Photo Gallery: Citizen Sports – A Guide to the World of Titanium “Zenshin”

Tags: Photo Gallery | Citizen | Classic

3.11.2025 | 6 MIN

Watches with integrated bracelets have become a hit in recent years. Among the most interesting is the Citizen collection in an all‑titanium execution. They’ve come to be known as “Zenshin,” and since their debut the lineup has grown quite a bit. What can you choose from, and why are they so popular?

When Citizen first unveiled models with a tonneau‑shaped case in titanium at the beginning of 2024, everyone was talking about them. They were dubbed “Zenshin,” a name that’s more or less official. Since then, several versions have been introduced. Today’s photo gallery serves as a brief guide to the world of “Zenshin.”

What you should know about Zenshin is that they’re an ideal gateway whether you want to discover the charm of titanium watches, try an automatic movement, or appreciate the convenience of solar power. The Zenshin collection is built on a unifying idea, but the individual versions differ.

Zenshin means progress, advancement in Japanese. It expresses Citizen’s spirit of always pushing boundaries—and being the first to introduce titanium watches. The Zenshin collection shows Citizen is headed in the right direction.

The common idea is to offer a watch comfortable and robust enough for all‑day wear, with high water resistance, a sapphire crystal, and a titanium case and bracelet. And of course, a design that turns heads.

1) Citizen Sports Eco-Drive AW013

The Citizen Sports Eco-Drive AW013 models form the cornerstone of the collection.

They combine everything Citizen does so well:

• titanium case and bracelet
• sapphire crystal
• 100 m water resistance
• Eco-Drive solar movement

Thanks to the solar movement, the watches require very little maintenance—and Citizen really knows how to do solar right.

The Eco-Drive AW013 models are defined by a Super Titanium tonneau‑shaped case with a polished round bezel and an integrated bracelet. The bracelet is composed of H‑shaped links and fitted with a folding clasp.

They’ve also been a hit thanks to their size: with a 39.5 mm diameter and just 9.8 mm in thickness, they’re very comfortable on the wrist. The low weight of around 90 g helps too—courtesy of titanium.

Lume on both hands and indices.

The Zenshin models also stand out for their dials. They feature a “scratch” texture and come in less common colors.

Overall, the design is fresh yet fairly minimalist. You get a day and date, good legibility, and a central seconds hand—the classic recipe.

The Eco-Drive AW0130 is an obvious choice for anyone seeking a maintenance‑free watch you can wear virtually anywhere. Compact, light, thin—and quintessentially Zenshin in design.

2) Citizen Sports Eco-Drive Chronograph CA4610

A sportier variant is the Citizen Eco-Drive Chronograph CA4610. The core idea is the same: a tonneau‑shaped case, integrated bracelet, everything in Super Titanium, and striking dial textures in unconventional colors.

Eco-Drive solar power is present here too, but you also get a chronograph function paired with a tachymeter scale. All models share:

• titanium case and bracelet
• 100 m water resistance
• Eco-Drive solar movement
• chronograph function
• tachymeter scale

The result is a very dynamic watch that’s anything but staid, and it will particularly please fans of larger pieces.

The case diameter is 42.5 mm. Here too, Citizen went with the tried‑and‑true combination of a polished round bezel and a brushed case.

Citizen opted for a classic, symmetrical subdial layout. They didn’t omit the date either—a practical feature not only for everyday watches.

Another reason the Zenshin models have proven so popular is the accessible pricing—especially considering you’re getting a package with a sapphire crystal and excellent water resistance.

Lume on the hands and indices.

Those who want a sportier‑looking watch that won’t weigh down either the wrist or the wallet should reach for the Eco-Drive Chronograph CA4610.

Citizen Sports Chronograph CA4691 Senkei

Another way to get a sport chronograph within the Zenshin lineup is the Citizen CA4691 Senkei.

They offer:

• titanium case and bracelet
• Eco-Drive solar movement
• chronograph
• 100 m water resistance
• sapphire crystal

The word Senkei in Japanese can mean linear, shape, lines—often translated as clean lines. Apt, because once you look closely, you’ll find plenty of regular lines throughout the watch.

Inside is the same solar‑powered chronograph movement, the B620. Once fully charged it can run for up to nine months in complete darkness, with a maximum deviation of 15 seconds per month.

Compared to the previous chronograph version, the Senkei does without an internal tachymeter scale, and the bezel features pronounced edges. Most notably, the dial carries a bold rectangular grid, giving the watch a more technical feel.

Citizen Sports Automatic NJ018

At first glance, the Citizen NJ018 looks very similar to the solar models. But the movement sets them apart.

The NJ018 models feature:

• titanium case and bracelet
• Citizen 8213 automatic caliber
• 100 m water resistance
• sapphire crystal

Inside is Citizen’s mechanical movement with automatic winding, the 8213. It’s a fairly basic caliber with a power reserve of around 45 hours, but the big advantage is the accessible price point. You can also view it through the display caseback.

Automatic movement made by Citizen.

You’ll see it isn’t lavishly decorated, but the rotor and bridges have a gilt finish—and above all, it runs flawlessly. It offers hacking seconds and, to inject a bit of dynamism, Citizen went with an off‑center small‑seconds display.

One critical aspect of watches with integrated bracelets is the articulation. It’s easy for a watch with a smaller case diameter to “grow” on the wrist because of its overall length.

Citizen thought this through. Not only does it look good and suit the design, but the articulation sits close to the case, so the lug‑to‑lug length doesn’t balloon and the bracelet quickly drapes to the wrist.

Once again, Citizen has created a watch that ticks all the boxes for a superb everyday wearer. And at this price, you’ll have a hard time finding real competition.

Here too you’ll find a textured dial reminiscent of ice crystals. A strength across all versions is legibility: the models feature clearly marked indices for easier time reading, along with sufficiently contrasting hands and primary markers.

The automatic small‑seconds models have a case diameter of 40.5 mm and a thickness of 11 mm. They fit smaller wrists but don’t feel diminutive.

This version has become very popular with anyone expanding their watch box with new mechanicals—or even just starting out with mechanical movements.

They’re sometimes nicknamed “titanium Tsuyosa,” since the Tsuyosa also offers an automatic movement, an integrated bracelet with a tonneau‑shaped case, and aligns perfectly with today’s trend.

Citizen Sports NK5020 Zenshin 60

Among the newest additions are the automatic Citizen NK5020 Zenshin 60.

They offer:

• titanium case and bracelet
• automatic movement with a 60‑hour power reserve
• sapphire crystal
• 100 m water resistance

Here, Citizen took a slightly different design direction—just slightly. You’ll notice the bezel isn’t round; it has edges. The result is a sportier, more dynamic look. A small change that makes a big difference.

The dial texture has changed too: no longer crystalline, it now evokes tall grass, with a gradient that shades from darker edges to a lighter center.

The movement has changed as well. It’s the 8322—an automatic caliber also made by Citizen—and as the name Zenshin 60 suggests, it offers a 60‑hour power reserve.

Even so, thickness has increased only slightly to 11.3 mm, while the case diameter remains a comfortable 40 mm.

Anyone considering an automatic Citizen Zenshin will face a tough choice between this and the version with a round bezel. Both come at very fair prices, in similar sizes and configurations—but it’s the details that decide.

Which titanium Zenshin will you choose?

Photo credits:

• Hodinky 365
• Citizenwatches.eu

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