Citizen's new limited-edition Series 8 automatics launch with magnetic resistant 9051 caliber

Citizen has added two limited-edition Series 8 models in Hong Kong — both are built around the magnetic-resistant 9051. The NB6050-01L is HK$9,280 with a blue dial on a steel case, and the NB6059-06W is HK$9,680, trading the steel for a two-tone finish with pink gold plating and a brown dial. That's approximately $1,183 and $1,234.

Each is limited to 700 pieces worldwide.

Citizen's in-house caliber 9051 runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour with about 42 hours of reserve, and it hacks. Accuracy is rated at +20 to −10 seconds a day. The main figure is magnetic resistance of 16,000 A/m, which is more than three times the 4,800 A/m threshold a watch has to clear to be called antimagnetic under ISO 764. Citizen's own point is that the 9051 performs better than its standard mechanical movements, and the magnetism spec is where that shows up.

Everything else is the same between the two. The case is stainless steel at 40.1 mm across and 10.6 mm thick, and each watch weighs 86 g on its cow leather strap. The crystal is sapphire with a non-reflective coating, the case back is transparent so the 9051 is visible, and water resistance is 10 bar. Both carry a date, neither has radio sync, and both are made in Japan with a three-year warranty.

On the two-tone model, note that the warm color is pink gold plating rather than solid gold.

For price context, Citizen brought the 39 mm NB6085-57W to the US in March at $1,295, also with the 9051 inside. Hong Kong charges no sales tax, so these two fly under that figure without any adjustment needed.