The Watch Twice as Accurate as Any Grand Seiko
With a dial and finish that rivals it too!
The Precursor
Recently, I’ve spent so much time trying to improve my videography that my photography has stagnated. Enter The Citizen Chronomaster - one of Citizen’s finest creations, and a watch so visually compelling that it pushed me to take my first steps into macro photography. I’m only a week into this new journey, so there’s plenty of room for improvement, but I hope I’ve done this dial justice!
Citizen AQ4042-01P Chronomaster Anniversary Edition
The Dial that solved Citizen’s Eco-Drive problem. As I’m sure you know, Eco-Drive is Citizen’s proprietary solar-powered technology, capable of running a watch for up to six months on less than a day of sunlight. They’re so reliable and convenient that I regularly hear people half-jokingly complain about how an Eco-Drive has “taken over” their collection and become their go-to daily wearer.
Stylistically, however, Eco-Drives have often been uninspiring. The requirement of a translucent dial to allow light to reach the solar capacitor has historically limited design possibilities. Citizen addressed this in the Campanola collection by hiding the capacitor beneath the bezel inserts - an ingenious solution, but not one that benefits dressier watches without bezels.
That all changed in 2017 when a Citizen engineer realised that Tosa Washi paper - one of the thinnest yet strongest papers in the world - could serve as a textured, translucent dial material.
Washi paper has a wide range of applications, but if you’ve ever been to Japan, you’ll likely have seen it in shoji frames, which function as doors, windows, and room dividers. In fact, Washi is so integral to Japan’s culture that it has even been recognised on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
Due to its prevalence in Japanese architecture, shoji are often decorated - and one of the most traditional methods of decoration is sunakomaki. The technique involves powdering and scattering gold leaf through bamboo, and its only fitting that Citizen chose to elevate this classically Japanese Washi dial with sunakomaki. The result? A unique, shimmering texture where no two dials are ever the same.
Released to celebrate the 25th anniversary of The Citizen collection, only 500 examples of the AQ4042 were produced. While the name The Citizen might not be the most inspired, the collection was built in 1995 around the concept of watches that could effortlessly become “an integral part of your life”, with an emphasis on comfort and accuracy. For this anniversary edition, Citizen added beauty to that list.
The indices and dial markers sit atop a thin glass layer above the washi and gold leaf. This allows shadows to form beneath them, creating the illusion that they’re floating in mid-air. Unsurprisingly, zaratsu polishing has been applied to every possible surface, including the hour markers and logos.
On the subject of zaratsu, someone recently asked me what it means in Japanese. Perhaps surprisingly, it isn’t actually a Japanese word! In the 1960s, a German company called Sallaz supplied polishing machines to Japan, and "zaratsu" is simply the Japanese pronunciation of Sallaz. Over time, Seiko and Citizen fine-tuned these machines to meet their strict requirements, perfecting the mirror-finish polish that people love today.
Beyond aesthetics, the AQ4042 is also accurate. Really accurate. It’s good for ±5 seconds per year, which should immediately pique your interest if you’re familiar with the 9F Calibre - Grand Seiko’s equivalent movement. Despite being Grand Seiko’s most accurate movement, it’s only accurate to ±10 seconds per year. Using “only” when describing ±10 seconds might seem harsh, but given the AQ4042 is twice as accurate as any 9F, I’m not really left with a choice.
You might be surprised to learn it also houses a Perpetual Calendar and Power Reserve Indicator - the operation of both is hidden behind the small button above the crown. Thanks to the combination of its precision and perpetual calendar, you’ll presumably only need to adjust this watch when the battery is replaced every 15-20 years.
Finally, the eagle emblem on the dial and caseback represents Citizen’s “symbol of confidence and pride,” reserved exclusively for their finest timepieces. The case itself is crafted from gold Duratect-coated “Super” Titanium, making it remarkably lightweight and five times harder than stainless steel.
The Citizen AQ4042-01P is available to buy on our website.
Great condition overall. There’s a tool mark on the bottom right lug, but other than that the watch has no noticeable marks. No box or papers. Original strap.
Seiko “Arita Porcelain” SPB093
Sunken subdials have never looked so good. My plea to everyone reading this is to go out of your way to get at least one piece from Seiko’s Master Craftsmanship series. The collection was put together to honour the best of traditional Japanese craftsmanship, and you will never have felt so spoiled for choice as you try to determine where your allegiance lies between Arita Porcelain, Enamel, Urushi Lacquer, and Shippo Enamel. Of course, the best solution (not from an economical standpoint) is to simply buy one of each.
The craftsmanship speaks for itself. The painted numerals, though only subtly raised, cast tiny shadows that add thickness and depth. Meanwhile, the raw edges of the blue hands glow with an almost neon hue in the right light. Arita porcelain has a slight bluish hue to it. Subtle, but noticeable - it’s the primary difference between Arita and normal porcelain.
You certainly don’t have to buy this one today, nor do you have to ever buy one from me, but you would be doing yourself a great disservice if you overlooked this collection for too long.
The Seiko SPB093 is available to buy on our website.
In great condition overall. Any markings are small and very hard to notice. Original strap. No box or papers.
Credor “Node” GCBT995 True GMT
A tightly packed seven hander from Credor. Introduced in 2004 as part of Credor’s Node Collection, the GCBT995 packs a true GMT movement alongside a retrograde day, circular date, and a 50-hour power reserve indicator. On paper, seven-hand watches are inherently busy, yet Credor masterfully carves out ample dial real estate around the edges for the indices. It’s a complex yet remarkably balanced daily option. To me, it’s the absolute perfect office watch.
The 4S76 movement holds historical significance as the last 4S calibre developed by Seiko before production ceased in 2015. At its release in 2004, it was considered Seiko’s most complicated mechanical movement to date - making it a must-have for avid collectors.
The Credor GCBT995 is now available to buy on our website.
In great condition overall. No significant blemishes anywhere. Original box.
Seiko Laurel LJAR601 4S29-5000
One of the elaborate Laurels from the neo-vintage collection. The obvious comparison is the LJAK600 - a much-loved Laurel that’s featured in this Newsletter a few times. While the changes are subtle, they’re numerous. The Breguet numbers have been swapped for Roman numerals, but not wanting to be totally Breguet-less, the LJAR has Breguet hands! The dial showcases an intricate flinqué pattern throughout, and the addition of a power reserve indicator is always welcome on a manual-wind piece.
More than anything, though, this is a movement upgrade. And to ensure it doesn’t go unnoticed, Seiko thoughtfully fitted an exhibition caseback. The juxtaposition of the pre-war inspired dial and the modern 4S29 movement on display makes for an irresistible visual contrast.
The Seiko Laurel LJAR601 is now available to buy on our website.
Good condition overall, but there are small hairlines across the case. Please note, there are also small scratches on the crystal, most noticeably in the top left corner. It might sound silly, but the dial pattern visually obscures any blemishes from being noticeable on the wrist. No box or papers.
Seiko Brightz SDGM001 “Grand Cocktail” (BEMAC Edition)
Strictly speaking, this isn’t a watch Seiko has ever sold. Not in the traditional sense, at least. It was commissioned by BEMAC, a Japanese electronics company, to celebrate their 70th anniversary in 2016.
It’s a watch I’ve covered before, so please click here to read about the interesting history of these watches and the company that commissioned the design.
The Seiko BEMAC is now available to buy on our website.
In good condition, but there are lots of small dings and scratches on the bezel, lugs, bracelet and case. Unpolished. Certainly a frequently worn watch, but the dial and crystal are perfect.
Don’t forget to follow my Instagram to see all of the watches above in full cinematic glory next week.