Stainless steel is the selvedge denim fabric of the watch world. It’s classic, hard to wear, and looks good with everything. A popular material for sport watches in the last century, steel has proven to be suitable for luxury watches such as Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and affordable smashers like Seiko 5 watch. But the material is as common as it is, it’s not the only metal variant — or even the best metal variant — used to make high-quality watches.
You may know titanium as the space-age material used in Formula 1 cars, jet engines, high-end road bikes and other things that look good and cost a lot of money — but it’s becoming increasingly popular. become a popular image in the watch world, too. Lighter than steel, harder than aluminum and highly resistant to corrosion, titanium is having a big moment right now thanks to a string of recent high-profile discounts from Switzerland’s biggest luxury brands. But if your budget doesn’t allow for a Vacheron Constantin Abroad or Omega Seamaster Ultra DeepCitizen’s brand new Garrison watch offers a similar vibe (same durability and exceptional lightness) for a fraction of the cost.
A classic three-hand sports watch, Garrison gains traction for everyday wear with its 42mm Super Titanium case and bracelet, an aviation-inspired dial, and scratch-resistant sapphire crystal. While it is not the only sub-$500 watch made from a high-performance alloy, it does have one important advantage in the competition: Citizen worked with titanium longer than anyone else. The brand launched the world’s first titanium watch, the X-8 Cosmotron Chronometer, in 1970, and they’ve been tinkering with the formula ever since.
Fifty years later, their exclusive Super Titanium is 5 times harder than stainless steel and highly scratch resistant, with a polished polished finish resembling a classic steel sports watch. (The new Garrison is also equipped with Citizen’s Eco-Drive, a light-powered movement that made changing your watch’s battery a nuisance in the past.) If a classic steel sports watch is a 12 oz bulletproof pair. jeans, the all-titanium Garrison is a lightweight stretch denim fabric. You’ll definitely feel the difference — and you’ll probably never go back.
