New Citizen watch collection pairs with a fashion legend – but there's a catch

It's looking set to be a big year for Citizen watches. The brand is celebrating 50 years of its iconic Eco-Drive movement technology this year, and we're expecting to see some major releases as part of the celebrations.

One thing I hadn't anticipated was a collaboration with an iconic fashion house – but that's exactly what we're getting. The brand has partnered with Vera Wang, a fashion house with roots in bridalwear and high jewellery, but with a suitably broad portfolio in 2026.

To date, though, the brand's catalogue is notably devoid of any watches. Enter the Vera Wang for Citizen collection, which will change that in a big way.

The range will consist of 24 pieces for men and women, which range from ready-to-wear styles, right the way through to jewellery-inspired designs. Every single one will be powered by the Eco-Drive movement technology, which should make them easy to wear everyday.

There's no deeper word on specs, though the press release does go on to talk about how Citizen's Eco-Drive innovation has allowed for different dial designs to thrive. That includes washi paper and ultra-thin sapphire – perhaps there's a little foreshadowing there?

In any case, we won't know for some time, because the collection isn't set to launch until Spring 2027. No, that's not a typo – we really are still a year away from the unveiling of this collection.

That's one of the longest lead times I've seen for any product in a while, and is definitely going to leave many watch lovers wondering what's to come. Personally, I'm really excited by the prospect of this launch.

Citizen watches are undeniably fantastic, and the technology it has access to feels like exactly what fashion brands need. Throwing their designs onto any old watch might be how the fashion watches of old were created, but I'm hoping this starts a bit of a revolution – where big name brands look for quality, as well as profit.