Citizen are entering the smartwatch fray in 2021 with their CZ model. Now for older readers, the name CZ means smoky two-stroke motorbikes made in the Czech Republic, but those days are long gone and a new generation will like the snappy name – and the great looking, multi-function watches. We are old school mechanical/auto here at the Northern Watch Co mag, but you gotta keep an open mind on the future.
The new CZ Smart smartwatch is designed for every moment, says Citizen. Inspired by iconic sport technical timepieces, CZ Smart marries modern technologies with the style and quality you expect from Citizen. The sport edition features a colour touchscreen dial and black anodized aluminum top ring, framed and finished with a silver tone stainless steel case and comfortable blue silicone strap. CZ Smart also features a 46mm three-piece case construction and a rugged blue bezel design. So yeah, it’s kinda big.
We like the dive watch style bezel they have painted on the CZ and the chunky winding crown and pushers too. This model is definitely one for someone who loves a mechanical watch look but wants all the tech gizmos that make modern life such a 24/7, always on-call, tsunami of updates. We’re really selling you the dream here ain’t we?
Powered with Wear OS by Google™, CZ Smart is compatible with both iPhone® and Android™ phones to fit your lifestyle. Plus, the customisable menu of dials and technology that provides the information you need at your fingertips.You can make calls and there’s a little speaker in there too, so you can keep up with things like Ring doorbell or Alexa alerts too. The watch connects via Bluetooth to an earpiece or headset, so you can take calls without slowing too much on your 10-speed racer hill climb. Naturally, the CZ features all that heart rate/steps per day data that fitness enthusiasts know and love.
You can change functions and menus by pushing the winding crown in, plus get further choices by rotating it so it scrolls through menu options like a Nest heating dial. Chrono pushers? The top one lets you delve into your initial app choice on screen, so say you want to scroll through music tracks then push the top button in. The bottom pusher, usually the flyback on a conventional watch, controls your Google Pay info/settings. Yes, you can also pay for stuff at modern POS terminals in shops with the CZ watch.
In daily use, you simply swipe up or down, left-to-right, to access the various function menus. You can also press and hold the dial to choose a different colour every day, plus there’s a steel bracelet and blue leather strap option, as well as the sporty silicone one you would expect on a sports watch.
It retails at £349 and although your watch blogger would rather have a Citizen automatic, I can see how this watch and it’s multiple data functions offers all kinds of uses beyond old fashioned timekeeping. More here at Citizen’s website.