Hands-On With The Citizen × Seconde/Seconde/ Tsuyosa Limited Edition
Whenever Citizen announces a new Tsuyosa, I am all ears. The brand’s hit watch has been a fan favorite ever since it debuted in 2022. I have had the pleasure of reviewing multiple Tsuyosa models and was impressed every single time. For its latest release, the Japanese brand collaborated with Romaric André, aka seconde/seconde/, for a whimsical take on the Tsuyosa. It conceptualizes the word tsuyosa (強さ), meaning “power” or “strength” in Japanese, with a fun dial showing that “being smaller has never stopped minutes from slicing hours into pieces.” What does that mean? Let’s find out.
If you have paid attention, you have probably seen a Tsuyosa at some point. Citizen has expanded the collection over time. It all started with the (retroactively named) Tsuyosa 40 in 2022, followed by the Tsuyosa Small Second in 2024. Finally, the brand added the Tsuyosa 37, which Thomas reviewed last year, to the lineup. It is a perfect entry-level mechanical watch for ladies and gentlemen with smaller wrists. I could easily come up with five Tsuyosa models that have caught my eye over time. It has become a great collection of watches that are popular for good reasons. For the latest Tsuyosa release, Citizen collaborated with Romaric André, aka seconde/seconde/, for the first time, and the result is a clever watch that makes me smile every time I see it.
The Citizen × seconde/seconde/ Tsuyosa Limited Edition
The story of the new Citizen × seconde/seconde/ Tsuyosa Limited Edition is a remarkable collaboration. As Romaric André himself put it, “The best collaborations are usually those that bring together parties that initially seem to be at opposite ends of the spectrum.” Indeed, seconde/seconde/ is a small creative enterprise, and Citizen is a large Japanese company with a huge heritage. But seemingly odd pairings like this can lead to surprising results if the creative partner has the freedom to fully express his or her ideas.
Seconde/seconde/ certainly had that opportunity with this new Tsuyosa Limited Edition. The inspiration for the dial comes from the Tsuyosa name, which translates to “power” or “strength.” Searching for well-known Japanese symbols or examples of power and strength, seconde/seconde/ landed on the famous katana. He took the Japanese sword and turned the dial into a visualization of the concept that “being smaller has never stopped minutes from slicing hours into pieces.”
The dial design is fun without sacrificing functionality
The blue sunray dial is the perfect canvas for the katana to show its power. The minute hand has been transformed into a katana, executed in the pixel art style of old Japanese video games. As you can see, part of the katana’s hilt is the same blue color as the dial. The pixelated twist immediately makes it an offbeat rendition of the sword that many people will love. In a humorous touch, the minute markers have all been sliced in half by the katana.
A nice detail is that the cuts are visible on the dial, as if the katana really sliced the indexes. On top of that, all the cut-off halves are not too far removed from the upper halves, ensuring that reading the time is never an issue. I love the concept, and the execution is smart and very nicely done.
The concept stretches far beyond the dial
But there is more to the concept than just the dial. The super comfortable President-style bracelet features a folding clasp with the logos of both brands and sword slashes between them, forming a cross. Additionally, the case back also features a blacked-out half featuring the quote “Being smaller has never stopped Minutes from slicing Hours into pieces” printed in white. It is the perfect summary of the concept that seconde/seconde/developed for this limited-edition Tsuyosa.
Another nice twist is that this Tsuyosa will be produced in a limited run of 3,600 pieces. This quantity comes from the mental image of the katana also slicing one hour into 3,600 seconds. It makes this special collaborative effort so much more than a visually fun dial. The execution combines quirky sensibility with a special message, and it will undoubtedly make people smile.
The specs of the Citizen × seconde/seconde/ Tsuyosa Limited Edition
Overall, the idea and execution are very nice, but we haven’t talked specs yet. If you’re familiar with the Tsuyosa, there are no real surprises. This model has the familiar 40mm stainless steel case with an 11.7mm thickness, a 49mm length, and a 50m water resistance rating. As mentioned, it is combined with a President-style bracelet that is not only comfortable but also looks the part. It also has the aforementioned dual-branded clasp with a push-button release.
Powering the watch is the in-house Citizen caliber 8210, which is partly visible through the case back’s sapphire display. The automatic caliber operates at 21,600 vibrations per hour, has 20 jewels, and offers a 40-hour power reserve. It is a simple yet reliable power train for this watch, making it a fun daily wearer.
Wearing the Citizen × seconde/seconde/ Tsuyosa Limited Edition
Once on the wrist, this new limited edition reminded me of how comfortable the Tsuyosa is. The 40mm size is spot on, even for an 18.5cm wrist like mine, and the bracelet is flexible, wrapping nicely around the wrist. These aspects are a big part of why the Citizen Tsuyosa has become so popular as a daily wearer.
Another fun aspect is the dial, of course. While the whimsical design ensures you’ll stare at it multiple times during the day, there is more to it. If you take the watch off the wrist and pull out the recessed crown at 4 o’clock, the power of the sword is all yours. If you turn the crown, the sword swings around the dial, mimicking the cutting of the indexes without actually doing that. It’s so much fun to swing the sword, so you will be adjusting the time again and again by choice with this watch.
Final thoughts on the Citizen × seconde/seconde/ Tsuyosa Limited Edition
As you will understand by now, I loved spending time with this limited-edition Citizen Tsuyosa. After seeing quite a few seconde/seconde/ collaborations over the past few years, you might think that it gets harder to come up with new concepts for these projects. But this new Citizen Tsuyosa proves that there are still plenty of fun ideas that will work. I can only give a big compliment to both Citizen and seconde/seconde/ for creating one of the most fun releases I’ve had a chance to wear in recent times.
As mentioned, Citizen will produce 3,600 pieces of this limited edition, which will retail for US$475. That makes this watch one of the most affordable collaborations that seconde/seconde/ has done. I think Citizen has a hit on its hands, and it will sell out in no time.
The affordable price and amusing execution make this a great limited edition that fans will undoubtedly jump on. For me, this new Citizen × seconde/seconde/ Tsuyosa Limited Edition is the perfect proof that great creativity doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be a simple idea executed brilliantly, and that’s exactly what Citizen and seconde/seconde/ have given us.
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