Since 2019, Citizen has been a corporate sponsor of ispace inc. and its HAKUTO-R program, which focuses on lunar exploration and resource development. As part of its involvement with the program, Citizen supplies ispace with its proprietary Super Titanium alloy, which is used to create parts of the landing gear legs on the HAKUTO-R lunar lander. For its latest release of 2024, Citizen has announced three new limited-edition Attesa models that are inspired by the HAKUTO-R program’s final destination of Earth’s moon, and all three of the new Citizen Attesa HAKUTO-R collaboration watches are crafted from Super Titanium and packed full of the brand’s most advanced timekeeping technologies.

The first HAKUTO-R mission launched in December 2022 from the space center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, and it became the first commercial lander to be launched into space with the destination of reaching the moon. While Mission 1 failed to reach the moon’s surface due to the craft’s on-board altitude sensor getting confused by the rim of a crater, eight out of nine mission milestones were successfully completed, and the lander gained vital data and information that will be used for the HAKUTO-R program’s second mission, which is scheduled to launch in Winter 2024. Just like with the first mission, Citizen will be supplying its Super Titanium alloy for the landing gear of the HAKUTO-R Mission 2 lunar lander, and maybe this time, the craft’s altitude sensor will allow the mission to put Citizen’s Super Titanium to the ultimate real-world test.

As for this latest set of limited-edition Citizen Attesa HAKUTO-R collaboration watches, the first is model CC4065-61Y, and this one represents the most premium option among the trio, with both the highest price and the smallest production number of 1,900 examples. Building upon the core platform of the original limited-edition Citizen Attesa HAKUTO-R Collaboration Satellite Wave GPS watch from 2022, the new model CC4065-61Y features a Super Titanium case that measures 44.6mm in diameter by 16mm thick, and it is fitted with a double domed sapphire crystal above its dial, along with a sapphire bezel that displays the different city names for use with its world time feature. The reverse side of the Citizen Attesa HAKUTO-R Collaboration Satellite Wave GPS CC4065-61Y receives a solid caseback that is adorned by an image of the HAKUTO-R lunar lander, and water resistance for the models comes in at 100 meters of water resistance to offer ample protection against daily contact. .

Just like its limited-edition predecessor from 2022, the new Citizen Attesa HAKUTO-R Collaboration Satellite Wave GPS watch CC4065-61Y also features recrystallized titanium for the center links of its bracelet, although it now showcases a mother-of-pearl dial (a first for the brand’s Attesa collection), and the mother-of-pearl material is layered over a colored base to create patterns that are inspired by the surface of the Moon. Powering the Citizen Attesa HAKUTO-R CC4065-61Y is the brand’s Cal. F950 movement, which offers the world’s fastest time-only signal reception in as little as 3 seconds, plus a wealth of advanced features including a 1/20th second chronograph, perpetual calendar, satellite-controlled GPS timekeeping, world time functionality, power reserve and light level indicators, plus Eco-Drive solar charging that is capable of offering up to five years of autonomy in power save mode once fully charged.

The other two new Citizen Attesa HAKUTO-R collaboration watches are models BY1008-67L and BY1009-64Y, and they represent two different expressions of the same core concept. Both watches feature Super Titanium cases that measure 41.5mm in diameter by 10.8mm thick, and they have flat sapphire crystals above their dials, along with solid casebacks that help support their 100 meters of water resistance. With that in mind, model BY1008-67L features a black DLC Duratect finish, while model BY1009-64Y has a Sakura Pink Duratect coating on its middle case with a black DLC Duratect finish on the rest of its external components. Additionally, while both models feature dials adorned with textured ink to create a pattern that is reminiscent of the moon’s surface, model BY1008-67L has a dark blue dial with silver accents inspired by the peaceful night, while model BY1009-64Y draws its inspiration from cherry blossoms, and it has a golden dial with rose gold accents to better complements the warm pink hues of its Sakura Pink Duratect-coated case.

Models BY1008-67L and BY1009-64Y from this latest trio of limited-edition Citizen Attesa HAKUTO-R collaboration watches are both powered by the brand’s Cal. H874 movement, which features radio-controlled atomic timekeeping, along with a perpetual calendar, world time functionality, and Eco-Drive solar charging with up to 2.5 years of autonomy in power save mode. Additionally, Citizen’s Cal. H874 movement also features the brand’s proprietary Luna Program, which calculates the moon phase for each day based on date signals received from multi-band radio transmitters, and it automatically adjusts the phase of the moon that is displayed by the 6 o’clock register on the dial. While the cherry blossom-inspired Citizen Attesa HAKUTO-R BY1009-64Y will be produced as a limited edition of 2,100 examples, the Citizen Attesa HAKUTO-R BY1008-67L with its all-black case has the largest production run among the trio of new models, and it is a limited edition of 2,400 pieces.

The concept of a thoroughly modern wristwatch has largely become synonymous with digital screens and connected devices, although the Citizen Attesa models are truly contemporary timepieces that push the boundaries of what is possible with fully analog displays. Additionally, while many watch brands try to create credibility for their products by having individuals wear their timepieces during various extreme activities, nothing about Citizen’s partnership with the HAKUTO-R program feels at all contrived or forced, and having ispace use the brand’s proprietary Super Titanium alloy for the landing gear on its HAKUTO-R lunar lander is one of the best real-world tests imaginable. When it comes to pricing for this latest trio of limited-edition Citizen Attesa HAKUTO-R collaboration watches, models BY1008-67L and BY1009-64Y are both accompanied by an official retail price of $1,475 USD, while model CC4065-61Y with its mother-of-pearl dial and recrystallized titanium center links is the most expensive at $2,995 USD. Although these limited-edition Attesa models are quite a bit more expensive than Citizen’s entry-level offerings, they also include some of the absolute most advanced features that exist within the Japanese manufacturer’s entire portfolio. For more information on the Citizen Attesa HAKUTO-R collaboration watches, please visit the brand’s website.