Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The Citizen 30th Anniversary Limited Edition Models with Washi Paper Dials
Celebrating 30 years of Citizen’s flagship luxury collection
The story of Citizen goes as far back as 1918, and the first pocket watch bearing the name was introduced in 1924. Today, the brand is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its flagship collection, The Citizen. It was introduced in 1995 as a line that is committed to the fundamental functions of a watch: “accurate timekeeping, readability, and long-lasting use.” The Citizen featured a high annual accuracy of ±5 seconds from its very first model. In 2011, it released a model that first achieved this accuracy with light-powered Eco-Drive technology. In 2010, the mechanical model of the collection was introduced, and in 2019, an Eco-Drive model with an annual accuracy of ±1 second was launched. Primarily available only in Japan, these are now available globally. To celebrate this milestone anniversary, the Japanese manufacturer releases 2 exclusive limited-edition watches embodying the quintessence of its expertise and philosophy. Powered by a light-powered Eco-Drive movement with an annual precision of ± 5 seconds, these stand out with their delicate Tosa Washi paper dials inspired by the beauty of nature.
These two limited-edition watches are launched as part of the Iconic Nature collection known for celebrating Japan’s nature and traditional heritage, distilling the ever-changing beauty of nature into Washi paper dials (while also relying on advanced technology, more on this later). And just like their predecessors, these deserve a closer look. The brand refers to the Japanese concept of “Okashi” as the guiding principle behind their inspiration. In essence, Okashi is an aesthetic experience of delight and joy, cultivated through observation of small details of everyday life. The watches stand out with their Washi paper dials, whose beautiful natural textures and association with ink drawings and calligraphy make for an ideal canvas to express this philosophy.
Made essentially by hand from the fibers and inner bark of specific trees and plants, Washi paper is a delicate and versatile craft that is deeply ingrained in Japanese culture. The first model features a dial with nuanced soft tones inspired by early morning spring rendered on Unryushi paper through the evocation of sunrise and cherry blossom. The second model evokes a summer night with characteristic Japanese indigo blue on Washi paper. In the characteristic style of the Iconic Nature collection, the delicately faceted baton-style hour markers and framed dial window at 3 o’clock are matched by dynamic, beautifully finished hands with polished bevels. Last, the brand’s Eagle Mark symbol is applied in the lower part of the dial – as well as on the crown and the caseback.
At 38.3mm in diameter, the elegant round case features a domed sapphire crystal, a large sloping bezel and angular lugs. With a 12mm thickness, it should easily slip under your cuff. Both models are fashioned out of Citizen’s Super Titanium. Lightweight and gentle to the skin, this proprietary material whose development was initiated in the 1960s. Importantly, it is characterized by its beauty and strength enhanced by a surface hardening technology. According to Citizen, it is five times harder than stainless steel. The “spring” edition features a Duratect Sakura Pink coating, while the “summer” edition comes with a Duratect Platinum treatment.
Powering these limited-edition watches is the Citizen Cal.A060. Presented in 2011, this high-grade, precise quartz calibre ensures a ±5 seconds per year accuracy (with thermo-compensation). It is based on Citizen Solar-powered Eco-drive technology with the ability to run for 18 months on full charge (in power save mode), so there is no need to replace batteries on a regular base. Another super-practical feature, the date indication is a perpetual calendar, so you won’t need to adjust it every other month. Basically, once it’s set and running, it should require very little maintenance or adjustment. The movement features a hacking mechanism, and the hour hand is independently adjustable, which is user-friendly when traveling.
The Citizen 30th Anniversary limited-edition models come on crocodile leather straps. As part of the brand’s sustainability efforts, these are produced by a tanner certified by the Leather Working Group (LWG). The folding clasp matches the colour of the case, and it is released by a pair of pushers.
Each model is released in a limited edition of 400 watches. The price is set at USD 3,000 for the Duratect Sakura Pink “spring” version (AQ4106-00A) and USD 2,900 for the Duratect Platinum “summer” edition (AQ4100-22L). For more information, please visit citizenwatch-global.com.
7 responses
Very very nice.
These need to be 10mm thick or less.
The Want is strong for this one…
Great watches, but can’t explain myself why it has to be that thick with a quartz movement ?
@Ayreonaut @Pierre These are just not regular quartz, HAQ is a different league, +-5/year, perpetual calendar, jump hour. Find me a HAQ from GS with 10mm thickness, because seems like when GS is thick, nobody nitpicks.
To the commenter who says it needs to have a less than 10mm height, you have no intention to ever purchase one of these. Citizen offers other models that meet that criteria and have produce the thinnest solar powered watch in the industry. … As for these, they are beautiful and will sell out.
Beautiful. I have an AQ4100-57B, it wears like a 10mm case, the domed crystal disappears to such an extent that you can barely see it even from the side with dark or light background so that couple of mm simply isn’t felt or seen. The best AR I have ever experienced and so far no hairline scratches to the outer AR coating, my Sinn was in poor shape after this amount of wear.