As one of Japan's largest watch brands and a true industrial giant, producing millions of movements annually at its Miyota factory, Citizen covers everything from entry-level watches to high-end models with impressive attention to detail. Between the easily accessible Tsuyosa collection and the luxurious Citizen collection lies the Series 8, a rather interesting mid-range collection with sharp designs, integrated straps, cool textures and, often, bold presence. But things are changing as Citizen launches its NB608 collection, slim watches with a “trendy case size” (to quote the brand).
To date, all watches in the Citizen Series 8 collection have been 40mm or larger in size, with thicknesses ranging from around 11mm to over 13mm for the GMT variants. Not particularly large, but not the smallest or thinnest watches on the market either. Even the classic Series 8/831 Mechanical time and date watch is about 11.5mm thick. With the newest members of the collection, Citizen wants to offer something that sits a little more comfortably on the wrist and is more in line with current trends. Therefore, the new NB608 collection, a range of 3 permanent models and 1 limited edition, is based on a new case design with a diameter of 39.3mm and a slim profile of 10.4mm – yes, we would like to see even thinner cases, but it is not the simplest in this price range.
Design-wise, the codes of the Series 8 collection are still present, with sharp lines, a contemporary and slightly Japanese interpretation of the integrated sports watch concept. The sculpted case features an octagonal sub-bezel topped by a circular element, while the center case features dynamic lines with multiple facets and a beautifully integrated element to frame the crown. The case has an anti-reflective sapphire crystal on the top, a transparent case back and is water resistant to 100 m.
The dial of all three permanent Citizen Series 8 NB608 models maintains the classic textures of the collection, with a central part featuring a checkered pattern – a stylized interpretation of the night skyline of Tokyo – with a sunray chapter ring and a snail minute track. The time is clearly legible thanks to applied markings and faceted hands, both of which are filled with luminous material. There is a date window at 3 o'clock. The collection includes the reference NB6080-51W in steel with a green dial, the reference NB6084-50A in steel with yellow gold plating on the bezel and crown guard and a silver dial, and the reference NB6085-57W, which combines a light brown dial and a yellow gold case with warm gold (light brown) accents.
In addition, the collection also starts with a limited model (1,200 pieces), the reference NB6086-54E. This slightly sportier version comes in a dark gray color scheme with gold accents and features a forged carbon dial. All models are worn on an H-shaped integrated bracelet with a folding clasp.
Inside the case is the Caliber 9051, a slim automatic movement with a frequency of 4 Hz and a power reserve of 42 hours. It features the same architecture as the well-known Caliber 9015, but offers more magnetic resistance thanks to a different hairspring (rated at 200 Gauss) and is designed for -10/+20 sec/day accuracy.
With a starting price of 895 euros In green, the Citizen Series 8 NB608 Collection makes a serious case in the market for affordable integrated sports watches (like the Tissot PRX Powermatic or the Mido Multifort 8 One Crown) thanks to its compact dimensions, big personality and fair price. For more information, visit CitizenWatch.eu or CitizenWatch-Global.com.
https://monochrome-watches.com/citizen-series-8-nb608-collection-sub-40-smaller-slimmer-automatic-nb6080-51w-nb6084-50a-nb6085-57w-nb6086-54e-introducing-price/