# Is there a method/way to date Citizen watches from what is on the case back?



## fatehbajwa

I understand that the numbers stamped on Seiko casebacks not only tell the model number but can also help in putting a date/month/quarter to its production.

Is there anything similar for Citizen watches ?

Also what numbers denote the model number and what denote the caliber in Citizens.

Any help with an example picture would be most appreciated.

Thanks.


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## fatehbajwa

Anybody ?


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## Pawl_Buster

The serial number has the manufacturing date embedded in it. The same method is used on Seiko watches.
Depending how old the watch is, it may have a 6 or 7 digit serial number. Generally speaking though, the first digit is the year in the decade which the watch was made and the second digit is for the month of that year.
Some of the earlier 7 digit serial numbers used the 2nd and third digits to indicated the month; ie 01 = Jan, 02 = Feb, etc.
For the 6 digit numbers, the months of Oct, Nov and Dec are represented by the letters 'O', 'N' and 'D'.

The trick to nailing down what decade a watch was made in; ie 1987 vs 1997; is styling, catalogue pictures or any source that can locate it to a particular period.

Using the movement calibre is often pointless since movements like the Citizen 8200 have been in continuous production since circa 1975.

Hope this helps a bit.
Often, posting a picture will have other owners of the same or similar watch, being able to give an accurate date since they may have bought their's new and know exactly when.


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## fatehbajwa

Pawl_Buster said:


> The serial number has the manufacturing date embedded in it. The same method is used on Seiko watches.
> Depending how old the watch is, it may have a 6 or 7 digit serial number. Generally speaking though, the first digit is the year in the decade which the watch was made and the second digit is for the month of that year.
> Some of the earlier 7 digit serial numbers used the 2nd and third digits to indicated the month; ie 01 = Jan, 02 = Feb, etc.
> For the 6 digit numbers, the months of Oct, Nov and Dec are represented by the letters 'O', 'N' and 'D'.
> 
> The trick to nailing down what decade a watch was made in; ie 1987 vs 1997; is styling, catalogue pictures or any source that can locate it to a particular period.
> 
> Using the movement calibre is often pointless since movements like the Citizen 8200 have been in continuous production since circa 1975.
> 
> Hope this helps a bit.
> Often, posting a picture will have other owners of the same or similar watch, being able to give an accurate date since they may have bought their's new and know exactly when.


Thanks.

This one.....

















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## Pawl_Buster

Very nice!
I have almost the exact same watch(but not as nice as yours).
This watch has the 180x caliber(see the 4-180615 on the case back just to the left of CITIZEN) movement which first appeared around 1962 and finished around 1975.
From the serial number on your watch; I'm guessing this one was made in September of 1969.

These are very robust movements that keep amazingly good time; even after 40+ years!

Mine is a little younger and has the movement that was used before, during and after the 180x series.









This one dates to Dec 1969 or 1979 and still works perfectly.

For more reading on this subject, I recommend this site... http://sweep-hand.org/movement-table/
Go to the 'blogroll' and checkout the Citizen Movement Table.


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## fatehbajwa

Pawl_Buster said:


> Very nice!
> I have almost the exact same watch(but not as nice as yours).
> This watch has the 180x caliber(see the 4-180615 on the case back just to the left of CITIZEN) movement which first appeared around 1962 and finished around 1975.
> From the serial number on your watch; I'm guessing this one was made in September of 1969.
> 
> These are very robust movements that keep amazingly good time; even after 40+ years!
> 
> Mine is a little younger and has the movement that was used before, during and after the 180x series.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This one dates to Dec 1969 or 1979 and still works perfectly.
> 
> For more reading on this subject, I recommend this site... http://sweep-hand.org/movement-table/
> Go to the 'blogroll' and checkout the Citizen Movement Table.


Thanks a ton..yes, it's a pretty watch and is ticking away nicely after a service. I just chanced on it a few days back and it's just the kind of watch I like.

Thanks for the link to the site.. That's where I am heading to now.



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## RafaPeraza

Thank u for this post it has been really useful, but i need i bit more help finding the year of my first citizen ecodrive i really love this watch and i really want to know all the background of it! maybe some of u guys can help or own one or a similar one! thank u again for the information posted!


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## James Haury

So what is the date of manufacture on this watch?


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## khronolektur

James Haury said:


> View attachment 12936741
> So what is the date of manufacture on this watch?


The serial number's first 2 digits is "10". That could mean the year 2011, 2001, or 1991. The 2nd digit could mean October, the tenth month.


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## jtaka1

Deleted. Wrong thread.


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## OCDetails

khronolektur said:


> The serial number's first 2 digits is "10". That could mean the year 2011, 2001, or 1991. The 2nd digit could mean October, the tenth month.


I don't know if that is right. The first number is the last number of the year. The second and third number are the month. So this is a July from some year ending in a 1. You'd have to look at the model to get more specific. I don't know the era of that model number, but I'm sure it is something that could be looked up. A view of the dial could probably give us a decade range at least. We know the year ends with a 1, so that narrows it down quite a bit.


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## espiga

I have seen Eco-drives from the 90's that have used N and D for the month code.
Right now on the bay there is one Eco-Drive 0850 with serial number 8NXXXX.
I have one 0850 Eco-Drive S/N 67XXXX.
At one point Citizen started using N and D for November and December and continue to use today.
Hope this helps.


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## fcasoli

This is my back in AS2020-53E, bought last week


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## hoss

fcasoli said:


> This is my back in AS2020-53E, bought last week


The newer Citizen models all have 9 digit serial numbers. The older ones had 8 digits. How do you decipher the 9 digit serial number to determine the manufacture date of the watch? What do the first 4 to 5 digits mean on the serial number and what do the remaining numbers mean?


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## hoss

fcasoli said:


> This is my back in AS2020-53E, bought last week


The newer Citizen models all have 9 digit serial numbers. The older ones had 8 digits. How do you decipher the 9 digit serial number to determine the manufacture date of the watch? What do the first 4 to 5 digits mean on the serial number and what do the remaining numbers mean?


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## mi6_

^^^^ Yours should be 2018 April (84) production date. The last 7 digits are just a serialized number with no discernible meaning as far as I know.


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## jonathangonzalez

mi6_ said:


> ^^^^ Yours should be 2018 April (84) production date. The last 7 digits are just a serialized number with no discernible meaning as far as I know.


Can I get help with mine, please? Much appreciated.


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## Ankitha

Pawl_Buster said:


> The serial number has the manufacturing date embedded in it. The same method is used on Seiko watches.
> Depending how old the watch is, it may have a 6 or 7 digit serial number. Generally speaking though, the first digit is the year in the decade which the watch was made and the second digit is for the month of that year.
> Some of the earlier 7 digit serial numbers used the 2nd and third digits to indicated the month; ie 01 = Jan, 02 = Feb, etc.
> For the 6 digit numbers, the months of Oct, Nov and Dec are represented by the letters 'O', 'N' and 'D'.
> 
> The trick to nailing down what decade a watch was made in; ie 1987 vs 1997; is styling, catalogue pictures or any source that can locate it to a particular period.
> 
> Using the movement calibre is often pointless since movements like the Citizen 8200 have been in continuous production since circa 1975.
> 
> Hope this helps a bit.
> Often, posting a picture will have other owners of the same or similar watch, being able to give an accurate date since they may have bought their's new and know exactly when.


Hi , probably a lot late to this discussion. 
But I just got my hands on my father's Citizen 21 Jewels. But I'm unable to figure out the year of manufacture. 
The code on the back is : 4-R12756.
Hopefully a reply!
Thank you


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## Suraj1hero

fatehbajwa said:


> Thanks.
> 
> This one.....
> 
> View attachment 587738
> 
> 
> View attachment 587739
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


I also have my fathers Citizen Automatic 21 Jewel watch whihc


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## Suraj1hero

Pawl_Buster said:


> Very nice!
> I have almost the exact same watch(but not as nice as yours).
> This watch has the 180x caliber(see the 4-180615 on the case back just to the left of CITIZEN) movement which first appeared around 1962 and finished around 1975.
> From the serial number on your watch; I'm guessing this one was made in September of 1969.
> 
> These are very robust movements that keep amazingly good time; even after 40+ years!
> 
> Mine is a little younger and has the movement that was used before, during and after the 180x series.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This one dates to Dec 1969 or 1979 and still works perfectly.
> 
> For more reading on this subject, I recommend this site... Movement Table
> Go to the 'blogroll' and checkout the Citizen Movement Table.





fatehbajwa said:


> Thanks.
> 
> This one.....
> 
> View attachment 587738
> 
> 
> View attachment 587739
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


I also have my fathers Citizen automatic watch


fatehbajwa said:


> Thanks.
> 
> This one.....
> 
> View attachment 587738
> 
> 
> View attachment 587739
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk





fatehbajwa said:


> Thanks.
> 
> This one.....
> 
> View attachment 587738
> 
> 
> View attachment 587739
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


I also have my fathers Citizen Automatic watch which was made in 1975


fatehbajwa said:


> Thanks.
> 
> This one.....
> 
> View attachment 587738
> 
> 
> View attachment 587739
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


I also have my fathers Citizen Automatic watch which was made in 1975


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## Paul41

James Haury said:


> View attachment 12936741
> So what is the date of manufacture on this watch?


Going on the Serial no. 10705556 & WATER RESISTANT. First digit (1) made in year ending 1(ie '71,'81 & so on) second & third digit (07) made in July, WATER RESISTANT made after 1969.


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## aafanatic

@Paul41 Welcome to the forum What a great first contribution


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