MITKA

Movement review Citizen Jet series.

In 1961 Citizen released its new in-house fully automatic movement calibre 0361. The main new feature was a oscillating weight with no central post/bearing. The auto-winder mechanism has the oscillating weight fitted around it via a large diameter ball bearing. The rotating weight has inwards facing teeth that engage with the auto winder mechanism. Citizen must have been very inspired by the Swiss movement manufacture Fabrique d’Horlogerie de Fontainemelon had released a very similar FHF calibre 65 two years earlier. Unlike FHF Citizen where fairly successful (In the domestic Japan market) and continued production until about 1968 when it was replaced with a new generation central mounted oscillating weights that where slimmer and smoother, but less fun!

There is a bewildering amount of variants of these movements featuring, day date, quick set different jewel counts ect, but my personal favourite is the calibre 1161 with its impressive 39 jewels and quick set date often found in the Super Jet models. 

Similar but different:

Longines launched a off-centere peripheral rotor design in the calibre 340 in 1960. In 1970 Patek Philippe launched a fully centre peripheral rotor design in the calibre 350.

The peripheral rotor design has the rotor on the outside of a movement; engaging with the auto winder gears on the side of the movement. The FHF 65 and Jet movements has the autowinder gears centrally placed on top of the movement. 

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