Timepieces that will be passed down forever #16: Citizen "Iconic Nature Collection AQ4103-16W"

The Citizen, the flagship brand of Citizen, celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Bringing together the best of technology, The Citizen has earned high praise both domestically and internationally, and with the new Iconic Nature Collection, the brand aims to evolve Japanese luxury watches and pursue the ideal form.

Celebrating the brand's 30th anniversary - continuing to evolve and take on new challenges

"The Citizen" is the name of the small, exquisite brand that Citizen watches position at the pinnacle of their extensive collection. The name comes from the Japanese company's long history of being honored with the name Citizen by Goto Shinpei, the mayor of Tokyo at the time, perhaps a unique event in the watch world.

　When Shokosha Watch Research Institute, the predecessor of Citizen, was founded in 1918, clocks were merely a research topic. The first pocket watch bearing the "CITIZEN" logo appeared in December 1924 as a concrete result. Emperor Showa was a fan of one of the earliest Citizen pocket watches, and is said to have commented at a dinner party that "it keeps very good time."

　However, at the time there was no idea of ​​establishing a watch company bearing that name, and it took another six years before the company was founded. On May 28, 1955, Yosaburo Nakajima laid the foundation for Citizen Watch, laying the foundation for a major corporation that would eventually expand worldwide.

　The Citizen was born in 1995, the 65th anniversary of Citizen Watch. Internally, it is a successor to the Chronomaster and Chronometer models of the 70s. Since then, product managers have consistently worked on, expanded, evaluated, and refined the model range.

　To mark the 30th anniversary of The Citizen's founding, a limited edition model featuring a powerfully expressive washi paper dial has been announced. The Iconic Nature Collection, available worldwide, embodies the word "okashi," a word used in classical Japanese literature, which expresses the aesthetic impressions that instantly appear in everyday life, such as the sensations evoked by landscapes, seasons, and more. Similar concepts include "nijimi" (bleeding) and "kasure" (pasting), which create the natural effects of ink on fiber paper. Based on these ideas, the washi paper dial, with its visible texture and intimacy similar to calligraphy, forms the essence of the new The Citizen.

　One of these models, the AQ4103-16W, is inspired by the moment of sunset in the mountains. The dark Japanese paper dial is given a faded look with gold leaf, while the brown gradation in the background evokes the feeling of autumn. The case is made of Super Titanium with a new hardening process, giving it an amber-yellow hue called Duratect Amber Yellow.

　The Super Titanium used in this case was developed in 2000. In addition to the inherent lightness, corrosion resistance, and skin-friendliness of titanium, a unique surface hardening technology has given it toughness and beautiful colors. Duratect has three methods: one for coating, one for purely hardening the material surface, and one that combines both. The method used depends on the character of the watch and the intended appearance. What is certain, however, is that cases treated in this way have an outstanding hardness of over 1000HV.

　The movement chosen for this watch is the forward-thinking, light-powered Eco-Drive. This technology, which uses light as its energy source to power a wristwatch's precise electronic quartz movement, will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2026. The quartz movement of the Citizen Exceed Eco-Drive, introduced in Japan in June 1997, was the world's first solar-powered watch, with an annual deviation of only 10 seconds. This same trend also applies to the Caliber A060 featured in this limited edition model, which achieves an accuracy within a narrow range of ±5 seconds per year. In power-saving mode, after a full charge, the movement with a perpetual calendar will continue to run for approximately 18 months without an external energy source. Globetrotters will also appreciate the ability to independently adjust the hour hand when crossing time zones.

　Citizen is demonstrating the rarity of this masterpiece by offering a strict limited edition: only 400 pieces will be sold. This is a very limited number considering that this is a great Japanese watch brand with a global presence.