In 1924, the first Citizen-branded pocket watch made its debut. So, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first Citizen-branded timepiece, Citizen has announced a new model powered by the high-accuracy Caliber 0200 mechanical movement. Limited to only 160 pieces worldwide, The Citizen Caliber 0200 100th Anniversary NC0210-11A watch combines a steel case, a white gold bezel, and a glistening silver dial.
The stainless steel case, which measures 40.0mm in diameter and 10.9mm thick, has an appealing mix of vertical brushed and polished surfaces. The beveled and chamfered edges do a particularly nice job of highlighting the case’s angular silhouette. While the bezel may look like it’s made of the same material as the rest of the case, Citizen opted to go with circular brushed 18k white gold instead. This obviously isn’t a swimming watch, but the case is water-resistant to 50 meters.
The textured silver dial was created using electroformed patterns and is meant to evoke the surface of an iceberg. The pair of Dauphine-style hands at the center point to applied baton hour markers, accompanied by a smooth-surface small seconds subdial at 6 o’clock. Note the addition of the Citizen eagle symbol on the dial, which also appears on the winding crown and rotor. According to the brand, “the eagle mark symbolizes the twin ideals of The CITIZEN — foresight and dedication to the pursuit of ideals, as well as the enduring connection between watch and wearer.”
The sapphire-crystal fitted caseback displays the good-looking movement that powers this centenary Citizen piece: the in-house Caliber 0200 automatic movement that debuted in 2021. To create the movement, Citizen tapped into its Swiss subsidiary, La Joux-Perret for traditional Swiss movement decoration and merged that approach with Japanese design and architecture. We see a selection of Swiss hits like perlage and anglage polishing, satinage brushing, embossed text, and of course, a smattering of bright synthetic rubies. The 22k gold skeletonized rotor winds the watch to a full power reserve of 60 hours and the movement operates at 28,800 bph (4 Hz). It also promises an average daily accuracy of -3 to +5 seconds (exceeding the chronometer standard for accuracy), and is equipped with a free-sprung balance wheel for greater long-term accuracy. The caseback is also home to the watch’s individual LE number.
Matching the watch’s higher-end case, dial, and movement finishes is the Himeji Kurozan leather strap. It’s made using a process that involves traditional tanning and lacquering techniques whereby an additional layer of lacquer is hand-applied to the grain side only after the previous coat has entirely dried. The result is a thick and lustrous patterned strap. Although Himeji Kurozan is often referred to as black diamond leather, to me it looks like a big beautiful pot of caviar.
The Citizen Caliber 0200 100th Anniversary ref. NC0210-11A watch will retail for $10,095 USD, which is significantly more than the inaugural model that Ariel reviewed a few years back. However, there are a handful of premium details on this commemorative version — white gold bezel, gold rotor, limited edition run, and so on — to help explain the price bump. From the pictures, this looks like a lovely high-end, classically designed, mechanically-powered Citizen watch that will likely make 160 owners happy to have it. It will be available to purchase online in 2025, For more information about The Citizen Caliber 0200 100th Anniversary ref. NC0210-11A, please visit the brand’s website.
