Citizen has always been a brand that straddled two worlds: accessible enough to sit in the department store case, serious enough to earn nods from watch forums where men argue about lug widths into the early hours of the morning. This fall, the Japanese watchmaker has returned to one of its most iconic designs with the release of the Tsuyosa 60 collection, a mechanical watch line that reimagines the late-1990s NH299 series.
The Design Legacy of the NH299 Series
Back then, the NH299 was a watershed moment. While many affordable watches of the era were still being stamped from brass, Citizen built its cases out of stainless steel, giving the pieces both durability and weight on the wrist. The finishing, too, was ambitious for the price point: brushed surfaces on the case, mirror-polished bezels, and bracelets that caught the light in ways that felt almost Swiss. The result was one of the company’s best-sellers, especially overseas, where collectors wanted something tough but dressed with restraint.
The New Citizen Tsuyosa 60
The new Tsuyosa 60 watches carry that DNA forward but update it for modern expectations. Each of the three debut models comes in a 40mm stainless steel case, 11.7mm thick, with the crown tucked discreetly at 4 o’clock. The package is water-resistant to 50 meters, topped with a sapphire crystal, and finished with an integrated steel bracelet that blends polished center links with brushed outer ones. Around back, a sapphire display case reveals the automatic movement at work.
The movement is a story in itself. Citizen has fitted the watches with its new Caliber 8310, a 3 Hz automatic engine with a generous 60-hour power reserve. Basically, if you set it down Friday night and spend the weekend watchless, it’ll still be ticking come Monday morning. The dial design completes the update, with concentric engraving, applied luminous markers, and a magnified date window at three.
Pricing and Availability of the Tsuyosa 60
Three variations are available with the launch: a classic black dial steel version (NK0020-55E, $575), a two-tone steel and gold model (NK0024-54X, $625), and a rose gold-tone blue dial edition (NK0023-57L, $625).
The Tsuyosa 60 is less about reinventing Citizen than reminding us what it does best: mechanical watches that manage to look sharp, wear comfortably, and hold their own against timepieces that cost twice as much.
