Citizen is adding four new versions of its smaller Tsuno Chrono to the Japanese Citizen Collection. The formula is simple: familiar 38mm bullhead chronograph, metallic gradient dials, four colors. Gray, blue, green, and red versions will arrive in Japan on October 15. I think these work, although the reason has very little to do with novelty.
The Tsuno is already a strange watch. The Tube Screamer version is still one of my recent favorites. Its roots go back to Citizen’s 1973 Chronograph Challenge Timer, with the crown and chronograph pushers sitting across the top of the case. That arrangement eventually earned these watches the “Tsuno,” or horn, nickname. Citizen has returned to the shape plenty of times since then, and the current AN3714 series keeps things relatively compact.
To me, the gradient treatment in this “”RECORD LABEL Gradation TSUNO” collection makes sense because the underlying watch already looks so thoroughly ’70s. Citizen describes these as metal dials, with color graduating inward from the outer edge. The gray AN3714-50H is the restrained option. Blue, green, and red versions lean harder into the period look, with Citizen using gold-colored chronograph hands on the brighter variants.
My take is that we’re still looking at new colorways rather than a substantial update. The dials simply happen to suit this case unusually well. Everything underneath remains familiar. The stainless-steel case measures 38mm across and 11.7mm thick, with Citizen specifying that the diameter excludes the crown and crown guards. Weight is 98 grams on the stainless-steel bracelet. There’s also “spherical crystal glass,” (I’m assuming mineral crystal) 50 meters of water resistance, lume on the hands and indices, and a date display.
Then we get to the part that bugs me. Citizen is sticking with its caliber 0510, a conventional battery-powered quartz movement rated to ±20 seconds per month and roughly two years of battery life. It runs a proper 12-hour chronograph, which I think is a good fit for the Tsuno. Some of the early Reddit discussion has focused on that layout as well, particularly the absence of the largely redundant 24-hour indicator found on many inexpensive quartz chronographs.
Still, I keep coming back to Eco-Drive. In my opinion, conventional battery quartz feels like a curious choice for a new Citizen chronograph in 2026. Eco-Drive has been central to Citizen’s modern identity for decades, and the company clearly knows its way around solar-powered chronographs. Enthusiasts in the Citizen community have already raised the same question about these watches.
There could be technical, dimensional, or cost reasons for retaining the 0510. Citizen hasn’t said, and I don’t think we should assume that an Eco-Drive movement would automatically require a larger case or a different dial layout. The ¥29,700 (around $190 currently) price also keeps my expectations in check. To me, that’s about where this watch should land given the conventional quartz movement, crystal glass, steel bracelet, and 50-meter water resistance. Citizen hasn’t tried to turn the new dials into an excuse for a higher price.
And maybe that simplicity is enough. I think the gradients give the Tsuno some extra personality without interfering with what already makes the design interesting. I just keep looking at this very Citizen-looking chronograph and wondering when the smaller Tsuno will finally get Citizen’s most recognizable modern movement technology.
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Michael Peñate is an American writer, photographer, and podcaster based in Seattle, Washington. His work typically focuses on the passage of time and the tools we use to connect with that very journey. From aviation to music and travel, his interests span a multitude of disciplines that often intersect with the world of watches – and the obsessive culture behind collecting them.