Citizen’s new Satellite Wave GPS Wave F950 Titanium 50th Anniversary Limited Edition (Ref. CC4025-82E) with its satellite-inspired design honours half a century of innovations the company has carried out on titanium.
It all began in 1970 with the introduction of the X-8 Chronometer, the first titanium case watch. This was no ordinary titanium – the Super Titanium that Citizen debuted was a patented alloy that was superior to the regular version. It is believed the metal’s adoption in NASA’s Apollo mission in the 1960s set the Japanese on a path to learn more and experiment with titanium.
There were clear benefits – titanium is lighter, stronger, and has better hypoallergenic properties than steel. By using a series of processing technologies and a proprietary surface-hardening treatment named Duratect, Citizen has created a more versatile alloy 40 percent lighter than stainless steel and 50 percent more scratch-resistant. Citizen’s Duratect technology will now be used in outer space thanks to the company’s partnership with Japanese space exploration firm ispace. Citizen will apply its Super Titanium to components used in the HAKUTO-R Lunar Lander and Lunar Rover; Hakuto-R is the first commercial moon exploration program.
The Satellite Wave GPS Titanium 50th Anniversary Limited Edition is no shrinking violet. It has a hefty 47.5 mm two-tone case that’s 14.71 mm in thickness. The angular case has a modular construction and is made up of two parts – one has a black DLC-coating while the other has a “sakura pink” coating. Traditionally, titanium has always been a difficult metal to machine and polish and is known for its muted grey tone. However Citizen’s Duratect technology allows for titanium cases in different colours, as evidenced by the two-tone case here.
Not surprisingly, the design of the watch is inspired by satellites. For examples the concave surfaces around the push buttons next to the crown are styled to evoke the thrust chamber of a rocket engine’s nozzle extension. The multi-layered, black dial - meant to “evoke the infinite reaches of space” - has an anti-reflective coating on the sapphire glass.
The watch features Citizen’s Eco-Drive technology, it runs on solar power and will never need a battery. Caliber F950 is based on Satellite Wave GPS technology. The movement receives position information and a time signal from GPS satellites orbiting above the earth. It takes about three seconds for the watch to receive a signal and display time. In addition to the hours, minutes, and seconds; the movement also has a flyback chronograph and world time function.
The watch is paired with a matching DLC Super Titanium bracelet. Shaped like a triangular prism, each link of the bracelet has been hairline-polished and fits seamlessly with the sculptural design of the case. The new model is limited to 550 pieces worldwide; it will release in December 2020 and retail for $5,000 (Approx. AED18,600).
