2024.07.04
The Allure of CITIZEN WATCH's "CAMPANOLA" Cosmosign: A Small Universe on Your Wrist
Wristwatches were originally tools for knowing the time. However, as times changed, many functions were added, transforming them into accessories, status symbols, and even investment targets.
Since its birth in 2001, this timepiece has continued to captivate wristwatch enthusiasts. How was this miniature universe brought to life on your wrist?
We spoke with Takayuki Ichikawa from CITIZEN WATCH CO., LTD., who is in charge of product planning for CAMPANOLA.
PROFILE
Takayuki Ichikawa
CITIZEN WATCH CO., LTD. CAMPANOLA Product Planning
After experiencing development of collaboration products and sales to department stores and specialist shops, he currently handles product planning. He was fascinated by the beauty of CAMPANOLA, which he encountered in high school, and aspired to enter the world of watches.
Expressing the "Beauty of the Universe" Within the Watch Case
First, let's look at the origins of the brand.
"CAMPANOLA, developed by CITIZEN WATCH, is a watch brand that proposes 'enjoying time.' It expresses the design concept of 'the beauty of the universe' through multilayer structures utilizing numerous parts, circular gimbals, three-dimensional dials reminiscent of buildings, and round forms reminiscent of dome ceilings."
The brand name is derived from an old story passed down in southern Italy.
"There is a town called Nola in the Campania region of southern Italy. The name CAMPANOLA comes from a bell in a church in this town, which is said to have been the first in human history to notify the community of the time."
The debut model released along with the launch of the brand surprised watch enthusiasts. The three-dimensional multilayer structure and intricate decorations were impressive, and the quartz movement equipped with a perpetual calendar also drew attention.
By equipping a quartz watch with a complex mechanism, this model offered more watch enthusiasts the enjoyment of complicated watches.
Aiming for an Accessible Astronomical Display Watch
The initial model of the "CAMPANOLA" Cosmosign debuted in 2001, just a year after the brand started."CAMPANOLA has various collections, including the complex complication, mechanical watches, and the eco-drive that runs on sunlight. Cosmosign pursued the expression of the universe among these. The development concept was 'to encapsulate the universe directly overhead into the watch,' which aligns with the idea of an 'astronomical display watch.'"
An astronomical display watch is a timepiece equipped with mechanisms and dials that indicate the positions of the sun, moon, constellations, and planets. The origin of watches could be said to lie in converting the movement of the universe into time and making it visible.
"This genre has long had dedicated enthusiasts, but authentic mechanical astronomical display watches are neither easy to acquire nor handle due to their cost, distribution level, and operational complexity. Thus, we developed an astronomical display watch that could be easily used daily."
A Precise Constellation Board Displaying All Constellations at North Latitude 35 Degrees
The "AO4010-18M" is the flagship model of the Cosmosign collection. The pinnacle of CITIZEN WATCH's technology can be seen in the expression of the universe.
"This model's planisphere displays the constellations of the entire sky at 35 degrees north latitude. In addition to the 1,027 fixed stars that have a visible magnitude of 4.8 or brighter, it accurately lays out 166 nebulae and star clusters, including the Andromeda Galaxy and the Orion Nebula. The planisphere rotates counterclockwise according to the time, accurately displaying the position of the stars in real time."
The feature of being "35 degrees north latitude" is also unique to CAMPANOLA.
"Astronomical display watches made overseas are set to the latitude of that country, so the positions of the stars differ from those in Japan. Therefore, in this model, we set it to the latitude almost at the center of the Japanese archipelago. This feature is also highly appreciated by watch enthusiasts."
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