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It seems that compared to Grand Seiko’s quartz lineup, The Citizen Chronomaster has barely seen any attention/recognition. On top of that, the model that I have doesn’t seem to have any reviews online, and thus today I would like to share my thoughts on the AQ4020-54Z.
Simply called “The Citizen” (and some given the “Chronomaster” label as well), these HAQ watches are offered in either standard battery-operated movements or with eco-drive movements. What attracted me the most were the models which have “washi” paper dials. These dials are nothing short of beautiful, only rivaled by GS snowflake dials. There was one Chronomaster in particular that stood out to me.
The AQ4020-54Z
Released in August 2019, this was a limited edition JDM release with only 200 made, making it a challenge to purchase (more on that later). The watch is 37.5mm in diameter and 10.6mm thick. As someone who has 6-inch wrists (no watch above 40mm will fit me), I found the size to be perfect. Even though I purchased it used, the condition was nice overall and there were only a few minor scuff marks on the bracelet. You can immediately tell that it’s a titanium case based on how light it is.
![15323772]()
The Chronomaster in brightly lit conditions. What I noticed immediately was faint line streaking across the left side of the dial. At first I thought the dial was damaged, or there was a hair stuck inside the dial, but upon closer inspection I think it might just be an imperfection from the washi paper. Either way, it's barely noticeable. You can also see how the case and indices have zaratsu polishing to them, giving a watch a beautiful reflective shine. (Also it looks like the second hand is offset, but I assure you it's just the camera angle. The second hand hits the minute markers perfectly when looking at the watch straight on).
![15323787]()
Here's a photo in dimmer-lit conditions. As you can see, the dial texture changes depending on the angle and amount of light.
![15323795]()
A "macro" shot of the dial. You can see how the text appears to be slightly floating. The second hand reflects off the dial face, which is likely due to the fact that there's a plastic coating on top of the washi paper to protect it from damage and is how all the indices and markers are attached.
Overall, I’m very pleased with the AQ4020-54Z. Red-dials aren’t a common occurrence, but thankfully Citizen did not disappoint with this watch. My only complaints are that the crown isn’t signed, there’s no micro-adjust on the bracelet, and there’s only a 1-year international warranty. But besides that, the dial is beautiful, it fits comfortably, and I think its worthy of the title “Chronomaster".
Where I purchased it, and how much it cost
I used FromJapan, which is a proxy service that lets you bid on Yahoo Japan Auction items. The watch itself cost 250,000 yen, with fees and shipping costing another 10,000. At the time, this translated to around 3450CAD (2500 USD). It wasn’t cheap, but given the fact that it costs 360,000yen (w/taxes) brand new, and the fact that I wasn’t charged any import fees, it definitely could’ve cost more!
![15323808]()
![15341281]()
Simply called “The Citizen” (and some given the “Chronomaster” label as well), these HAQ watches are offered in either standard battery-operated movements or with eco-drive movements. What attracted me the most were the models which have “washi” paper dials. These dials are nothing short of beautiful, only rivaled by GS snowflake dials. There was one Chronomaster in particular that stood out to me.
The AQ4020-54Z
Released in August 2019, this was a limited edition JDM release with only 200 made, making it a challenge to purchase (more on that later). The watch is 37.5mm in diameter and 10.6mm thick. As someone who has 6-inch wrists (no watch above 40mm will fit me), I found the size to be perfect. Even though I purchased it used, the condition was nice overall and there were only a few minor scuff marks on the bracelet. You can immediately tell that it’s a titanium case based on how light it is.
The Chronomaster in brightly lit conditions. What I noticed immediately was faint line streaking across the left side of the dial. At first I thought the dial was damaged, or there was a hair stuck inside the dial, but upon closer inspection I think it might just be an imperfection from the washi paper. Either way, it's barely noticeable. You can also see how the case and indices have zaratsu polishing to them, giving a watch a beautiful reflective shine. (Also it looks like the second hand is offset, but I assure you it's just the camera angle. The second hand hits the minute markers perfectly when looking at the watch straight on).
Here's a photo in dimmer-lit conditions. As you can see, the dial texture changes depending on the angle and amount of light.
A "macro" shot of the dial. You can see how the text appears to be slightly floating. The second hand reflects off the dial face, which is likely due to the fact that there's a plastic coating on top of the washi paper to protect it from damage and is how all the indices and markers are attached.
Overall, I’m very pleased with the AQ4020-54Z. Red-dials aren’t a common occurrence, but thankfully Citizen did not disappoint with this watch. My only complaints are that the crown isn’t signed, there’s no micro-adjust on the bracelet, and there’s only a 1-year international warranty. But besides that, the dial is beautiful, it fits comfortably, and I think its worthy of the title “Chronomaster".
Where I purchased it, and how much it cost
I used FromJapan, which is a proxy service that lets you bid on Yahoo Japan Auction items. The watch itself cost 250,000 yen, with fees and shipping costing another 10,000. At the time, this translated to around 3450CAD (2500 USD). It wasn’t cheap, but given the fact that it costs 360,000yen (w/taxes) brand new, and the fact that I wasn’t charged any import fees, it definitely could’ve cost more!
