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Citizen Red Arrows JY8087-51E Skyhawk A-T Watch - Limited Edition - W38150
Ref. JY8087-51E
Sits in Citizen’s upper tier here — more premium than three quarters of the Citizen watches we list, which start at £199.
Price range £199 to £1,145 across 42 Citizen watches in stock.The Red Arrows have had an official relationship with Citizen for some years, and this Skyhawk A-T is among the more considered results of that partnership — a limited edition built around the aerobatic display team's insignia rather than simply borrowing their colours. The Red Arrows logo appears on the dial, and the caseback carries an engraved RAF aerobatic team mark, which makes it a genuinely documented collaboration rather than a licensing exercise. At 46mm in black PVD, this is a pilot's instrument first and makes no attempt to be otherwise. The dual analogue-digital layout, slide rule bezel and world time ring for 43 cities give the dial the density that a working aviator's watch demands, and the atomic radio synchronisation means the time displayed is never approximate. Eco-Drive handles the power side: any light source keeps the movement running, with no battery to manage over the life of the watch. The grey ion-plated bracelet and its push-button folding clasp match the case treatment closely, and the engraved caseback gives an owner something to find on the second look — the kind of detail that separates an edition built with care from one that exists only on the dial side.
- Reference
- JY8087-51E
- Brand
- Citizen
- Case size
- 46mm
- Case thickness
- 14mm
- Case material
- Black PVD
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Solar
- Functions
- Chronograph, Power reserve indicator, Countdown timer, Alarm, World time, Perpetual calendar, Solar powered, Radio controlled, Dual display
- Water resistance
- 200m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Grey
- Clasp
- Deployant clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- F.Hinds
Learn more about Citizen
The Shokosha Watch Research Institute began in Tokyo in 1918, and the Citizen name was given to its first pocket watch in 1924 by the then mayor of Tokyo, Shinpei Goto, who wanted a watch that would be available to ordinary citizens rather than only the wealthy. The company formally took the name in 1930.
That founding intention has held. Citizen is the largest watch manufacturer in the world by volume and is fully vertically integrated, making its own movements, cases, and electronic components.
Its most significant technology is Eco-Drive, introduced in 1976 and refined over decades. A photovoltaic cell beneath the dial converts any light — including indoor light — into stored energy, so the watch never needs a battery change. Citizen has sold well over a hundred million Eco-Drive watches, and the environmental argument is substantial: hundreds of millions of cells not discarded.
The company also produced the first analogue quartz watch with a titanium case in 1970, the first professional dive watch with an electronic depth sensor, and the Caliber 0100, an Eco-Drive movement accurate to within one second a year — the most accurate independent watch movement ever put into production.
Citizen owns Bulova, Frederique Constant, Alpina, and the movement manufacturer Miyota, whose calibres power a large share of the affordable mechanical watch market worldwide.
- 1918
- The Shokosha Watch Research Institute is founded.
- 1924
- The Citizen name is given to its first pocket watch.
- 1976
- Eco-Drive light-powered technology is introduced.
- 2018
- The Caliber 0100 achieves accuracy of one second a year.
Manufacturer’s guarantee
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Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Yes. At 200m it is rated for swimming, snorkelling and recreational diving.
Will the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Does it need a battery?
No. It charges from light, and the cell behind that is designed to last a decade or more.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's.
Cheapest place to buy
F.Hinds at £595, against £695 at Goldsmiths. Two UK retailers stock this reference.
Who are F.Hinds?
F.Hinds has been run by the same family since 1856 and is now in its fifth generation, with more than 115 shops across England and Wales. They are a member of the Responsible Jewellery Council and an Authorised Diamond Dealer.
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