Citizen Teases First Collab With Nissan Z
Since 1969, the Nissan Z (or Fairlady Z in Japan) has helped to define the Japanese sports car in a world traditionally dominated by European power players. Likewise, Citizen has a long heritage of producing sports watches that offer immense capability, but fly under the radar relative to its Swiss competitors.
It’s not every day — in fact, it took 12 years — that a new Nissan Z launches, so it’s only natural that there would be some extra fanfare. In the case of watchmaker Citizen, that comes in the form of two limited-edition Eco-Drive models that ??incorporate elements taken from the latest Z model automobile, marking the first collaborative release between the powerhouse brands.
More from WWD
Both models are constructed with 42mm-wide cases equipped with a sapphire glass with anti-reflective coating, in Citizen’s proprietary surface-hardened Super Titanium alloy, coated in a deep black Duratect DLC with wide-set tapering lugs, a smoothly arcing mid-case silhouette, bold piston pushers and a narrow polished bezel.
The watchmaker pays homage to the Fairlady Z by adapting the Ikazuchi Yellow and Seiran Blue body colors as the central color story, set against an ultra-modern, all-black strap, case and a matte black sand ripple patterned dial with accented silver hands and indexes to create a cool, understated look. Both models also feature a red secondhand inspired by the redline on a tachometer, along with a “Z” mark on the crown (a throwback to the original 1969 Z logo), a Fairlady Z logo used on the dial and Nissan’s signature logo on the cases back.
The collectible timepieces are also equipped with Citizen’s solar-powered Eco-Drive Radio-Controlled technology, eliminating the need for an internal battery. The models adjust to overseas travel in four time regions — Japan, China, the U.S. and Europe — calibrating date and calendar settings based on the wearers’ current location.
“We’re pleased to debut the brand’s first collaboration with the iconic Nissan Z,” said Jeffrey Cohen, president of Citizen Watch of America. “The limited-edition timepieces honor the spirit of pushing the bounds of innovation — a hallmark of the Citizen brand. Inspired by the sleek lines, bold color and distinctive details of the Nissan Z these timepieces deliver something fresh for Citizen customers and car enthusiasts alike.”
With a price tag of $2,495, production of the limited-edition timepiece will be set to 1,700 units worldwide and will be available beginning in March at Citizen’s e-commerce and at the watchmaker’s New York City flagship.
Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.