Citizen's new limited edition Eco-Drive features a hand-dyed washi paper dial and Cal.A060 movement

Citizen’s Eco-Drive is widely regarded as the best solar watch system on the market, and for good measure. After all, it was Citizen that introduced the world’s first solar-powered analog watch in 1976, setting the foundation for modern light-powered watches that can continuously recharge from any light (both artificial and natural) and run for months on a single charge. And to celebrate 50 years of technology, the Japanese watchmaker is introducing the Eco-Drive 50th Anniversary Edition (AQ4091-56W), a limited edition watch that showcases the Eco-Drive and Citizen’s technical and material prowess at their best.

The textured, deep green dial is the main attraction here. It’s made from traditional Japanese washi paper and hand-dyed in a deep chitose midori, a color symbolizing permanence and inspired by evergreen pine needles. How the company achieved that striking green shade is also quite impressive. Because there’s no natural dye that produces a green shade, artisans had to painstakingly dye the washi paper using ibuki kariyasu, a traditional yellow dye, and then layer it with indigo blue dye.

Washi paper has historically been used in Japanese sliding doors and lanterns to softly diffuse natural light, and it turns out to be the perfect translucent material to let light pass through to the watch's solar cells while also adding a sense of depth and richness to the textured dial.

It's an incredibly clever way to hide the tech in plain sight. Depending on how the light hits the paper's organic structure, the dial shifts and reveals different depths, accented by a gold-tone second hand and Citizen’s signature eagle emblem.

The 40.0mm by 12.2mm case and matching bracelet are made of Citizen’s proprietary Super Titanium material and then treated with a Duratect Platinum coating, resulting in a watch that’s 40 percent lighter than a standard stainless steel watch and roughly five times harder while also being corrosion-resistant and skin-friendly.

Inside, the watch is powered by the high-accuracy Cal.A060 Eco-Drive movement. It boasts an accuracy of ±5 seconds per year, a perpetual calendar that won't need adjusting until 2100, and it can run for 18 months on a single full charge in power-save mode.

The Citizen Eco-Drive 50th Anniversary Edition is limited to 650 pieces worldwide and is scheduled to launch in May 2026 for $3,100.

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