Sometimes a little thing can add a little something....

1677 Views 19 Replies 12 Participants Last post by Sweephand, Jun 9, 2014

Sweephand

Discussion Starter · Jun 7, 2014

....I managed to get an original buckle for my Citizen Highness. I don't remember seeing one of these before, so when it popped up I just had to go for it.

Here's the watch, a high beat model near the top of the Leopard range:

And now it has this buckle:

Since I prefer leather straps to bracelets this was a nice find as far as I'm concerned

Stephen

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funkster

· #2 · Jun 7, 2014 (Edited)

Lovely watch and a particularly good find with that buckle. The Highness shares a lot of design cues with the GS watches of the same period, and this buckle definitely follows suit...
Here is the buckle from my 45KS:

Notice any similarities?

Come to think of it, the whole watch is pretty similar!

The one thing though that sets these Citizens apart is scarcity - I have never actually seen one for sale! Just like my hunt for a Superior Quartz, the hunt for a Highness requires some serious patience!

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SurfingSeiko

· #3 · Jun 7, 2014

Nice score. Congratulations and enjoy.

Mark

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jringo8769

· #4 · Jun 7, 2014

excellent watch...great find...

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ClockBloke

· #5 · Jun 7, 2014

Nice watch and nice find with the buckle. Drives me mad hunting down original strap parts. Even though I made end links for my 7016 I'm still hunting for the originals! OCD I believe they call it

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TheWatchBloke

· #6 · Jun 7, 2014

Nice find Stephen, I bet there aren't many of those knocking about! Similar to the GS's as has been said, and the KS's like my old one here (sellers pic)

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Sweephand

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jun 7, 2014

funkster said:
Lovely watch and a particularly good find with that buckle. The Highness shares a lot of design cues with the GS watches of the same period, and this buckle definitely follows suit...
Here is the buckle from my 45KS:
Notice any similarities?

Come to think of it, the whole watch is pretty similar!

The one thing though that sets these Citizens apart is scarcity - I have never actually seen one for sale! Just like my hunt for a Superior Quartz, the hunt for a Highness requires some serious patience!

They are rather similar

As far as I know the Highness replaced the Leopard Chronometer for a short while in the early 1970s. It only had a short production run so is rather scarce. I got mine a while back whilst the buckle arrived yesterday.

Stephen

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Sweephand

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jun 7, 2014

cannop said:
Nice find Stephen, I bet there aren't many of those knocking about! Similar to the GS's as has been said, and the KS's like my old one here (sellers pic)

This is the only CH buckle I've seen so far.

Stephen

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akable

· #9 · Jun 7, 2014

Great pick up Stephen, I have never seen one either.

Do you have a case back shot of the Highness?

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Mahuta

· #10 · Jun 8, 2014

Wow! Yes a beautiful watch indeedy!

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pollyc

· #11 · Jun 8, 2014

Sometimes its the little things in life that mean more:93:

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akable

· #12 · Jun 8, 2014

Stephen which was first, the models with CH on the dial or the full Highness text?

If concurrent was the Highness text for export models?

I have just uploaded a copy of the 1974 No.12 Japanese Catalog that includes a couple of CH models as well as numerous other interesting pieces.

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Sweephand

Discussion Starter · #13 · Jun 8, 2014

Hi Anthony,

here's a pic of the back:

I think both the 'Highness' and the 'CH' models were made for the Japanese market. I have marketing material from October 1972 which only shows the 'Highness' version, whilst the 1973 catalog has both types in it at the same time.

Stephen

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ricardopalamino

· #14 · Jun 8, 2014

Atta Boy....Good Find and a very nice finishing touch to your watch..

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jimmy1963

· #15 · Jun 8, 2014

Very nice Stephen :clap:

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akable

· #16 · Jun 8, 2014

Thanks for the case back shot Stephen, it is a lot simpler than I had expected.

It seems from the info provided that the models shifted from Highness on the dial to CH and then they disappeared quite quickly.

The late '74 catalog has only a couple of CH models and the next catalog that I have is '77 and it contains none. Do you have a '75 or '76 catalog, and if so do these have any CH models?

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Sweephand

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jun 9, 2014

I don't know that the 'Highness' was first or not - the 'CH' model is shown by Citizen as being released in October 1971. Looks to me like the Highness replaced the Leopard Officially Certified Chronometer (the Highness is described as having an 'excellent chronometer' grade movement, same spec as the Leopard).

I don't have the '75 or '76 catalogs I'm afraid.

Stephen

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iwaddell

· #18 · Jun 9, 2014

It's the little details that always amaze me. Fantastic buckles.

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akable

· #19 · Jun 9, 2014

Sweephand said:
I don't know that the 'Highness' was first or not - the 'CH' model is shown by Citizen as being released in October 1971. Looks to me like the Highness replaced the Leopard Officially Certified Chronometer (the Highness is described as having an 'excellent chronometer' grade movement, same spec as the Leopard).

I don't have the '75 or '76 catalogs I'm afraid.

Thanks for the info Stephen. I prefer the Highness text when compared to the CH, it is a classy font.

I will have to keep an eye out for 71-73 and 75-76 catalogs. As I am sure you have noted these do not come up for sale as often as the Seiko versions.

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Sweephand

Discussion Starter · #20 · Jun 9, 2014

akable said:
Thanks for the info Stephen. I prefer the Highness text when compared to the CH, it is a classy font.

I agree

I'll let you know if I found any catalogs for those years,

Stephen

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