Continuing with its integrated bracelet watch offering, Citizen has announced an entirely new collection called Zenshin (N.B.: The collection was originally called the Forza collection). The Citizen Zenshin watch line kicks off with three models: the Zenshin Chrono, the Zenshin Three-Hand, and the Zenshin Mechanical — all crafted from the brand’s proprietary Super Titanium and available in three colorways each. The first two run on Eco-Drive movements while the latter is powered by an automatic caliber.
While they offer varying sizes, functions, and dial executions, the trio of Citizen Zenshin watches share the same basic design language. This is to say they all feature the seventies-inspired angular case plus round bezel plus integrated bracelet plus textured dial formula that continues to be a winner half a century later. If you’re familiar with Citizen, then you will no doubt be acquainted with Super Titanium, the brand’s alloy that’s 40% lighter and five times harder than stainless steel. Duratect is the surface-hardening technology that Citizen employs to achieve that hardness. The polished bezels and chamfers contrast with the remaining brushed surfaces while the tapered bracelets are home to Y-shaped links and short folding clasps. Another texture is the spackle-like finish on the dials, which is particularly noticeable in the more colorful executions. What’s more, all the Citizen Zenshin watches include sapphire crystals protecting the dials, luminous indices and hands, and they are water-resistant to 100 meters.
The Zenshin Chrono is unsurprisingly the biggest of the bunch, clocking in at 42.5mm in diameter and 11.5mm thick. Citizen offers the Zenshin Chrono in three dial colors — white, light blue, and salmon — all furnished with black subdials at 3, 6, and 9 and a black tachymeter ring at the periphery, resulting in that oh-so-popular panda effect. There’s also a date window wedged between 4 and 5 o’clock, which, unless it’s on the white version, is not color-matched to the rest of the dial. Inside the Zenshin Chrono is the light-powered Eco-Drive Caliber B620 with an accuracy rating within ±15 seconds per month and up to nine months of power on a full charge.
Next up, we have the somewhat confusingly named Zenshin Three-Hand, which undersells the watch’s functions since it also displays the day and date along with said time-telling hands. The calendar indications are positioned at 3 o’clock and the blue and green versions include a black minute/seconds outer ring whereas the white version continues its crisp shade all the way to the edge. Housing the dials are cases that measure 39mm in diameter and 10mm thick. The Zenshin Three-Hand is also solar-powered, relying on the Eco-Drive Caliber J800 with the same 9-month run time and ±15 seconds per month deviation as the chronograph movement.
The last member of the trio is the Zenshin Mechanical, available with white, blue, or light blue dials. The layout on the Zenshin Mechanical includes the hours and minutes hands at the center, a running seconds subdial at 4:30, and a quick-set date window at 3 o’clock. Among these three color choices, only the dark blue dial includes a black minute track around the edge. The titanium cases of the Zenshin Mechanical watches measure 40.5mm in diameter and 11mm thick; they include transparent casebacks for a view of the movement inside (no pictures were supplied at the time of publishing). That movement is the in-house Citizen Caliber 8213 automatic movement with 21 jewels, 45 hours of power reserve, and a frequency rate of 21,600 beats per hour.
If these Citizen Zenshin watches look familiar, it’s because they were already released in other select markets about a month back — this is their American debut. However, as far as I can tell, they didn’t yet have the Zenshin name attached. The Zenshin Three-Hand (AW0130 Series) watches are priced at $495 USD whereas the Zenshin Chrono watches (CA4610 Series) are priced at $625 USD. Similarly, the Zenshin Mechanical (NJ0180 Series) will also retail for $625 USD, which is only slightly more expensive than the automatic Tsuyosa Small Seconds even with the Super Titanium construction and addition of a date feature. In a market where we’re bombarded with “ambitious prices” these new titanium Citizen integrated bracelet watches are refreshingly sensibly priced, packing plenty of premium features and handsome looks for not too much coin. For more information about the Citizen Zenshin, please visit the the Citizen website.
