also preserves the beautiful finishing found on the multiple facets on the case.

Similarly executed to a high level is the dial, which is a two-piece construction. The top plate is a transparent disc that holds the applied logo and markers, while the bottom later is Washi, the traditional material used for sliding doors and lanterns in Japan because of its light diffusing quality.

The distinct texture of Washi makes for an intricate surface, but one that is entirely functional: the translucent paper allows light to pass through and reach the solar panels beneath that charge the battery.

A060

But the star is the A060, a high-accuracy quartz movement introduced in 2015. Its prescribed accuracy of +/-5 seconds per year is thanks to several features. One is the six-month ageing of the quartz crystal, which is then paired with an integrated circuit specifically programmed with an algorithm that measures ambient temperature fluctuations once every minute and then compensates for the oscillator’s frequency changes resulting from the fluctuations.

In addition to its impressive accuracy, the A060 has been kitted out with several practical functions. The hour hand, for example, can be independently adjusted without stopping the movement, preserving the current time synchronisation. And more importantly, the date display has been electronically programmed to be a perpetual calendar, eliminating the hassle of adjusting it at the end of each month.

The A060 also has an on-demand power reserve indicator that is otherwise hidden: the recessed button above crown temporarily engages the second hand to serve as an indicator of the battery charge. Three o’clock indicates a full charge while an empty battery will see the seconds pointing to one.

Because the A060 is an Eco-Drive movement – the brand’s term for solar-powered calibres – it forgoes the need for periodic battery replacement as the the solar panels under the dial constantly charge the battery as long as they are exposed to light.

The movement will run for 1.5 years in a power-saving mode, whereby that the hands will stop moving when the watch is stored in the dark. Exposing the dial to light immediately awakens the movement from its “sleep” mode. And with the power-saving mode off, the movement keeps time for seven months on a full charge.

Key facts and price

Citizen The Citizen Iconic Nature Collection
Ref. AQ4100-06W (green)
Ref. AQ4100-14L (blue)
Ref. AQ4102-01X (brown)
Ref. AQ4100-22E (grey)

Diameter: 38.3 mm
Height: 12.2 mm
Material: Super Titanium
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: A060
Features: Hours, minutes, seconds, power reserve indicator, and perpetual calendar
Winding: Solar
Power reserve: 1.5 years

Strap: Crocodile leather

Limited edition: 250 pieces in each colour
Availability: At Citizen boutiques and retailers, with green and blue in March 2022, brown and grey in September 2022
Price: US$3,500; ¥385,000 (350,000 excluding taxes); 5,450 Singapore dollars

For more, visit Citizenwatch-global.com.

I was impressed by the Caliber 0200 that Citizen unveiled earlier in the year. A new design with an integrated bracelet and an automatic movement developed from scratch, the Caliber 0200 costs US$6,000 – more than the typical Citizen – it is unquestionably a value proposition. The level of fit and finish, especially on the case and bracelet, surpasses practically everything else at that price.

Still, US$6,000 is not affordable for everyone. Citizen soon followed up with the Series 8, a line of watches similar to the Caliber 0200 in style but far more accessible price-wise, with the base model starting at US$1,200. Like the Caliber 0200, the Series 8 outperforms in its far lower price segment.

The Series 8 is made up of three models – 830, 831, and 870 – but the standout is the 870, the watch pictured below. Citizen loaned me one for a few days, an experience that confirmed my initial impressions.

Initial thoughts

The Series 8 watches are all excellent at their respective price points, but the 870 impressed me the most – it’s the most expensive but paradoxically the best value.

Admittedly, the 870 is yet another sports watch with an integrated bracelet. The familiarity of the concept makes it more difficult for a new entrant to succeed.

One benchmark for success in this category is design – the watch has to look good while avoiding being derivative. And another is competitive pricing, since most fresh arrivals in the space can’t compete with the establishment names at the same price for lack of brand recognition. On both counts the 870 succeeds.

The 870 has a simple, almost fuss-free, style that’s still distinctive. But its visual appeal also lies in the evidently high-quality finish of the case and bracelet (as it is with the Caliber 0200, making this somewhat of an affordable take on the same idea).

In terms of design, the 870 does a few things well.

Instead of an octagon or any other polygon, the 870 smartly sticks with a round bezel. Instead it relies on a contrast-colour steel insert to make the bezel a bit more interesting. The insert gives the bezel “ears”, but because the form is round, the “ears” don’t evoke other nautically-inspired sports watches with protruding “ears” – a major pitfall avoided.

In tangible terms, the 870’s best feature is the quality-to-price ratio. The case and bracelet are executed usually well for watch that costs US$2,000. The bezel itself is impressive: the steel portion has four planes with alternating brushed and polished finishing.

As the Caliber 0200 easily claims the best-finished case and bracelet in the US$6,000 category, the 870 is likely the best in its price segment.

830 and 831

Before I delve into the details of the 870, I want to take a brief look at the 830 because Citizen also loaned me an example.

Essentially the same watch but with a different dials and movements, the 830 and 831 are more affordable than the 870. The 830 costs US$1,800, while the 831 is US$1,200.

Both share the same case and bracelet, but the 830 has a fancier, multi-layer dial with mother of pearl visible through latticework, while the 831 is the entry-level model with a unadorned dial and lower-spec movement.

The 830 with its latticework dial

At the distance, the 830 looks like the most elaborate model amongst the Series 8 models because of the dial. It’s comprised of three layers – a metal base (probably brass), followed by a mother-of-pearl disc, and finally the open-worked lattice on top that reveals the iridescent pearl below.

The visual complexity continues on the rest of the dial. It has a triple seconds scale on its perimeter, with hashmarks that fade towards the centre, along with open worked hands. Even the hour markers have tiny luminous extensions at their base. All the activity on the dial feels makes it feel a bit frenzied.

That said, the lattice does feel uniquely Japanese, giving the watch a distinctive flavour. In fact, the triangular pattern is inspired by Uroko, or “scales”, a motif often found on fabric that is believed to repel bad luck.

The case, on the other hand, is cleaner in form. It’s characterised by wide, flat planes that give it an angular, slightly 1970s look.

That, along with the crown guards, make it seem larger than that case of the 870. The case finishing, however, isn’t quite to the level of the 870’s case.

Unique by virtue of its latticework dial, the 830 is too much in terms of design for a sleek sports watch. Still, the 830 is as much of a value buy as the 870 is in its segment.

The facets of the 870

Back to the 870.

By keeping it simple, the 870 maintains a trim profile and outline. The lines of the case are clean, but details in terms of finishing and surfaces are visible up close.

Importantly, it’s 10.9 mm high, which is still thin enough to give it a thin profile on the wrist. The height, combined with the 40 mm, gives the watch a just-nice fit on the wrist.

Like many modern-day sports watches, the 870’s case is composed of multiple, flat planes. Most of them are brushed, but the case sides are highlight by a wide, polished bevel that widens towards the bracelet.

The case stands out for its finishing. The way its alternating brushed and polished surfaces catch the light give the 870 an air of refinement that’s more than typical for a watch of this price.

The neatness and precision of the brushed surfaces is first-rate. Although the surfaces are substantial, it appear extremely flat, with no surface distortion visible even up close, indicating an unusually high-quality finish.

Another detail that reveals the precision of the case work is the bezel. The two components of the bezel fit together almost seamlessly, with only the smallest of gaps visible at high magnification. More notable is the finish of the bezel – four planes that alternate between concentric brushing and mirror polishing.

Brushed side, polished bevel, brushed top, and polished innermost bevel

The only bit of the case that feels naked is the crown. It’s usefully large and flat enough to be unobtrusive. But it’s plain on top; a relief or engraved emblem would have been an attractive little bonus.

Bracelet

The bracelet matches the finishing of the case, showing the same neat, flat brushing.

At the same time, the bracelet is just nice relative to the case – the links are just the right thickness and length, resulting in good visual parity between the two.

Although the twin pushbutton clasp functions perfectly, it could do with a better design. As it is, the clasp breaks up the flow of the bracelet; a clasp that continued the style of the links would have been ideal.

The clasp lacks a micro-adjustment feature due to its design, but the bracelet helpfully includes half links on each side of the clasp

Interestingly, it is the underside of the bracelet that proves the quality of the finish on its outer surfaces. The difference insurface flatness and grain of the brushing between the front and back of the links is apparent even to the naked eye. The undersides of the links have a rougher brushing, with the surfaces being slightly convex, which results from the stamping that produces each link.

Instead of stamped metal, the twin blades of the folding clasp are surprisingly substantial

The links are secured by friction-fit pins, a low-tech but effective solution

Mechanics

Inside the 870 (and also the 830) is the cal. 0950. It’s an automatic movement that’s part of the 90-series of movements; another calibre from the family is found in the recent Promaster Mechanical Diver.

Conceived as a slim-ish but robust movement, the cal. 0950 is 4.1 mm high, making it slimmer than an ETA 2824 but slightly thicker than the ETA 2892, the de facto calibre for affordable, thin Swiss watches.

The cal. 0950 has a decent enough 50-hour power reserve, though the latest-generation movements found in comparably priced Swiss and Japanese watches are usually now 70 hours.

The movement is hidden under a solid back

That said, the cal. 0950 has a surprising feature – the hairspring and escapement components are fabricated from non-magnetic alloys, a rarity in an affordable watch like this. Consequently, the cal. 0950 meets the requirements for a “magnetic-resistant portable watch” described in JIS B 7024 laid out by the Japan’s national industrial standards body.

Specifically, the movement qualifies for the more stringent Type 2 magnetism-resistance rating of at least 16,000 A/m. That’s about three times the norm for mechanical watches of 4,800 A/m, and sufficient to withstand the magnetic fields generated by everyday items like smartphones and tablets.

The face

Unlike the 830 with its mother-of-pearl dial, the 870 is legible and no frills. Even the seemingly superfluous Series 8 branding at six o’clock serves to balance the large logo under 12 o’clock.

Though the dial is simple, the individual elements are all executed well. The surface is a glossy, black lacquer with applied hour markers that are brushed on top but feature diamond-cut edges, giving them a mirrored bevel along each edge. They are matched with comparatively plainer hands that are stamped but nonetheless look good.

In contrast to the impeccably milled emblem found on the far pricier Caliber 0200, the logo here is slightly fuzzy around its edges

Two details on the dial are worth pointing out. One is positive: the date. For one, the date disc matches the dial colour. At the same time, it is presented in an elaborate window that’s brushed, bevelled, and frosted.

The second detail is a criticism: “Series 8” should be entirely capitalised. The use of small letters throws off the formality of the design.

Concluding thoughts

All three versions of the Citizen Series 8 score highly at their respective price points, but the clear winner is the 870. It has the best design, not only aesthetically, but also in terms of finishing and details. In fact, the 870 looks and feels like a watch that costs more. It is more accomplished in fit and finish than majority of the competition in the same segment.

Key facts and price

Citizen Series 8
870 Mechanical (two-piece bezel)
830 Mechanical (mother-of-pearl dial)

Diameter: 40 mm
Height: 10.9 mm (870); 11.7 mm (830)
Material: Stainless steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: Cal. 0950
Features: Hours, minutes, seconds, and date
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 50 hours

Strap: Steel bracelet

Availability: Now Citizen boutiques and retailers
Price:
870 – US$2000
830 – US$1,800 in steel; US$1,900 in grey-coated steel

For more, visit Citizenwatch-global.com.

Historically best known for ultra-advanced quartz and solar-powered watches – including the most accurate watch ever – Citizen has been on a tear recently with good, old-fashioned mechanical watches.

The Japanese watchmaker started the year the high-end with The Citizen Caliber 0200, and then moved onto something more accessible but still sporting an integrated bracelet.

More recently it took the covers off the Promaster Mechanical Diver 200 m ref. NB6004-08E. Oversized and aggressively styled, the new Promaster is eminently affordable – retail is about US$1,000 – but kitted out with impressive features, including a hardened case as well as a magnetism-resistant in-house movement, which makes it excellent value. (And it has a cool, glow-in-the-dark buckle.)

Initial thoughts

In my early days as a watch enthusiast, I had a soft spot for Seiko dive watches, because they were diverse in style and budget friendly. Citizen, on the other hand, didn’t feature as much, because it only offered one or two notable mechanical dive watches as the company largely focused on solar-powered watches (and still does).

But Citizen is expanding its repertoire at a measured pace, but making tremendous progress. The Promaster Mechanical Diver 200 m is a single model, but offered in several variants (though availability of each version varies throughout the world). Citizen lent me the base model – brushed titanium with a black dial – for a few days.

On paper, the watch is high spec – unexpectedly so given the price. The case and bezel are hardened thanks to Citizen’s proprietary metal treatment, while the movement inside is a new calibre boasting higher-than-average resistance to magnetism. And in real life, it lives up to expectations.

Design-wise, it works. Dive watches tend to converge on each other in terms of design, but the new Promaster manages to stand out. The design is excessive enough that it feels like the designers were having a bit of fun, which adds to the appeal.

It’s defined by a heavily textured, Giger-esque bezel that’s surprisingly tall. That’s certainly more bezel than necessary, but the design works.

Functionally, it works just as well well, which isn’t surprising since Citizen has been making no-fuss dive watches for decades.

While large, it’s lightweight and clings well to the wrist thanks to the shape of the strap and lugs. Legibility is good, day or night, though I wish the hands were a bit longer.

On the subject of nighttime readability – the logo on the buckle is filled with lume, so it glows in the dark. Though useless, it’s a cool, amusing feature that I appreciate.

And it is a big watch, as it has to be given the design. Wide and chunky, the case actually seems thicker than it actually is due to its proportions. That contributes positively to the aesthetic, which certainly isn’t for the shy.

Though it’s enormous, the new Promaster does well in its details. The watch is executed well, right down to elements like the hobnail bezel insert. The degree of detail is notably good, especially for a watch that costs about US$1,000.

Overall, the new Promaster is a standout in both design and materials, making it one of the strongest value propositions in its price segment.

Tactile texturing

The face of the watch is defined by its bezel and dial – both hobnail textured – and a heavily domed crystal.

Both tall and wide, the bezel makes the watch. Resembling a turret with a crenellated wall, it has a titanium insert with a stamped hobnail pattern that’s secured with visible screws – a techno-industrial look that brings to mind sci-fi movies like Alien.

While not instantly apparent, the bezel is actually two tone – a medium-grey bezel with a dark-grey insert. The colour difference is more than just aesthetics. Each part of the case is treated with a variant of Citizen’s proprietary process that hardens the metal’s surface. The case is treated with Duratect MRK, the bezel with Duratect TIC, and the dark-grey bezel insert, Duratect DLC.

As a testament to the surprising degree of attention to detail in the Promaster diver, despite its affordability, the differing treatments are down to a matter of functionality and wear-resistance.

A proprietary surface hardening process, the Duratect MRK treatment for the case is similar to the Tegiment process that German watchmaker Sinn uses widely for its tool watches. The treatment starts with the component placed in a vacuum chamber that’s sealed and then heated to several hundred degrees. The hot chamber is then saturated with a mix of gases, causing certain molecules to bond with the surface of titanium, increasing its hardness, allowing the case to retain its factory finish despite wear and tear.

The bezel treated with Duratect TIC, a coating of titanium carbide that increases the wear-resistance of the bezel without compromising its functionality. Unlike the case, the bezel requires a minimum degree of pliability so that it can rotate without breaking its internal spring, which rules out a surface hardening treatment.

Similarly, the bezel insert is treated with Duratect DLC, short for diamond-like carbon. This gives it a darker, slightly glossy finish, while also improving its scratch resistance.

Though the bezel is stamped, the hobnail pattern and relief portions are tidily refined, with only minor softness of the edges visible up close. The screws that secure the insert are notable for being particularly refined – they have gently chamfered outer edges.

The only downside of the bezel is its tactile feel. It rotates with a click that’s audible, but not crisp enough to be satisfying.

Within the bezel is the thick, domed sapphire crystal. Its curve is pronounced, so much so that it appears spherical from an angle. The crystal’s curve creates an slight distortion of the edge of the dial, an attractive effect that brings to mind high-end deep-sea dive watches.

Shades of grey

With a hobnail surface, the dial echoes the bezel. One of its best features is also the least obvious: the dial has a smoked finish, leaving it a medium grey in the centre and black at the edges. This complements the grey and black palette of the case perfectly.

The elements that make up the dial don’t quite have the same sharp, defined edges found on the bezel, but they are more than good enough, particularly with the price in mind.

Most of the dial appears stamped, including the logo and markings above six o’clock (they are then printed with white letters). The hour markers appear to be applied into recesses, so they don’t rise much above the dial surface.

The dial design is typical dive watch, with a strong differentiation between the hands, as well as between the quarters and other hour markers. Everything is also generously lumed, which makes legibility is great all around.

That said, the hands feel a bit short. I wish both were slightly longer, such that the minute hand edges closer to the edge of the dial, while the hour hand brushes against the bottom of the 12 o’clock marker.

The date window isn’t strictly necessary, but fortunately it isn’t too obtrusive. It sits nicely within the three o’clock marker, preserving the symmetry of the dial. But the date disc is in white – a bit of a let-down. A disc in grey with white numerals would have matched the dial better.

Titanium giant

Like the bezel, the case is treated with Duratect, making it harder than the typical titanium and steel alloys used for watches. My experience with other Citizen watches with Duratect cases confirms that the treated metal is indeed more wear resistant.

All the case elements are tidily finished, with a fine surface texture that’s consistent. Though the case and bezel are likely stamped – hence the slightly rounded edges up close – they still look good.

The case is massive but its light weight and design makes it comfortable on the wrist. It’s 46 mm wide and matched by a suitably large knurled crown.

In profile the case seems equally large. In reality, it is not that thick. At a bit over 15 mm high, the case is comparable in thickness to other dive watches (like the Rolex Sea-Dweller), but its proportions and unusually tall bezel make it seem thicker than it is.

Despite the diameter, its lugs are surprisingly short. Compared to the size of the case, the lugs are barely there. Add to that an integrated rubber strap that arches downwards at a sharp angle, and the result is a wearable watch.

That, however, brings with it a downside: switching to aftermarket straps might not be possible due to the close fit of the strap to the case. I didn’t remove the strap since the watch was a loaner, but I think it would work well on a fabric strap.

Mechanics

The cal. 9051 is a newish calibre that’s becoming the workhorse movement for Citizen’s premium offerings in the affordable segment. It’s also found in the Series 8 launched in March.

Though hidden behind a solid back, the movement is no doubt a solid, clean industrial calibre that is exceptionally robust. Descended from the 90 series family of movements (which is in turn related to Miyota’s range of slim, automatic calibres), the cal. 9051 is fairly thin at 4.1 mm high (thinner than an ETA 2824 but a bit taller than the ETA 2892).

It has specs comparable to movements found in other watches at this price point, namely a 42-hour power reserve and a rating of within -10 to +20 seconds a day.

What sets it apart is its magnetism resistance, which isn’t much useful underwater but practical for a desk diver whose wrist is exposed to everyday electronics.

The cal. 9051 meets the Japan Industrial Standards requirement for a “magnetic-resistant portable watch”, specifically the highest-spec Type 2 laid out in JIS B 7024, which dictates magnetism resistance of at least 16,000 A/m. That’s sufficient to withstand the magnetic fields generated by devices like smartphones and tablets, and about three times the norm for mechanical watches of 4,800 A/m.

Citizen doesn’t reveal much about how the magnetism resistance is achieved, except to say that non-magnetic alloys are used for the balance spring and surrounding components – an unusually major upgrade for a relatively inexpensive watch.

Concluding thoughts

With its case treatments and build quality, the Promaster Mechanical Diver 200 m is an accomplished watch (and certainly worthy of a more imaginative name). It does exactly what it sets out to be – an oversized, robust diver with a recognisable style – and quite a bit more, while being strong value for money. Citizen is on the right track with mechanical watches like this.

Key facts and price

Citizen Promaster Mechanical Diver 200 m
Ref. NB6004-08E (strap)
Ref. NB6004-83E (bracelet, only available in Europe)

Diameter: 46 mm
Height: 15.3 mm
Material: Super Titanium with Duratect coating
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 200 m

Movement: Cal. 9051
Features: Hours, minutes, seconds, and date
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 42 hours

Strap: Urethane strap with diving extension

Availability: Now at Citizen boutiques and retailers
Price: US$1,050 on strap

For more, visit Citizenwatch-global.com.

Correction August 19, 2021: Edited and expanded the section on Duratect treatments to clarify the specific form of treatment for each component, as well as the nature of the Duratect process.

Correction August 23, 2021: The Duratect treatments are distinct process, being either a coating or surface hardening, and are not variants of the same process as implied in an earlier version of the article.