A History and Guide to Citizen Watches

Jacob Van Buren

Nov 4, 2025

For someone just getting into watches or for an enthusiast who has everything and wants to try something new, one of the best places to start is Citizen. Like a certain other Japanese watchmaker, Citizen’s vertically integrated structure and diverse interests mean that there is something for everyone from the beginner level up to haute horology.

Their story goes back further than you might think. Founded in 1918 as the Shokosha Watch Research Institute by Kamekichi Yamazaki, they had just one goal: to build a domestically-produced alternative to the imported pocket watches hitherto available in Japan. Beginning with imported Swiss materials and tooling, they finally succeeded in 1924 with their first pocket watch design. Shinpei Goto, then mayor of Tokyo and Yamazaki’s friend, christened it the “Citizen” in the hopes that its release would eventually allow all citizens to own one. That watch led to the company’s name, and in 1930, Citizen Watch Co., Ltd. was formed. The next year, they released their first wristwatch, and by 1936 were exporting watches across Southeast Asia. This early growth still saw the company utilizing Swiss technology as they began to expand in size and scope. The nascent company relocated temporarily during the Second World War and, like its counterparts in the United States, Britain, and Germany, built items like chronometers and igniters for military use.

The postwar landscape saw Switzerland emerge as the preeminent watchmaking capital. Hitherto, countries like Britain, Japan, and the United States held thriving industries that were subsequently co-opted into the war effort. Citizen made a concerted effort to expand sales outside Japan, creating the Citizen Trading Company in 1949 to control the global distribution and marketing of Citizen watches. Even still, it would be another six years before global exports began to take off.

The 1950s were pivotal for Citizen’s innovation. They launched Japan’s first calendar watch in 1952, its first shock-resistant watch in 1956 (the Parashock — the name the company still uses for its anti-shock system), its first alarm wristwatch in 1958, and its first water-resistant watch in 1959 (Parawater). On a company level, they introduced their first automatic caliber in 1958. The Citizen Deluxe, powered by their first central second’s caliber that same year, went on to sell over 100 million units.

The following decade saw Citizen steam on, entering an import-export agreement with American watchmaker Bulova in 1960 (more on them later) and introducing their first officially certified chronometer in 1962. Europe was next, with an office established in West Germany and full-fledged European exports beginning in 1965.

The 1960s also saw the advent of the quartz wristwatch by Japanese watchmaker Seiko, the result of which has come to be known as the “Quartz Crisis.” While many brands fell victim to its wake, Citizen had already been experimenting with electronic and quartz technology. In 1970, the brand launched the first titanium-cased watch, the X-8. Fewer than 2,000 of these electronic-movement equipped timepieces were ever produced. They also introduced their first automatic chronograph caliber in 1972, best known in its iconic Bullhead configuration, and their first quartz wristwatch in 1973.

The 1980s saw Citizen head underwater. They had previously introduced their Challenge Diver in 1977, a watch perhaps best known for emerging from the depths, years later, encrusted in barnacles and still ticking. It was the dive watches of the 1980s, however, that would cement Citizen’s reputation as a titan of undersea timekeeping. The Professional Diver 1300m, released at the tail end of 1981, was not only the brand’s first titanium dive watch but also the most water-resistant watch in the world. Their true technical marvel came shortly after in 1985 — the Aqualand. In the world before the dive computer, monitoring bottom time and depth was crucial for following dive plans constructed using tables. The Aqualand combined a robust diver’s watch with a digital depth gauge, marking the pinnacle of the dive watch as a tool built for and used by divers. Citizen’s commitment to producing robust tool watches was codified into an ethos with the launch of the Promaster line in 1989. Producing watches designed to meet any conditions at Air, under the Sea, and on Land, today the Promaster series showcases Citizen’s continued dedication over the past 35 years to building the ultimate in tool watches.

FEATURED CITIZEN WATCHES

By the end of the 1980s, Citizen was producing more movements than any other manufacturer, with over 100 million units rolling off the production line. This came as little surprise. In 1959, the brand built a new movement factory in Miyota, a town located in central Japan. It was launched as a standalone brand in 1980 and today represents one of the largest movement manufacturers. In addition to powering Citizen watches in their house-brand variants, Miyota calibers have become a standby of smaller microbrands looking for accurate, reliable, and robust movements. The introduction of the ultra-thin 90-series caliber in the early 2000s and its flyer GMT caliber in 2022 has further cemented the brand’s use across the industry.

The brand’s technological innovations continued into the 1990s. Citizen introduced the first radio-controlled analog watch in 1993, receiving information from atomic clocks to set the time, a feature introduced only a few years earlier by Junghans on a digital watch. Their greatest innovation, however, was yet to come. Citizen introduced Eco-Drive in 1996 — a groundbreaking solar caliber allowing for the solar cells to be located underneath the dial. By 2011, the company estimated that over 80% of its watches featured the technology. With no battery changes to speak of, Eco-Drive is the ultimate in grab-and-go timepieces. Just leave it near a window to make sure the battery is charged.

The mid-1990s also saw the introduction of a new brand from the company, The Citizen. A celebration of the company’s founding ideals and watchmaking, The Citizen lineup features high-accuracy calibers, ultra-thin movements, refined washi paper dials, and more. In 2021, they launched an Eco-Drive watch accurate to within one second per year. Occupying a level above some of Citizen’s other offerings, The Citizen represents the pinnacle of the brand’s watchmaking pedigree.

The new millennium saw Citizen further ramp up operations. In 2008, the brand also purchased a controlling stake in American watchmaker Bulova. (For more on Bulova, check out our recent history of the brand here on the Windup Watch Shop.) In an inverse of their origin, utilizing imported Swiss equipment, Citizen purchased Swiss movement manufacturer La Joux-Perret in 2012. With their Miyota movements occupying a significant portion of the Japanese watch movement segment, this allowed for an expansion into the Swiss-made movement sector of the market. The brand also purchased Frederique Constant Holding SA in 2016, bringing Frederique Constant and Alpina under its purview as part of a global positioning and market expansion strategy.

Goto’s early naming of that first pocket watch would prove prophetic. The Citizen Watch Co. has spent over a century producing timepieces designed to be used and cherished, culminating in a unique brand that can stay with you for every step in your watch journey. To see more of our favorite Citizen watches, check out the brand page on the Windup Watch Shop. As always, the Windup Watch Team is available via consultation to answer any questions you have. In addition, all of these products are eligible for free domestic shipping across the US.

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