Eco-Drive with
Annual Accuracy of ±5 Seconds

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Features 02

So elegant and comfortable,
you’ll want to wear it forever

A watch that aims to be an integral part of the user’s life should be an object that people are eager to use every day and never tire of looking at. That is the philosophy that inspires The CITIZEN’s attitude to aesthetics and usability. We use all the latest technologies as a matter of course, but staying flexible and open to new ideas (such as adopting traditional Japanese washi paper for dials), enables us to keep on pursuing and crafting the next ideal.

Traditional Japanese Paper

Washi paper and the advanced technologies.
A rare combination. An extraordinary fusion

Eco-Drive is a CITIZEN proprietary technology that powers a watch using light the sole energy source. Because all Eco-Drive watches are equipped with a solar cell that sits beneath the dial, CITIZEN has conducted extensive R&D into different materials for dials. Our research finally led us to traditional Japanese washi paper. For hundreds of years, washi paper has been used as a light diffuser in paper sliding doors, floor lanterns and hanging lanterns.

We opted to use the washi paper noted for its long fibres and its combination of great thinness with great durability. At the same time as admitting the light needed to power Eco-Drive through the gaps between the fibres, the paper itself changes appearance depending on the angle at which it catches the light. To maximise the visual impact of the washi paper, we devised a double-layered structure with a transparent top plate, printing on that rather than directly on the paper itself. As well as making the product more robust, this two-layered structure enabled us to introduce a characterful sunray pattern for the whole dial, achieve excellent print quality and apply metal indexes.

Extremely thin and extremely strong

We chose to use the washi paper, which weighs just 1.6 grammes per square metre and, at 0.02 millimetres, is so thin you can actually see through it. (This gossamer quality accounts for the paper’s nickname of “mayfly wings.”) The washi paper used for The CITIZEN watches is famous for its glorious whiteness and for its strength. Despite giving the impression of being handmade, it is in fact made by machines. It is widely used in the art world in the restoration of paintings, calligraphy scrolls and Buddhist statuary.

Photo: Akihiro Yamanaka
Photo: Mitsu Maeda

Super Titanium™

Stronger. Lighter. More comfortable.

Scratch resistant. Lightweight. Gentle on the skin. Resistant to corrosion. Super Titanium™ is a CITIZEN proprietary material with all the qualities you could possibly want in a watch that sits directly up against your skin. Created by combining CITIZEN’s titanium-processing technologies with its surface-hardening technology Duratect, Super Titanium™ retains titanium’s original qualities of lightness and suitability for sensitive skin, but also looks beautiful and is more than five times as hard as stainless steel. Super Titanium™ feels and looks so good, you’ll never want to take your watch off! It’s another appealing feature to make The CITIZEN into an integral part of your life.

Not found in all models.

Duratect

Because beauty can be invulnerable

It’s only natural for you to want your watch to stay beautiful and pristine for as long as possible. And that is the aspiration that have birth to Duratect, our surface-hardening technology. Treating the surfaces of the case and band helps protect the watch from nicks and scratches. We also went a step further, refining the technology to create a range of beautiful colours that lend character to our watch models whether the bright, almost transparent tone of Duratect Platinum, or the gorgeous glossy black lustre of Duratect DLC.

Line Up

AQ4100-22W

Limited edition of 300 units

AQ4100-22W

Washi dial (Tosa washi)/SuperTitanium™/
Crocodile leather band (LWG certified)

AQ4106-00W

Limited edition of 300 units

AQ4106-00W

Washi dial (Tosa washi)/SuperTitanium™/
Crocodile leather band (LWG certified)

AQ4100-65W

AQ4100-65W

Sunago-maki Washi Dial Model (Platinum Leaf)/Super Titanium™
See detailed specifications

AQ4103-16E

AQ4103-16E

Sunago-maki Washi Dial / Super Titanium / Crocodile leather band (LWG certified)

AQ4091-56M

AQ4091-56M

Hand-dyed Indigo Washi Paper Dial (Tosa washi + indigo dyeing)
Total Super Titanium™

AQ4091-56A

AQ4091-56A

Super Titanium / Japanese Washi paper dial

AQ4091-56E

AQ4091-56E

Super Titanium / Japanese Washi paper dial

AQ4091-56L

AQ4091-56L

Super Titanium / Japanese Washi paper dial

AQ4100-57A

AQ4100-57A

Super Titanium

AQ4100-57L

AQ4100-57L

Super Titanium

Crafting the next ideal:
The CITIZEN

The eagle mark:
Symbol of The CITIZEN

The eagle symbolises The CITIZEN’s twin commitments to “looking ahead and pursuing the ideal” and to “becoming an integral part of users’ lives.” The mark is discreetly engraved on the dial and crown of some models.

About The CITIZEN

The master artisans who
breathe life into our watches

The CITIZEN watches are made at CITIZEN's special watch workshop nestled deep in the Nagano countryside. They are hand-assembled down to the last component by our highly experienced master watchmaking Meisters.

Next Level Quality