Citizen Presents the “Silver Leaf Lacquer” NB1060, JDM-Only Competition for the Presage Collection

Just like its counterpart Seiko, Japan-based watchmaker Citizen operates in several categories, in several fields of the watch industry and in several price ranges. From accessible dive watches to luxury sports watches powered by a high-end movement or even affordable automatics with a sporty-chic vibe, there’s a watch for most of us. Classic elegance with a Japanese vibe isn’t forgotten either, as demonstrated by the brand new Citizen Silver Leaf Lacquer NB1060 models… And although these are Japan Domestic Market-only watches, they’ll hit a market that is dominated by Presage watches with good arguments under the hood. 

The new Citizen Silver Leaf Lacquer NB1060 collection is defined by classic proportions, typical Japanese style and inspiration, elegant design, refined dials with an unusual technique of production and a very capable automatic movement – and all for a fair price. And this definition is clearly competing with Seiko’s Presage collection. So yes, for now (and probably in the future too), these two new watches are only sold on the domestic market… but there are ways to play with the rules, as always.

What we know so far (as little has been said) about the two watches in this Citizen Silver Leaf Lacquer NB1060 collection is that you’re looking at a reasonably sized, nicely designed timepiece with classic, discreet elegance. The case, made of stainless steel with Duratect surface hardening coating (to avoid scratches) measures 38.2mm in diameter, 12mm in height and 46mm in length. Very balanced dimensions that will certainly benefit comfort and elegance for business use. The case is finished with alternating brushed and polished surfaces, features a dual-curved and anti-reflective sapphire crystal and offers a comfortable 100m water-resistance.

As for the dial, you have two options: silver-coloured (ref. NB1060-04A) or aquamarine blue (ref. NB1060-12L). Taking the colour out of the equation, both dials are identical and rely on a combination of two techniques already used in the past by Citizen. As indicated by its name, the dial uses the Silver Leaf technique and is then lacquered. The base metal dial is made by applying a silver foil followed by a thin layer of pigment. The process is done by hand and the result is a dial with an uneven and quite appealing texture. In addition to this, the NB1060 watches have nice faceted applied markers with brushed and polished surfaces, as well as faceted polished hands. The date window is also framed by a metallic element.

Depending on the version, the Citizen Silver Leaf Lacquer watches are worn on either a black Cordovan leather strap or an aquamarine blue calf leather strap. Both are closed by a folding clasp with a push-button release. Under the see-through caseback is the mid-range calibre 9011, an automatic movement with nice decoration and openworked rotor, beating at 4Hz and delivering 42h of power reserve. Functions include a hacking second and quick-set date, and the accuracy is announced at -10/+20 seconds/day.

Availability & Price

The Citizen Silver Leaf Lacquer NB1060 collection is released as a domestic market-only model. The production isn’t limited, and the watches are now available from local boutiques and retailers. Prices are JPY 126,500 (about EUR 885 or USD 935) for the blue dial model and JPY 137,500 (about EUR 960 or USD 1,020) for the silver dial version. More details at citizen.jp.

Although these are JDM watches, there are ways to get around the rules as some Japanese online shops offer international shipping (which will add a bit to the price due to import taxes). A quick search on Google with the reference numbers will provide you with some options.