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Citizen Caliber 0100: The Most Advanced, Accurate Eco-Drive Movement Launches in Three New Watches


More than 40 years ago, Japan’s Citizen Watch Co. revolutionized the wristwatch world, and timekeeping technology, with the introduction of Eco-Drive, an innovative system that employed the power of light to recharge the batteries of that era’s dominant quartz movements. Eco-Drive calibers were not only the answer many were seeking to the problem of short battery life, and the inconvenience and expense of regular battery replacement, but also to the environmental issue of battery disposal, and remain a core element of Citizen’s timepiece portfolio. This year, Citizen takes the technology to new and unprecedented levels of precision with the introduction of the new Caliber 0100 — an Eco-Drive movement that calibrates time to an astonishing accuracy of +/- 1 second per year, debuting in three new models produced in limited quantities this fall.

Citizen Caliber 0100 CU
Citizen’s Caliber 0100 is accurate to +/- 1 second per year.

Caliber 0100 achieves its ultra-high accuracy, Citizen says, without relying on synchronized data from satellites or radio-controlled atomic clocks, as do models equipped with Casio’s Multi-Band 6 Atomic Timekeeping technology. Instead, Citizen developed new AT cut type crystal oscillators, which vibrate at a frequency of 8.4 MHz, to replace the more common tuning fork-shaped oscillators used in most quartz movements; the former type’s frequency is more than 250 times higher than the latter’s. Citizen also needed to develop power-saving strategies for the movement, employing materials and designs that would not only generate the much greater amounts of energy that the AT cut type crystal oscillators required but also render the entire mechanism sufficiently resistant to outside influences such as temperature variations, gravity, and age degradation. The successful result is a caliber that offers stable operation for up to six months on a single light charge, or eight months in its power-save mode. Citizen’s engineers even built it to continuously monitor and adjust for frequency and temperature shifts once per minute, and to automatically correct the hand positions after the watch is subjected to shocks.

Citizen Caliber 0100 Watch - WG
Citizen Caliber 0100 watch in white gold (Ref. AQ6010-06A)
Citizen Caliber 0100 Watch - Dial CU
The tip of the seconds hand has a subtle curve to match the contours of the dial.

The exterior attributes of Caliber 0100’s mechanized innovations include, according to Citizen, a perfect alignment between the seconds hand and the dial’s indices when viewed straight on from the front. This is the result of the LIGA fabrication process used for the gears and springs that control the hands’ motion, a more intricate process than the machine cutting and pressing used customarily for such micro-components. The long, heavy brass hands could not ordinarily be propelled by the torque in a traditional quartz movement. A close glance at the dial from an angle reveals that the seconds hand is slightly curved at the tip to follow the subtle curvature at the dial’s edges.

Citizen Caliber 0100 Watch SuperTitanium - MOP
Citizen Caliber 0100 watch in SuperTitanium  with mother-of-pearl dial (Ref. AQ6020-53X)

The Caliber 0100 watches comprise three distinct models, each a limited edition, in cases measuring 37.5 mm in diameter and a svelte 9.1 mm thick. Two have cases and bracelets made of Citizen’s Super Titanium treated with Duratect for extra hardness. One Super Titanium model has a metallic black dial and is limited to 500 pieces worldwide; the other has a blue-tinted mother of pearl dial and is limited to 200 pieces; both will be released in the fall and are projected to be priced at $7,400. The most exclusive of the trio is a model with an 18k white gold case, with a cream-colored dial, on a black crocodile leather strap with tone-on-tone stitching. Limited to only 100 pieces worldwide, and also to launch in the fall, the model is priced at $16,800. All three models — in a departure from most quartz-powered watches — feature sapphire exhibition casebacks that put Citizen’s latest achievement in electronic timekeeping on display.

Citizen Caliber 0100 Super Titanium - black dial
Citizen Caliber 0100 watch in Super Titanium with black dial (Ref. AQ6021-51E)
Citizen Caliber 0100 watch WG - back
The white gold watches’ sapphire caseback are engraved with a serial number.
No Responses to “Citizen Caliber 0100: The Most Advanced, Accurate Eco-Drive Movement Launches in Three New Watches”

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  1. Steven Brudnicki

    Citizen in Times Square currently sells the black faced model (3) and white gold model (1) ask for Steven.

    Reply
  2. Abraham

    I admire the achievement, but I think it is another step towards proving that keeping time is not really the main purpose of a luxury watch.

    Reply
  3. Reg Brobson

    Wish I could afford that sort of money. Have several of your watches including a radio controlled, which I love.

    Reply
  4. Gerry Dimatos

    This is an amazing accomplishment from Citizen. A quartz movement with +/- 1 seconds a year accuracy ? Just amazing.
    Up until now I rated the Grand Seiko 9F Quartz with +/- 5 seconds a year accuracy as the best and nicest finished quartz ever with the half step and anti backlash mechanism for the second hand.
    The jury is still out though as 8.5 MHz is a high frequency requiring large amounts of power.
    Only a solar powered watch could manage this, and Citizen are at the forefront of solar technology with their Eco-drive movements.
    Time will tell as to how Grand Seiko will respond albeit this is a massive achievement by Citizen,
    From Gerry Dimatos in Melbourne Australia.

    Reply
  5. Dr nirjhar pan

    no day date making the watch less desirable. high water
    protection is very crucial for watch machinery and peace
    of mind of owner also.

    Reply
  6. Craig Kolk

    This watch is beautiful. I love the eco-drive system and have been collecting them. This would be a wonderful addition.

    Reply
    • Please re-read the article. The prices vary from approximately $7.5-16.8K

      Reply
  7. Hey bought a Citizen watch for Diving and it went well till some when wrong.ask them to fix it ..Nite watch was a thousand dollars Aus they said it would cost 890 to fix ..What a joke .The watch was ok just needed New band and calibration as it was solar…890 aust what a fast ..if should have cost the most 100 to 150 with new band ..What a scam and now they don’t make that watch???

    Reply
    • There is not a Citizen made that has a movement that costs $890 to fix. All Miyota mechanical movements cost less than $100 for a new movement. So unless it is a Frederique Constant with an in house movement, or the watch in this article no watchmaker is going to charge that much to fix a Citizen. Figure out what movement you have, buy one on Ebay or other movement sellers and replace it your-self with a tool kit that costs $30 on amazon.

      Reply
  8. Outstanding! Would love to see this in a titanium housed dive watch.

    Reply
  9. Virgil Howarth

    Send me one for review…but don’t expect to get it back.

    Reply
  10. MARTIN BARRACK

    I have a limited edition bought last year.
    Had a $795 list price.
    How does my eco drive compare to the new 0100 drive as to time keeping

    Reply
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