From GPS-powered travel watches and handmade washi-paper dials to forged carbon sports watches, Citizen's October line-up covers just about every corner of modern watchmaking. The Japanese brand is marking 50 years of Eco-Drive with a host of limited editions, while also proving it's just as capable of producing elegant dress watches. Whether you're after your first Citizen or your next collector's watch, these are the upcoming releases worth knowing about.
Citizen Attesa Eco-Drive 50th Anniversary ‘Green Flash’ (CC4084-83Z) Citizen has looked to one of nature's rarest optical phenomena for its latest Attesa. The “Green Flash” takes its name from the split-second emerald glow that can appear as the sun disappears below the horizon, recreating the effect with a layered dial that shifts dramatically depending on how the light hits it. It’s not just a pretty face either.
Inside sits Citizen’s flagship F950 Eco-Drive Satellite Wave GPS movement, capable of syncing with satellites around the globe and adjusting to a new time zone in seconds. The 44.6mm Super Titanium case keeps all that technology surprisingly wearable, while the green bezel and gold accents make this one of the boldest Attesas to date. Limited to 1,500 pieces worldwide, it’s a fitting celebration of 50 years of Eco-Drive.
Citizen Attesa Eco-Drive 50th Anniversary ‘Purple Aurora’ (CC4085-81Z) If the green flash captures the last moments of daylight, the Purple Aurora is all about what happens after dark. Inspired by the deep violet tones of the northern lights, Citizen has created one of its most eye-catching dials ever, using structural color technology so the watch changes character as it catches the light. Underneath, it’s every bit as capable as its sibling, packing the same F950 GPS movement that can receive satellite signals in as little as three seconds and automatically update the time almost anywhere in the world.
The purple bezel, titanium construction and limited production of 1,500 pieces make this the more adventurous of the pair—and arguably the one collectors will remember. Forget everything you think you know about Citizen. The AQ4100-65X swaps high-tech gadgetry for old-school craftsmanship, pairing Citizen’s famously accurate Eco-Drive movement with a dial made from traditional Tosa Washi paper.
The rich crimson finish gives the watch a warmth that’s difficult to capture in photographs, while the A060 calibre keeps time to an astonishing ±5seconds a year without ever needing a battery change. Finished in Super Titanium and limited to just 300 examples worldwide, this is Citizen’s reminder that it can do elegance just as well as innovation. The AQ4106-00B takes a softer approach, but it's every bit as impressive.
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