Citizen unveils new compact limited-edition watch fitted with 43 diamonds

Citizen has opened reservations on three Citizen L Rainell watches in Japan, all dated 8 October, and only one of them is actually new.

That one is the EX1542-52A, a limited edition of 2,200 pieces worldwide at 126,500 yen (~$819) including Japan's 10% consumption tax. It rings 43 diamonds around the bezel of the collection's raindrop-shaped case and pairs them with yellow gold-coloured plating on case and bracelet. Citizen has issued no global release for it. The nearest precedent, July's EX1540-58L, also carried 43 diamonds but was limited to 3,500 pieces, kept a plain steel finish and used a blue dial.

The other two are not new. Citizen's global announcement of 23 July listed the black-gradation EX1550-54E at $475 and the gold-toned EX1553-56X at $550, both launching in August. What arrives on 8 October is the Japanese release, at 57,200 yen and 64,900 yen respectively, tax included. Citizen's Japanese copy assigns each a scene: the EX1553-56X for the morning after rain, as light begins to color the sky, the EX1550-54E for rainfall dissolving into darkness at night.

If we take the consumption tax out of the equation, the EX1550-54E is priced at 52,000 yen, roughly $336 at 154.5 to the dollar, against a US price of $475 that excludes sales tax. The EX1553-56X works out near $384 against $550. If you're in Japan, you are paying substantially less for the same watch.

All three are powered by caliber B023, Citizen's light-powered Eco-Drive, rated to plus or minus 15 seconds a month and about a year from a full charge. The steel case measures 19.7 mm across and 7.5 mm thick under spherical sapphire with anti-reflective coating, water resistant to 5 bar. Dial components use recycled material, the crown carries a blue glass-ceramic accent, and the bracelet closes on a double-push butterfly clasp. Citizen puts the carbon footprint of each at 11.3 kg of CO2 equivalent.

Buy the Citizen EW1544-53A on Amazon.