Citizen Eco-Drive METAL

Fresh on the heels of the commercialization of the Citizen Eco-Drive RING, Citizen has announced the release of the METAL line.  This line is named as such because of the use of metal dials which is typical with non-solar watches.  So how is this an Eco-Drive you ask?  Well, Citizen has moved the solar cell from underneath the dial to a ring around the perimeter of the dial.  Some people who spend too much time on watch forums would recognize this as a rehaut.

I think this is a big deal.  The translucence of the dial has always been a limitation to Citizens because of the limitations it imposes to design and construction of the dial.  Over the years Citizen has developed ways around this such as the use of laser perforation or translucence in the subdials only, but for models such as the Campanola line which feature exquisite hand finished dials Eco-Drive was either not possible or was implemented at the expense of dial design.  I guess those of you who really like chapter rings will be disappointed, but I prefer the look of the dial without a chapter ring.

What surprises me is that this has only been announced on the Citizen New Zealand and Australia sites.  Nothing from Japan and nothing from North America.  An innovation like this will surely see a global launch.  Maybe more will be announced at Basel in a few weeks.

Picture and more information here.

Thanks UpstandingCitizen!