The CITIZEN

The CITIZEN is the top line of Japanese watchmaker Citizen Watch Co., introduced in 1995. It is known for high accuracy quartz, Eco-Drive and in-house mechanical movements.

What is The CITIZEN?

The CITIZEN is the flagship watch brand of Citizen Watch Co., Ltd. It was introduced in 1995 as the company's top of the line offer, initially for the Japanese market only. The 1995 dealer catalogue described the watch as easy to use, of high quality and with an elegant yet simple design, backed by a 10 year warranty and lifetime repair support.

Products and positioning

The line is defined by accuracy. Key movements include:

• Quartz 0350 (1995), accurate to plus or minus 5 seconds a year
• Eco-Drive A010 (2011) and A060 (2015), accurate to plus or minus 5 seconds a year
• Quartz 0100 (2019), accurate to plus or minus 1 second a year
• Caliber 0200 (2021), an in-house mechanical movement with a 60 hour power reserve

Cases started in stainless steel, with an 18K gold bezel variant in 1997, titanium from 2004 and solid 18K gold models from 2005. Limited editions have used materials such as Tosa washi paper dials.

Distribution

After its domestic start, the brand was introduced to overseas markets including Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States, and Caliber 0100 models were sold internationally.

Why it matters

The CITIZEN is Citizen's answer to the high end Japanese watch segment, competing on precision engineering rather than on heritage branding alone.

Frequently asked questions

Who makes The CITIZEN watches?

The CITIZEN is the top line of Japanese watchmaker Citizen Watch Co., Ltd., introduced in 1995.

How accurate is The CITIZEN?

Its Caliber 0100 quartz movement is accurate to plus or minus 1 second a year, while its Eco-Drive models are rated at plus or minus 5 seconds a year.

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