As the washi dial is still paper after all, a plastic layer sits on top to protect it, but it is also where the hour markers, date window and dial text are all applied.

Thanks to washi paper being semi-transparent, enough light is able to reach the solar panel to power the movement, a clever blend of modern technology and traditional materials. AQ4030-51Līeyond being a nice nod to traditional Japanese craftsmanship, washi paper is suitable for use on the dials of the Citizen Chronomaster because Caliber A060 (which powers the watch) is solar-driven, drawing energy from a small solar panel on the dial. Washi paper is the same material the Japanese have traditionally made walls and doors from, usually in panels supported by bamboo frames, chosen for being tough enough not to rip against a breeze but translucent enough to allow light into rooms. What is special about these dials is not that Citizen are only making a handful of them, but that they are made with the traditional Japanese Washi paper dials. The Citizen Chronomaster is now available with a regular production blue dial, as well as both red and green dials in limited editions of 200 pieces. The two limited edition Citizen Chronomaster references, with the AQ4020-54X (green) and the AQ4020-54Z (red).

A flagship model in their collection is the Citizen Chronomaster, a watch that has just been released in new limited edition dial colours.

This release seemed to take some by surprise, but Citizen, just like their countrymen at Seiko, have been making very accurate quartz watches for some time. This year, Citizen got the watch world talking about quartz watches in a positive light with the release of the Caliber 0100, the wristwatch version of a piece-unique pocket watch they released in 2018. I/trending 29890 Accurate AF – the Citizen Chronomaster limited editions Nick Kenyon

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