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The dial conjures the fleeting beauty
of natural scenes long cherished in Japan.
Born of advanced technology and textured washi:
A microcosm of beauty. A part of your life.
Features 01
The Iconic Nature Collection captures fleeting moments of beauty from the ever-changing natural world which it distils down onto the dial of a watch. We isolated the essence of the timeless sense of beauty that lies deep within the hearts of every Japanese in order to create limited-edition models worthy of The CITIZEN’s 30th anniversary.
This process led us to the courtly ideal of beauty known as okashi found in the Japanese literary classics. More than a millennium ago, okashi was the term Japanese nobles used when describing their appreciation for things that moved them, whether that was the changing seasons or striking natural scenery. Often translated as “delightful” or “charming,” okashi is a way of seeing the world that emphasises the sensuous over the emotional or intellectual.
Taking inspiration from this refined aesthetic—something unique to the Japanese people who have lived in harmony with nature since ancient times—the designer uses traditional Japanese washi paper and effects borrowed from ink painting to depict the essence of nature in a wholly novel way.
“Dawn in the springtime” was seen as a classically beautiful scene according to okashi aesthetics. The model with the 38mm-diameter case in gorgeous DURATECT Sakura Pink revisits this motif and evokes the airy, motile clouds of the moments just before the sunrise. The delicate pink of sky and cherry blossom vividly conveys the atmosphere of spring.
With its striking hand-dyed indigo washi dial, the Japan Blue model evokes a “summer night scene” through the motif of a tranquil river. By suggesting a placidly flowing river shimmering in the moonlight, the dial conjures a vivid, almost tangible sense of summertime. A gold-coloured second hand is used to suggest the fireflies flitting hither and thither on the banks of the river.
Inspired by the sublime sight of the mountaintops glowing as they catch the setting sun, this model, with its black dial and case, hands and indices in eye-catching gold, evokes the “autumn dusk.” The strong contrasts typical of that time of day are expressed by DURATECT Amber Yellow, with its uniquely mellow golden hue, while the dial is designed to suggest the last gleams of the evening sun.
“Early winter morning” is the theme of this elegant model with its subtle grey shadows. Evoking that magical period when the night gradually brightens into day, it represents a snow-covered landscape shining brilliantly in the rising sun’s first rays. The dark grey second hand takes its cue from the charcoal traditionally used for keeping warm in harsh winters.
Features 02
Eco-Drive is a CITIZEN proprietary technology that converts light into the energy necessary to power a watch. Since Eco-Drive requires a solar cell, the dial (beneath which the solar cell sits) needs to be light-permeable. Tosa washi is the perfect material for dials as it can simultaneously let light through and express the beauty of the natural world through techniques borrowed from the world of Japanese ink painting. The techniques in question are nijimi, a blotting effect caused by ink spreading beyond the original brushstroke, and kasure, a fading, slightly scratchy stroke from a brush that is starting to run dry.
The “dawn in the springtime” model features a pattern printed directly onto Unryushi, a kind of Tosa washi noted for its long fibres. Taking advantage of the washi’s unique cloud-like texture, the pattern is a vivid evocation of clouds waxing and waning in the dawn’s changing light.
The model depicting a “summer night scene” features a dial of Tosa washi hand-dyed with indigo using traditional Japanese aizome fabric-dyeing techniques. Coupled with the finely printed upper plate, it suggests a river flowing placidly under the moonlight.
The “autumn dusk” model features an upper plate printed with a sunset-coloured gradient and black washi decorated with delicate, eye-catching gold leaf. Together, the black dial and the subdued golden case give an emotional charge to this evocation of the sun setting behind the mountain peaks, an altogether typical autumn scene.
A traditional Japanese decorative technique known as sunago-maki (literally “sand-sprinkling”) is the secret of the “early winter morning” model, where Tosa washi sprinkled with platinum leaf is used to represent snow. Placing an upper plate printed with a grey gradient on top of the dial subtly evokes a winter morning in all its stark beauty.
Features 03
As part of our sustainable watchmaking efforts, CITIZEN is promoting the procurement of leather from tanneries that comply with LWG* standards. The crocodile-skin straps of the Iconic Nature 30th Anniversary limited-edition models come from an LWG-certified tannery. The use of LWG-certified leather is just one example of CITIZEN’s ongoing commitment to creating watches with minimal environmental impact that people can wear with a clear conscience and unalloyed enjoyment.
Leather Working Group (LWG) is an international not-for-profit organisation. Its members include brands, tanneries and chemical suppliers. LWG evaluates the safety and environmental performance etc. of the leather manufacturing process and awards certification only to tanneries that pass its rigorous audits.
The eagle symbolises The CITIZEN’s twin commitments to “looking ahead and pursuing the ideal” and to “becoming an integral part of users’ lives.” The mark is discreetly engraved on the dial and crown of some models.
The CITIZEN watches are made at CITIZEN's special watch workshop nestled deep in the Nagano countryside. They are hand-assembled down to the last component by our highly experienced master watchmaking Meisters.