I really appreciate Citizen. Without them, I might never have been able to afford my first automatic watch (actually, my first automatic watch belonged to my father). Sadly, I lost the Citizen Diver I owned in 1994 after I left it on a locker room bench after swim class.

But I will forever be thankful to Citizen for opening the doors to a greater appreciation for the horological arts.

Citizen Watches and a History of Achievements

They have come a long way since their inception on 28^th May 1930. Like many other watch brands in Japan, they didn't make automatic movements for the bourgeois, they made working watches for the proletariat- the working class. Today, they have produced around 293 million watches for everyday consumers, giving many of us a taste of well made, well engineered watches that can last a lifetime (Evidential proof of  Japanese quality).

1956 and the Citizen Parashock

While the Swiss were working on incabloc shock protection, Citizen was pushing global watch technology by creating the Parashock, a Citizen watch with Parashock can even take drops from a helicopter 30 meters above the ground. They would follow this feat with their first wristwatch alarm complication.

Finally beating the Swiss to the punch

Famed Japanese industriousness and some might say, corporate bushido (never backing down even in the face of death) attitude finally led Citizen to beat Swiss watchmakers to the punch with the world's thinnest men's watch in 1962.

Innovation beyond compare

While Rado was tinkering with ceramics, Citizen released the world's first Titanium watch  in 1976. And while many (myself included) think of the Omega Seamaster 300 and the Subby as "THE" diver's watch to own; in 1982, Citizen produced the deepest diving watch able to withstand pressure up to 1300 meters. When they weren't busy throwing watches out of helicopter windows, Citizen invented the world's most precise watch system that automatically synced (this was before the internet guys) to precise times via a network of radio towers.

Climate change and Citizen green initiatives

Everyone is talking about being eco-friendly and going green nowadays. Well, Citizen was doing all that 30 years ago. In 1976, Citizen developed its first Citizen Eco-Drive watch. Using light as a power source, Eco-Drive never needed batteries or watchwinders, storing energy for up to 6 months away from light sources. Eco-drive watches saved the green costs of having to dispose 7.2 million batteries across 3 years. If the batteries were stacked, they would be 1.7 times the height of Everest.

The beauty of Citizen today: Citizen Eco Drive Perpetual Calendar Twin Date Watch

Classic elegance and urban sophistication on your wrist, one of Citizen's latest offerings match the look and feel of some high end complications today. The Perpetual Calendar Twin Date puts two high end complications into one affordable mens luxury watch.

The calendar runs until 2100 and even leap years are not missed with this watch. The best part, you can own one- that is until you can afford a real mechanical perpetual calendar movement with twin date. But in the mean time, happy anniversary Citizen!