A Closer Look at Citizen's Super Titanium Hakuto-R Watches

For years, Citizen has been known as a watchmaker that can produce some seriously high quality quartz movement watches. In addition to being known for their ability to produce high-quality timepieces, they’re also well-known for producing watches of various price ranges. As such, they are rarely considered as such an exclusive watchmaker that only the most discerning people can afford to buy one. Instead, they have watches that are designed to be more high-end while simultaneously producing others that can be purchased for a few hundred dollars. One of the more interesting lines that they are currently producing includes the Super Titanium Hakuto-R watches, two examples that involve high-end quartz movement watches. They’ve been selling extremely well in Japan. Now, it is time to introduce the rest of the world to them.

What Is Super Titanium?

Super titanium is not just some term that watchmakers are throwing around in order to make their products sound more special. In fact, it is a real metal that is designed to be a little bit more resilient than regular titanium. In short, it can take more abuse and last longer. There are a handful of watchmakers that have developed certain materials that are also used for other types of industries, and Citizen has been using their super titanium in conjunction with the lunar lander program. In order to commemorate that fact, they have developed two Super Titanium Hakuto-R watches, the AT8185-71E and the CC4016-75E. Both watches incorporate workmanship that is absolutely stunning. They’re both also very different from each other, even carrying a substantially different price tag. For example, The AT model is selling for $2,295, while the CC model sells for substantially more, coming in at $3,495.

The AT8185-71E

The first thing that you are likely to notice about this particular model is that it is finished in gold tone with black accents, including a black face. It really does make it stand out, something that Citizen was obviously going for. There are plenty of other things about this particular watch that make it unique as well. The movement was done in-house, consisting of the H-800 movement that lends itself to syncing up with radio signals that emanate from atomic clocks. Furthermore, it uses light to power itself, effectively reducing its carbon footprint. Just for good measure, Citizen decided to use mother-of-pearl around the dial. This choice further enhances the already stunning looks. The end result is a visually appealing watch that performs well and looks fabulous. On the performance side, the watch is capable of being submerged in water to a depth of 100 meters. If you’re more concerned with its appearance, it definitely serves as an attention-getter, with a base that is 42 mm wide. In short, this is a good choice if you want a watch that performs well and you want to get noticed for your overall choice in timepieces.

The CC4016-75E

This version comes complete with Citizen’s F950 Eco-Drive movement. It also utilizes GPS technology that is satellite-based and includes a three-dimensional likeness of the face of the moon on its dial. This particular watch is also darker in appearance, thanks to the gunmetal black design with gold accents. Just like its sister timepiece, it is also water-resistant to a depth of 100 meters. However, it is a bit larger than the other watch, coming in at 44 mm wide as compared to the 42 mm that we see in the other example. Overall, it’s slightly larger and more powerful, thanks to the more advanced movement. Both watches have a sapphire crystal. In addition, this particular example also includes the mother-of-pearl that forms a complete circle around the face of the watch.

Appearances Can Be Deceiving

There is no doubt that appearances can be deceiving when it comes to a lot of things, and these two watches are no different. Judging by their sheer size alone, one would typically jump to the conclusion that they are rather heavy and cumbersome to wear, especially if they are to be worn for any length of time. In reality, this assumption could not be further from the truth. Thanks to the fact that they are both constructed from Super Titanium, they are as light as they are strong. This allows them to be large enough to make a statement without being so heavy that someone would tire of wearing them after only a few hours.

Get Them While You Can

As is typically the case, these watches are intended to be produced in relatively limited numbers. For instance, the AT example is scheduled to be limited to 1,600 pieces. Its slightly more complicated (and larger) sister timepiece will be limited to just 1,200 examples. Granted, there have certainly been watchmakers that have produced signature timepieces in far fewer numbers. In fact, some only choose to make 200- 300 examples of a watch before that model’s production run ends. Citizen has decided to go with a considerably larger production run, but that doesn’t mean you should drag your feet when it comes to getting your hands on one. They are well designed with looks to match. Furthermore, they were designed to commemorate a special event. Therefore, it’s highly unlikely that they will last for any appreciable amount of time. Anyone who wants one should take the necessary steps to secure one of these watches sooner as opposed to later. As previously discussed, Citizen has long been known for producing timepieces that can be trusted. They may not be as exclusive as Bremont or Rolex, but they do seem to be moving in that direction more and more. Whether you have a special interest in the lunar lander program or you simply enjoy high quality, limited-edition watches, these are two examples that are getting a great deal of attention for all the right reasons.

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