Horological Meandering - My Grand Complication

My Grand Complication

Chronograph? Check. Perpetual Calender? Check. Moonphase? Check. Minute Repeater? Check. Quartz Movement? Yes, quartz movement. I present a Citizen Campanola grand complication. I bought this watch for the minute repeater function, seeing as I will likely never own a mechanical repeater. It is quite fun to play with, and the chimes have a nice tone to them. No, it does not sound as good as a quality mechanical minute repeater, but the chimes do sound like bells rather than an electronic sound. The watch is very comfortable and is more attractive on the wrist than it appeared in the pictures I viewed prior to purchasing it. The case and bracelet have brushed and polished surfaces and there is a high domed crystal covering the dial. The chapter ring slopes down toward the center of the dial where the subdials for the calender and chronograph are located. There is a wave guilloche pattern around the subdials and a cotes de Geneve pattern on the moonphase subdial. The overall effect of the domed crystal with the sloping dial makes it look like a little ampitheatre with the functions on the stage at the center. All in all a very nice watch for the money, and a great idea by Citizen to make a watch that offers some great complications at a more affordable price. It is easy for me to overlook the quartz movement because it is a lot of fun to wear. After playing the repeater for the 300th time it is still fun to use. Cheers!

Stewart

(appologies for the blurry photos)

💰9 Marketplace Listings for Citizen›

Why not, after all?

By: amanico : May 13th, 2012-02:11

I must admit that I had, more than once, some guilty thoughts on a Tissot T Touch... Best, Nicolas

I think you have summed up my thinking

By: docsnov : May 13th, 2012-10:12

with your statement. I felt a little like a heretic buying a quartz watch, but seeing as I have plenty of mechanical watches, why not? Certainly no replacement for the beauty and quality of a good mechanical movement, but again the repeater function has b...

Good! Just kidding. :) [nt]

By: amanico : May 13th, 2012-10:14

No message body

If thr campanola style appeals to you, then they are ...

By: Ronald Held : May 13th, 2012-05:53

good value for a quartz watch.

Nothing against quartz

By: nickd : May 13th, 2012-10:22

I've got nothing against quartz, and think it's the only sensible option for many uses. I've thought about these Campanolas but there' something about the style that just doesn't click with me. nick

I have to agree with you

By: docsnov : May 13th, 2012-10:39

about the style. My motivations for buying this made me overlook the styling, which was not my favorite either, but I was actually pleased that it looked better in my hands than in pictures, which was an added bonus. Stewart

Nice watch!

By: sidneyc : May 13th, 2012-17:32

There's nothing wrong about quartz, and it's amazing that the Japanese are good at making grand complications out of them! Congrats on your new acquisition! I used to own a Shellman Grand Complication, which has the perpetual calendar, minute repeater, ch...

Thanks Sidney.

By: docsnov : May 13th, 2012-19:04

Certainly a good watch for the money in my opinion. Stewart

Heresy!!! :)- 5 Hail St Maos and all will be forgiven

By: Hororgasm : May 14th, 2012-12:11

Jokes aside, why not...a super by well built quartz is better then a crap mechanical. Congrats. Best, Horo

I have been praying

By: docsnov : May 14th, 2012-19:19

at the temple of the swiss lever escapement ever since I made this confession. Keep the jokes coming. This site could use a little more levity. We often take our passion a little too seriously Stewart

if your going to buy a quartz you've bought one of the best

By: G99 : May 15th, 2012-04:36

a friend of mine has the Citizen eco drive perpetual with minute repeater. you could consider that the entry level version of this, but this is much nicer. they do a very good job of tuning the electronic chime to sound like a bell. from what i've read, a...

Thanks Graham

By: docsnov : May 16th, 2012-20:05

The minute repeater was the main motivation for my purchase, and I was willing to go quartz as a mechanical repeater is not in my future. It does have a good sound, and is an all around nice watch which is getting a decent amount of wrist time. If I can f...

if you take a video...

By: G99 : May 17th, 2012-01:17

if you take a video and send it to Art im sure he will upload it for you as he is king of the upload. best G

Plenty of wheels, cogs and levers...

By: BDLJ : May 17th, 2012-17:48

...in those Citizens. I've several quartz watches (mainly divers), and while the complexity/busyness of the Campanolo isn't my cup of tea, there's a lot of work in them. The minute repeaters are supposedly based on, or a cousin of the E210 below......