Japanese watchmaking is often associated with affordable quartz timekeeping, but there’s a lot more Japan has to offer the world of watch enthusiasts. For decades, Citizen has focused its production on creating the best quartz timepieces money can buy, but with the recent relaunch of the Series 8 collection, the brand makes a return to mechanical watchmaking in a meaningful way with a series of angular, sporty timepieces.
When we say Citizen makes some of the best quartz watches in the world, we weren’t kidding. In 2020 Citizen launched its Eco-Drive Caliber 0100, which broke the record for the most accurate wristwatch ever made thanks to its guaranteed accuracy of +/- 1 second per year, and cemented it as one of the most technologically progressive watchmakers in operation today.
This technological development was seen again just a year later when the Series 8 collection was relaunched with a purely mechanically powered range, repositioning the brand as a watchmaker for enthusiasts. Originally launched in 2008, the Series 8 has historically been exclusively available to the Japanese domestic market, but with its recent relaunch, the collection is now available around the world.
Featuring a 40mm stainless steel case, the Citizen Series 8 is unapologetically sporty in its design. The case is aggressively angular in its geometry, with its flat surfaces finished with vertical brushing and mirror-like polishing, both of which are emphasised by razor-sharp lines.
Despite the bezel protruding slightly above the rest of the case, it remains just 10.9mm thick, while another robust feature is the solidly constructed crown guards. The case also features impressive antimagnetic properties up to 16000 A/m, protecting the movement from the electromagnetic fields from our phones and computers, as well as a solid steel caseback and guaranteed water resistance of 100m.
Integrated directly into the case of the Citizen Series 8 is the steel bracelet, which has the same angular, brushed finish as parts of the case. The H-link design works nicely with the overall case design thanks to its angular facets, while the bracelet is secured around your wrist with a button-actuated folding clasp.
If the eye-catching case design was the main course, the dial of this reference from the Citizen Series 8 collection is the dessert. Its intricate appearance is backed by a complex construction, which actually features three different layers of the dial, beginning with a metal baseplate, followed by an expertly cut slice of mother-of-pearl and topped off with a metal lattice where the hour markers sit.
The attention to detail that’s gone into the assembly of this dial isn’t wasted, with the thoughtful integration of the natural shell highlighted by the geometric pattern laid over it and giving it a kaleidoscopic, almost futuristic feel. The hands and hour markers have Super Luminova applied to them for low light conditions and a practical date window has been added at the 3 o’clock position.
Powering the Citizen Series 8 is the new mechanical calibre 0950, which marks Citizen’s returned focus to the traditional form of timekeeping. While the recent development of the movement means it’s difficult to guarantee how it might perform over time, Citizen’s reputation for creating bulletproof watches and movements leaves little hesitation about its quality, combined with the reassuring antimagnetic properties and 48 hours of power reserve.
The Citizen Series 8 is an exciting step forward for the Japanese watchmaker, not just for enthusiasts lusting after a mechanical movement, but for anyone who appreciates original design and robust quality. While the watch would be compelling at twice the price, its RRP of $1,999 makes it an extremely competitive proposition when compared to equivalent watches from Japan and Switzerland. So if you’ve been thinking of adding a sports watch to your collection, but are sick of the same old designs repackaged with new dial colours, then the Citizen Series 8 could be for you.
This article is sponsored by Citizen. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Boss Hunting.
