[Sweephand]

Citizen's electro-mechanical watches of the late 1960's / early 1970's were pretty impressive movements imho. The early X-8s beat at the regular 18,000ph, then, as they developed the technology they introduced X-8 and X-8 Cosmotrons running at 21,600bph, including an officially certified chronometer version. They finished the production run, before quartz made them obsolete, with Cosmotrons running at 36,000bph. These were all men's watches....

But did you know that in 1970, Citizen produced a woman's Cosmotron watch known as the IC-12? And the '12' referred to the beat rate - yep, 12 beats per second, a very impressive 43,200bph! And all in a small ladies' watch case....Here's a bit of techie info I've found:

The Citizen 5800 series, the IC 12, 1970. Frequency 12 Hz.5800 IC-12 Chronometer.5810 and 5835 IC-12 Cosmotron with centre second.5820 and 5830 without centre second. The movement has eight magnets fixed on the balance-wheel, two coils fixed on the pillar plate. This was an incredibly fast beating watch and the smallest transistorised ladies' watch at that time.

Sweephand

 

[minidriver]

Amazing the kind of stuff available in those days. Now Citizen is trying to re-conect with their mechanical watch past with the just released "The Citizen" automatics and their all new 0910 caliber:

Citizen has profited quite well from the quartz revolution. But they do also have a significant mechanical watch past that I hope it never gets forgotten. Watches like the above are a good sign of things to come. I can't wait for the day Citizen makes a 8110 like mechanical chronograph at a lower price point than current Seiko offerings.


Check out this "The Citizen" Automatic feature:


http://citizen.jp/the-citizen/special/index.html

 

[jason_recliner]

Very very nice stuff.

By the way, I wouldn't hold my breat for a new afordable 8110 style chrono!

Just get an 8110 - they're awesome enough.

 

[time_watcher]

At a price of over 3K I dont see myself buying one anytime soon!

 

[martback]

Citizen's electro-mechanical watches of the late 1960's / early 1970's were pretty impressive movements imho. The early X-8s beat at the regular 18,000ph, then, as they developed the technology they introduced X-8 and X-8 Cosmotrons running at 21,600bph, including an officially certified chronometer version. They finished the production run, before quartz made them obsolete, with Cosmotrons running at 36,000bph. These were all men's watches....

But did you know that in 1970, Citizen produced a woman's Cosmotron watch known as the IC-12? And the '12' referred to the beat rate - yep, 12 beats per second, a very impressive 43,200bph! And all in a small ladies' watch case....Here's a bit of techie info I've found:

The Citizen 5800 series, the IC 12, 1970. Frequency 12 Hz.5800 IC-12 Chronometer.5810 and 5835 IC-12 Cosmotron with centre second.5820 and 5830 without centre second. The movement has eight magnets fixed on the balance-wheel, two coils fixed on the pillar plate. This was an incredibly fast beating watch and the smallest transistorised ladies' watch at that time.

Sweephand

My reference book adds that the 5800 was Chronometer certified and that the 5810 was introduced in 1971 (and that it uses the MR 736 SW battery : ) The other X8s uses only 4 magnets. I wonder if the number of magnets has anything to do with the rate.

/ martin