Citizen Watch

Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
シチズン時計株式会社
Formerly called
 Shokosha Watch Research Institute (before May 28, 1930)
Public (KK)
Traded as TYO: 7762
Nikkei 225 Component
Founded 1918 (1918)
Headquarters Nishitōkyō, Tokyo, Japan
Key people
 Makoto Umehara (President)
Products Watches and parts, Information equipment and parts, Electronic equipment and parts, Industrial machinery and equipment, Jewelry
Revenue

Decrease ¥252.5 billion

$2.72 billion (FY 2010)[1]
Increase ¥7.2 billion
$77.7 million (FY 2010)[1]
Increase ¥3.5 billion
$37.9 million (FY 2010)[1]
Number of employees
 18,459 (2013)
Website citizen.co.jp

Citizen Watch Co., Ltd. (シチズン時計株式会社, Shichizun tokei Kabushiki-gaisha) is the core company of a Japanese global corporate group based in Tokyo, Japan. The company was founded as Shokosha Watch Research Institute in 1918. It is known as the manufacturer of Cincom precision lathe machine tools and Citizen watches. The trade name originated from a pocket watch Citizen sold in 1924. It is one of the world's largest producers of watches.

Citizen Attesa Eco-Drive ATV53-3023 analog-digital chronograph with 3 area Radio Controlled reception (North America, Europe, Japan).

Eco-Drive

Eco-Drive watches use a battery recharged by a solar panel hidden under the watch face. In the rare and discontinued Eco-Drive Duo series, the solar power was supplemented by an automatic quartz power source. One early model, called the Citizen Vitality, used the watch hands to drive a small electric generator, but was discontinued following complaints that the device could explode and cause wrist injuries. There was also an Eco-Drive Thermo model that exploited temperature differentials between the wearer's skin temperature and ambient temperature to recharge the battery. However, the only Eco-Drive system described on the Citizen Watch official web site is the one depending solely on light to recharge. Features similar to the Eco-Drive have been developed by other manufacturers like Casio and Junghans. All Citizen Eco-Drive movements are made in Japan but the case or the bracelet may also be made in China.

Atomic timekeeping

Some watches, such as the Skyhawk A-T line feature radio-controlled timekeeping. The watches can synchronize with radio clocks in Japan, North America, and Europe and will automatically select the correct frequency for doing so based upon location of home time zone. The watch actually tracks two time zones—home and world—but synchronizes to the 'home' zone. When traveling, the user may swap the 'home' and 'world' zones—thereby enabling proper time signal reception on a different continent while retaining the other time. The day, date, and daylight saving time settings are also set automatically when the watch is synchronized. These features are comparable to the synchronization with atomic clocks found in Casio Wave Ceptor watches.

The Perpetual Chrono A-T is another of Citizen's radio-controlled watches. The watch syncs with the atomic clocks in Colorado or Germany depending on signal strength and location. It also incorporates the eco-drive technology which means it will never require a battery.[2]

Bulova UHF movement

In 2010, Miyota (Citizen Watch) of Japan introduced a newly developed movement (UHF 262 kHz) that uses a three-prong quartz crystal for the Precisionist or Accutron II line, a new type of quartz watch with ultra-high frequency (262.144 kHz) which is claimed to be accurate to +/- 10 seconds a year and has a smooth sweeping second hand rather than one that jumps each second.[3]

Contemporary watches

Citizen also produces the Independent Watches line, featuring a more modern, contemporary design than the traditional Citizen label. Depending on the market, these watches may be labelled "Secret", "Lighthouse" brands among others.

DCP clasp

The Deployant Clasp with a Push Button (DCP) is a clasp available for many Citizen watch bracelet bands. The clasp, as with the Calibre 8700, is also used with leather bands as if they were metal bracelet-style watchbands; however, when the clasp is fastened, the band appears to be a normal eye-hole and link pin leather watchband.

Citizen classic watch.

Other products

Apart from watches, Citizen also manufactures calculators and small electronic organizers. Some non-watch devices such as handheld televisions and computer printers, have been marketed under the Citizen brand name.

In the 1980s, a number of handheld electronic games were sold under the Q&Q brand.

In the early-mid 1990s, Citizen partnered with Compaq Computer Corporation to build notebook computers in Japan for the Japan and Far Eastern market to be sold under the Compaq name.

Corporate divisions

Sponsorships

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Annual Report FY2010" (PDF). Citizen Holdings. Retrieved 2010-10-26.
  2. ↑ "Perpetual Chrono A-T". Citizen Watch. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  3. ↑ "Bulova introduces the most accurate watch in the world, the Precisionist". Crunch gear. 2010-03-23. Retrieved 2012-07-08.
  4. ↑ "Watches", JP: JCBM http://www.jcbm.co.jp/eng/watches/watches.html Missing or empty |title= (help).
  5. ↑ Citizen Watch Company of America.
  6. ↑ "Citizen Watch looks to celebrate its 24th year as a sponsor of the US Open Tennis Championships". Citizen. 29 August 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
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