Originally announced last year in 2022, the Citizen NJ015 “Tsuyosa” is the brand’s budget-friendly integrated bracelet watch that is powered by an automatic movement and available with an assortment of different dial colors. The word “tsuyosa” means “strength” in Japanese, and while the Citizen NJ015 officially made its debut appearance last year, it didn’t garner quite as much attention as one might expect, largely because it could only be purchased within select markets and was not available in the United States. Integrated bracelet watches are currently at peak popularity, and as the most recent update to the brand’s catalog for 2023, the Citizen NJ015 Automatic “Tsuyosa” will now be coming to the U.S. market.

Crafted from stainless steel, the case of the Citizen NJ015 Automatic “Tsuyosa” features a rounded tonneau-shaped profile with angular lugs that measures 40mm in diameter by 11.7mm-thick. The flat sapphire crystal that protects the dial includes a magnification bubble on its surface to enlarge the date window that sits below it, while the placement of the winding crown at the 4 o’clock location helps to give the Citizen NJ015 a slightly different overall appearance compared to many of the other integrated bracelet watches that are currently available. Water resistance for the Citizen NJ015 “Tsuyosa” comes in at 50 meters, and although the provided press images don’t depict this particular detail, other photos that I’ve seen of the “Tsuyosa” show the watch fitted with a screw-down display caseback, so I imagine that these U.S. market versions will also include this feature.

For its 2023 U.S. market debut, the Citizen NJ015 “Tsuyosa” will be offered in a lineup of five different dial colors, with four of them being the same options that were initially available when the model was first announced for other markets last year. Dial colors include black (ref. NJ0150-56E), blue (ref. NJ0150-56L), yellow (ref. NJ0150-56Z), green (ref. NJ0150-56X), and turquoise (ref. NJ0151-53M), and regardless of their specific color, all of the dials fitted to this batch of “Tsuyosa” watches feature a subtle sunray finish on their surfaces. The hands and hour markers both appear as simple luminous batons, and a set of double markers is applied to the 12 and 6 o’clock locations to help promote legibility and increase the overall aesthetic balance of the dial.

Fitted to the angular semi-integrated lugs of the Citizen NJ015 Automatic “Tsuyosa” is a three-link bracelet that features brushed sides and polished center links to compliment the similar contrasting finishing on the case of the watch. The links themselves appear to be solid, and they feature a rounded semicircular profile that is similar to the overall design of the Rolex President bracelet. The clasp is identical to the style found on most entry-level Citizen watches, and it is constructed from stamped components with a double push-button release and three holes of micro-adjustment for the placement of the springbar. Based on my previous experience with Citizen bracelets, even the budget-friendly models are typically accompanied by options that are more than serviceable, and this is a good thing since the core concept of an integrated bracelet watch inherently limits the number of compatible third-party options that will be on the table.

Powering the Citizen NJ015 “Tsuyosa” is the brand’s Caliber 8210 automatic movement, which is based on the popular Miyota 8xxx series and therefore offers the familiar specs of an operating frequency of 21,600vph (3 Hz) with a power reserve of approximately 40 hours. Since Miyota is owned by Citizen, the NJ015 “Tsuyosa” technically features an in-house movement, although since this statement also applies to just about every other Citizen watch currently in production (including both quartz and mechanical pieces), this is hardly an actual selling point for this particular model. While the Caliber 8210 isn’t anything remarkable from a performance or finishing standpoint, it is very much a known quantity, and the Miyota 8xxx series of calibers are some of the most commonly-used automatic movements in the entire watch industry.

While integrated bracelet watches are often seen as somewhat premium options within their respective brand’s lineups, the Citizen NJ015 Automatic “Tsuyosa” is actually one of the brand’s least expensive mechanical models, and it is accompanied by an official retail price of $450 USD. As a point of reference, not only does this make the “Tsuyosa” more affordable than even Citizen’s popular “Fugu” divers, but it also places it just slightly above the quartz-powered models from the Tissot PRX lineup. Between its automatic movement and trendy integrated bracelet design, it’s undeniable that the Citizen NJ015 “Tsuyosa” represents a fairly compelling value proposition, and now that this model is officially available for the U.S. market (starting on May 23rd, 2023), it is highly likely that it will start to receive more attention from collectors and enthusiasts. For more information on the Citizen NJ015 Automatic “Tsuyosa” watch, please visit the brand’s website.