Citizen must have looked at the side profile of an ordinary watch—including one of its own Eco-Drive models—and decided it was taking up far too much wrist. After all, thinness does mean elegance and is a testament to a watchmaker’s engineering prowess.
The new Citizen Eco-Drive One AR5065-54W measures just 3.88 mm thick. That does not make it the world’s thinnest watch. It is nowhere near the former record-holding Richard Mille RM UP-01 Ferrari*, which measures only 1.75 mm thick. However, the Eco-Drive One remains one of the thinnest solar-powered watches ever made—an impressive feat of watchmaking engineering, considering that it accommodates both a movement and the means to turn light into energy.
Its Caliber 8826 Eco-Drive movement is just 1 mm thick and runs on natural or artificial light, sparing this very skinny watch from the indignity of regular battery changes. It displays only the hours and minutes; seconds were presumably evicted due to a lack of living space.
Around the movement is a 38 mm black stainless steel case, paired with a green dial and matching black bracelet. Anti-reflective sapphire crystal protects the front, while water resistance is rated at 50 m (164 ft). A fold-over clasp with push buttons keeps the whole wafer-like arrangement attached to your wrist.
Citizen is making only 250 pieces worldwide. The Eco-Drive One AR5065-54W commands a not-very-Citizen price of US$3,395, proving that while the watch is remarkably thin, the same cannot be said of the bill. Yup. I said it.
*While the Konstantin Chaykin ThinKing (1.65 mm) and Bulgari Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC (1.70 mm) broke its overall thickness record, the RM UP-01 remains the thinnest traditionally structured watch with an enclosed case, so calling it former is fine depending on context.
Images: Citizen.
Story via Gear Patrol.
