In Partnership – Gatherings: 100 Years Of Citizen: Honoring The Past, Embracing The Future
In 1924, CITIZEN introduced its inaugural timepiece, a pocket watch crafted by the Shokosha Watch Research Institute. Tokyo’s mayor, foreseeing a future where watches would be accessible to all, coined the name “Citizen.” Since then, CITIZEN has steadfastly pursued its mission to create watches that add genuine value to daily life.
Fast forward to July 2024 in New York City’s Greenwich Village, a gorgeous curated collection of the 100 most significant CITIZEN watches of the company’s first 100 years was on display along with a timeline of the “CITIZEN Phylogeny,” showing the design evolution of CITIZEN watches over the company’s centennial. Selections spanned 12 categories, including: Sophisticated Technology, “Groundbreaking Advancements,” Stellar Design, Eco-Drive Purposeful Power and For All Citizens, ensuring each model embodies CITIZEN’s innovation and aesthetic appeal.
Models such as: The CITIZEN Radio-Controlled from 1993, the world’s first multiband radio-controlled watch, overturned preconceptions in wristwatch design by placing the antenna right in the center of the face above the dial. The Eco-Drive One, the world’s thinnest light-powered watch, with a movement just 1 mm thin in a case less than 3 mm, launched in 2016 to commemorate forty years of CITIZEN’s light-powered technology. The Exceed Gold, introduced in 1978, defined by the extraordinary thinness of its case design as the world’s thinnest quartz watch at that time, and the 1982 Ana-Digi Temp, boasting both analog and digital functions, enticing watch fans with a retro-futuristic design that remains popular to this day.
Jeffrey Cohen, President of CITIZEN Watch America.
CITIZEN starts its next 100 years with its commemorative 100th-anniversary pocket watch, the hand-wound Cal. 0270 movement. This modern iteration honors the original’s timeless beauty while integrating cutting-edge features like a lightweight titanium alloy case and a precise free-sprung balance wheel ensuring accuracy within -3 to +5 seconds daily. With a movement designed with gentle curves, diamond-cut bridges, and the signature Côtes de Genève finish, this timepiece blends luxury with functionality.
Alongside this milestone, the new LAYERS of TIME collection marks CITIZEN’s century-long journey in watchmaking, drawing parallels to the Earth’s geological layers. Featuring structural color dials that showcase nature’s enduring beauty, each model is equipped with CITIZEN’s Eco-Drive technology, using 100% recycled polycarbonate and structural color ink developed by FUJIFILM Corporation.
CITIZEN’s production evolution mirrors watchmaking’s progress from the 20th to the 21st century. Innovations like the use of titanium, thin watches in the 1960s, and the renowned Promaster line in the late 1980s underscore their technical prowess. Today, their achievements include the Caliber 0100, accurate to within a second per year, and collaborations with Marvel and Disney, exemplifying their blend of craftsmanship and cutting-edge technology.
Today, CITIZEN stands as a global powerhouse, renowned for diverse designs and technical excellence. Each timepiece reflects decades of passion and innovation, transcending functionality to embody aesthetic appeal and cultural significance. Through unwavering dedication, CITIZEN continues to redefine contemporary watchmaking standards, crafting timepieces that are timeless works of art. In the words of Jeffrey Cohen, president of CITIZEN Watch America, speaking at the event, “This moment is the testament to our relentless pursuit of excellence and commitment that continues to be ongoing. As we look back, we must look ahead to what inspires us towards the next 100 years of watchmaking and crafting for a better tomorrow for the CITIZEN Watch Company and for all the citizens of the world.”
Carla Wilke, CMO of CITIZEN Watch America
Mark Kauzlarich, Hodinkee Editor and Yoshihisa Yajima Executive Officer / Senior General Manager Watch Business Center Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
This was produced in partnership with CITIZEN Watch.
Hodinkee
