The Cool and Affordable Citizen Super-Titanium Small Seconds NJ0180 Series

While today Citizen is mostly known for its accessible (yet compelling) watches, it should be reminded that the Japanese brand has been one of the pioneers of the use of titanium in watchmaking. In 1970, Citizen was the first company to commercialize a watch made of titanium. Still relying on this expertise, which you’d certainly expect in higher-end watches, Citizen today releases a new series of Super-Titanium. Meet the new affordable hit from Citizen, a watch that could almost be called the “titanium Tsuyosa” and that, like this aforementioned accessible take on the integrated sports watch, delivers tons of horological goodies for the price. Here’s the new Citizen Super-Titanium Small Seconds NJ0180 Series. 

First, a few words about titanium and Citizen… two names that should be considered an inseparable pair. The first commercial use of titanium in a watch dates back to 1970, in Japan, thanks to Citizen. Omega, for instance, used it in prototypes but the Japanese brand came on the market first. Thanks to a research centre opened in 1964, Citizen’s engineers continued to turn their attention to titanium by developing Super Titanium™, a registered trademark for a material that combines the brand’s titanium-processing technologies and the Duratect surface-hardening process – offering a surface hardness about five times superior to that of stainless steel. For more on the titanium x Citizen topic, check this in-depth article.

As said in the introduction, after reading the paragraph above, you could expect such technology to be reserved for the brand’s high-end models, such as The Citizen collection. But you’d be wrong… Case in point, the brand’s latest creation, the Citizen Super-Titanium Small Seconds NJ0180 Series, cool 1980s-inspired models with integrated design, textured dial in trendy colours, automatic movements… With a price point that will certainly surprise some of you – in all fairness, Citizen, with this series but also the Tsuyosa and the Challenge Diver, is delivering incredible content for the price.

Back to today’s news, the NJ0180 Series. And while it’s not part of the Tsuyosa collection, it could almost be seen as its titanium sister. It starts with a sharp barrel-shaped case – a design seen also in the mid-range Series 8 – measuring a reasonable 40.5mm in diameter and 11mm in thickness. Topped by a polished circular bezel, the case is made of Super Titanium with Duratect surface-hardening process, offering lightness and resilience. The crown sits classically at 3 o’clock, water-resistance is rated at a capable 100m and a sapphire crystal protects the dial – a mineral crystal is located at the back.

For this new NJ0180 Series, Citizen made the choice to combine colours and textures – which seems to be the new thing in Japan… Presented with a scratch, icy texture, the dial is available in 2 trendy colours – deep green and turquoise – and two more classic tones – white and dark blue. All have a snailed finish on the minute track and small seconds. The date has a nice bevelled frame, the raised markers and hands are generously filled with lume and the slightly odd position of the sub-dial gives the watch a certain charm. Here too, it does deliver.

Turning the watch over, you’ll see the Calibre 8213 beating, yet with an industrial finishing (gilt finish, no decoration) and I’d prefer a close back. This automatic movement beats at 3Hz and stores about 40h of power reserve, with a claimed deviation of +/- 20 seconds/day maximum. Complementing the 1980s sporty-chic look of this Citizen NJ0180 Series is an integrated bracelet made in Super Titanium and closed by a folding clasp.

Now available from the brand, the Citizen Super-Titanium Small Seconds NJ0180 Series is released as part of the permanent collection. It is priced at EUR 429… You certainly get a lot of a watch for your money. For more information, please visit CitizenWatch.eu or CitizenWatch-Global.com.