Citizen Highlights Its Signature Feature with a Blacked-Out Greatest Hits Lineup of Watches

While Citizen has made inroads within the enthusiast community in recent years with a renewed focus on automatic watchmaking, the Japanese brand’s bread and butter remains its signature Eco-Drive light-powered quartz technology.

Citizen remains the watch brand most associated with solar power, and 2026 marks 50 years of Eco-Drive technology. The brand has been celebrating the occasion all year with a variety of special editions, with the latest coming in the form of an entire series of limited-edition Eco-Drive models called “Light in Black.”

A light in the dark

The Light in the Black collection comprises five limited-edition Eco-Drive watches, each one a blacked-out, glowed-up version of an existing Citizen model.

The concept behind the collection was a single light piercing the darkness, meant to recall Eco-Drive’s ability to draw power from any light source. Citizen accomplishes the theme aesthetically via blacked-out cases and bracelets to represent the dark with gold-colored accents standing in for the beam of light.

Additionally, all five models share the same black, inkjet-printed dial treatment that consists of five overlapping patterns meant to represent 50 years of Eco-Drive. The dials, which incorporate recycled material, have a random layered effect reminiscent of meteorite. All five also sit under a sapphire crystal.

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As for the watches themselves, we have two high-end Attesa models, one Promaster Dive, one Eco-Drive Chronograph and one Citizen L Tank-inspired ladies watch.

The more exclusive of the two Attesa models is a Satellite Wave GPS F950 model (Ref. CC4078-51E) featuring a black case and bracelet in Duratect DLC Super Titanium with bezel accents in Duratect Amber Yellow, a first for an Attesa model.

Its Cal. F950 Eco-Drive movement is accurate to within +/-5 seconds per month on its own, but that’s almost moot, given its satellite-connected atomic timekeeping ensures the time is always correct no matter where you are in the world. Its robust lineup of features includes a world timer, chronograph and perpetual calendar.

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Boasting many of the same features and the same Super Titanium build is the Attesa Eco-Drive Radio-Controlled model (Ref. AT8384-58E). It has a smaller case (42 vs 44.6mm) and different styling, with the biggest difference being the use of Duratect Amber Yellow being used for the lugs and midcase. Its Cal. H504 movement also isn’t quite as accurate, with a mean monthly rate of +/-15 seconds and atomic correction courtesy of more finicky terrestrial radio towers.

Jumping out of the Attesa line, we have a Promaster Dive (Ref. BN0264-53E). It’s in stainless steel with a mix of gray and yellow gold-colored plating. A relatively compact diver at 40.6mm x 11.7mm, it’s still water resistant to 200m and meets ISO 6425 diver standards. It’s powered by the Cal. E168 with standard Eco-Drive accuracy of +/-15 seconds per month.

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Next is an Eco-Drive chronograph (Ref. AT2576-68E) in the same gray and gold-tone-plated steel as the diver. Its Cal. H504 chronograph movement is again accurate to within +/- 15 seconds per month, and its chrono can track events up to 60 minutes. Its case measures 42mm across and just 10.5mm thick, and it’s water resistant to 100m.

Rounding out the Light in Black collection is a striking take on the Citizen L (Ref. EW5636-55E). Its 21.5mm x 7.3mm case is in gray-plated stainless steel and is paired with a matching three-row bracelet. The dial features gold-tone hands and indices with an applied diamond at 12:00 and a gold-tone crown inset with a blue cabochon similar to Cartier’s crowns. Inside is the Cal. B035 movement, which again is accurate to within +/-15 seconds per month.

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Availability and pricing

The pricing and availability of Citizen’s Light in Black collection vary quite a bit.

The Attesa Satellite Wave GPS is both the rarest and the most expensive, with 1,900 examples priced at $2,195. Next is the Attesa Radio-Controlled, which gets 2,200 pieces and an SRP of $1,195.

The Promaster Dive gets a more robust run of 6,700 watches, and a far lower price tag at just $495. Even better is the Eco-Drive Chrono, which costs just $450 but is slightly more elusive with 6,000 worldwide examples. Lastly, the Citizen L is limited to $3,800 pieces and priced at $525.

Citizen

Citizen Eco-Drive Attesa Satellite Wave GPS Light in Black

Specs

Case Size	44.6mm
Movement	Citizen Eco-Drive Cal. F950 solar-powered quartz perpetual calendar world timer chronograph
Water Resistance	100m

• $2,195 at Citizen

Citizen

Citizen Eco-Drive Promaster Dive Light in Black

Specs

Case Size	40.6mm
Movement	Citizen Eco-Drive Cal. E168 solar quartz
Water Resistance	200m

• $495 at Citizen