Why Citizen’s £399 Watch is Horology’s Hottest Hit
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Everyone loves a “best of the year” round-up list, and the world of watches isn’t immune – even if judging one piece of wristwear against another can sometimes seem like comparing Apple’s Watches with orange Doxas*
Still, these lists do tend to throw up a few surprises.
Take friend-of-Esquire Andrew Morgan, the respected watch authority and YouTuber, who last week dropped his “Ranking the Best Watches of 2024” list.
It certainly included models you could have predicted.
Tudor’s hit “black-on-black” Black Bay was on there.
So was Omega’s “first-Omega-in-Space” Speedmaster.
But there were also a couple of names that came a bit more out of left field.
The most eye-catching of them ranked the highest (number two!) – the Citizen Zenshin – a day-and-date quartz model from the Japanese electronics giant, that costs £399.
(The Zenshin collection also includes a chronograph and a mechanical version.)
Morgan wasn’t alone in his enthusiasm for the pocket-friendly three-hander.
Yesterday on WatchPro, the industry platform, editor-in-chief Rob Corder – Esquire’s other friend – also wrote of his admiration for the model.
“My pick of the pieces from 2024 was Citizen’s Zenshin super-titanium watch,” Corder confirmed. “A steel at just £399."
None of this is to imply Esquire is a latecomer to the Citizen party.
Of course it’s not.
We featured the brand’s similarly budget-friendly Tsuyosa silver-tone steel model in our annual standalone horological special The Big Watch Book, just the other month.
Plus, when it comes to a bang-for-your-buck brand offering design versatility, technological innovation and global recognition, we’ve long been fans.
But the case for this Zenshin is fairly undeniable.
Zenshin Super Titanium 39mm Mens Watch
Made from super-lightweight titanium and solar powered, thanks to Citizen’s Eco-Drive technology (the “solar” bit actually undersells things, since it can be powered by any light source, eliminating the need for batteries), an on-trend integrated bracelet and a green dial, plus 100m of water resistance, it is, to use a phrase, a banger.
Plus, did we mention this?
It costs just £399.
“Citizen’s Zenshin does the seemingly impossible, offering quality, exotic materials, artisanal dial finishes and an eye-poppingly competitive price without having to invest in some no-name micro brand that might be gone tomorrow,” Andrew Morgan tells Esquire.
“Even the Zenshin’s movement offers something wholly unique in the market – it needs neither winding nor a battery change, absorbing the light from even the greyest daytime sky to power it.
“The most affordable end of the market has been neglected for years, and the big shock –given rising costs every which way you look—is that Citizen has been able to bring even more value than we’ve seen before.
“The Tissot PRX started this shift, and Citizen intends to finish it.”
So now you know.
*Or something. Needs work, TBH
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