Citizen Watch America Celebrates Opening of Fifth Avenue CITIZEN FLAGSHIP STORE NEW YORK
The premiere retail destination offers an immersive shopping experience with Accutron, Alpina, Bulova, Citizen, and Frederique Constant brands
New York, NY (December 7, 2023) – Citizen Watch America (CWA), a leader in accessible luxury timepieces, marked the official opening of the group’s first-ever U.S.-based multi-brand flagship store yesterday evening. CITIZEN FLAGSHIP STORE NEW YORK, situated within one of Manhattan’s premiere shopping destinations at 605 Fifth Avenue, steps from Rockefeller Center, is a new retail concept inviting customers to shop the full range of timepiece offerings across the group’s portfolio of brands that includes Citizen, Bulova, Accutron, Frederique Constant, and Alpina.
The first of its kind in North America, the new expansive 7,000 sq ft. three-story space is an immersive shopping experience incorporating state-of-the art technology and bringing to life Citizen’s acclaimed LIGHT is TIME art installation, a visual expression of the concept of time and its relation to light. Together with Paris-based Japanese architect, Tsuyoshi Tane (ATTA - Atelier Tsuyoshi Tane Architects), the captivating installation is inspired by Citizen's proprietary light-powered Eco-Drive technology and spotlights the foundation of any watch movement – the base plate, which is manufactured in-house for all Citizen watches and ensures the company's status as a manufacture d’Horlogerie. The installation takes center stage as glimmering base plates elegantly encapsulate the staircase, warmly inviting consumers into the store and to the upper shop floors.
Designed by acclaimed architect Ken Park and his award-winning New York-based firm Kenneth Park Architects, other notable features of the store include a grand video display viewable from the street and dynamic True 3D technology where watches visually jump from a screen. A seamless 20ft-long branded wall showcasing the company’s rich legacy in watchmaking leads you through the flagship toward dedicated shop-in-shop destinations for each brand. The first two floors are for CWA’s full range of timepiece offerings from Citizen, Bulova, Accutron, Frederique Constant, and Alpina across sport, style, and luxury collections, in addition to timepieces that are available exclusively at the flagship location. The third floor will include a museum archive and dedicated space for on-site programming, events, and community activations scheduled for 2024.
To celebrate the occasion, special guests and friends of the brands were invited to an exclusive ribbon cutting ceremony featuring top executives and iconic brand partners such as singer, songwriter and actor, Marc Anthony. Attendees were warmly invited into the store by music distinctively curated by DJ Amrit, as they mingled and explored the latest watch collections.
“We are proud to join the ever-growing Fifth Avenue shopping district and introduce Citizen Watch America group brands through an innovative and immersive experience,” says Jeffrey Cohen, President of Citizen Watch America. “This is our first-ever U.S. multi-brand flagship and there is no better place than New York City to capture the inclusive worldview of our company as it serves as the most iconic intersection for citizens from across the world.”
Special novelties from each of the brand’s will be available exclusively at the NYC flagship, including the following:
Citizen
Globally coveted, The CITIZEN collection embodies “the essence of the watch” with its ideals of superior precision, fine craftsmanship, and exceptional design. A premiere collection sought after by watch enthusiasts worldwide, The CITIZEN will be available in the NYC flagship location. Defined by the use of traditional Japanese washi paper dials, each limited-edition timepiece features high-accuracy movements, exquisite materials, and an expression of the art of tradition and innovation.
Bulova
Bulova and iconic singer, songwriter, and actor Marc Anthony come together to collaborate and celebrate a passion for watches and a shared cross-generational love of music, innovative design, and an artistic spirit that is Bold at Heart. The collection's three design themes: STAGE, CLASSIC, and PLAY, utilize some of Bulova’s most popular design elements and technologies with distinguishing features that form the DNA of the full collection, like numbers 1,3 and 5, which are significant numbers to Marc Anthony, case back quotes of either one of Marc’s songs or a saying that is meaningful to him, along with his favorite color orange. Shop the full collection at the NYC flagship alongside some of Marc Anthony’s select awards and statues on display through January 1st, 2024.
Accutron
Accutron adds four new vibrant colors to the DNA timepiece collection, continuing to build on the success of the brand’s groundbreaking electrostatic movement. The Accutron Manufacture movement powered by electrostatic energy is a historical advancement in timekeeping and the first of its kind. The new Accutron DNA Casino collection makes a futuristic and bold statement with the introduction of green, blue, orange, and red colors that echo the neon city skyline and the bright atmosphere of Las Vegas and its iconic casinos. Limited Edition to 100 pieces each. Launching first at the NYC Flagship store.
Frederique Constant
Founded in 1988 and celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, Frederique Constant unveils a new 88 pieces limited-edition version of its Highlife Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar Manufacture. Featuring all the characteristics of the Highlife collection, including its integrated and interchangeable strap, this new timepiece comes with a blue dial on a stainless-steel case and bracelet. Combining the best of tradition and innovation, it bears witness to the ongoing progress of a manufacture dedicated to watchmaking excellence. Launching first at the NYC Flagship store.
Alpina
Celebrating its 140th anniversary in 2023, Alpina is honoring one of its showcase ranges, the Alpiner Extreme, by adding two new models featuring for the first time a chronograph. Launching in time for the holidays, the two new Alpiner Extreme Chronograph Automatic come on a silver or navy-blue dial, both with an integrated stainless-steel bracelet. Launching first at the NYC Flagship store.
ABOUT CITIZEN WATCH AMERICA (CWA)
Citizen Watch America represents the sales and marketing for Citizen Group within the U.S., Caribbean, and Latin American markets. The brands included within Citizen Watch America are Citizen, Bulova, Frederique Constant, Accutron and Alpina.
As a true manufacture d’Horlogerie, Citizen integrates a comprehensive manufacturing process that extends from creating a watch’s individual components to its final assembly. The brand began making mechanical watches, invented, and improved technologies and explored the future of watches such as its proprietary light-powered Eco-Drive technology. which powers its watches from any natural or artificial source and converts it into energy, eliminating the need for any battery replacement.
Founded by Joseph Bulova in 1875 and headquartered in NYC, Bulova remains an iconic brand at the forefront of today’s timepiece industry. Bulova’s distinguished portfolio includes Bulova, as well as licenses with Frank Sinatra, Marc Anthony, Latin Grammys, and Frank Lloyd Wright.
Accutron changed the way the world told time, when it offered the world’s first fully electronic watch in 1960, with the most accurate timekeeping mechanism ever created. Accutron remains committed to bring the same drive for technological advancement and design with the first-ever watches powered by electrostatic energy along with the reimagination of the brand’s most iconic historical timepieces.
Founded in 1988, Frederique Constant is a Swiss watchmaking manufacture based in Geneva, Switzerland. The company was created under the founding principle of creating classic, high-quality mechanical Swiss watches at accessible prices. In 2023, as it celebrates its 35th anniversary, the brand continues to showcase its constantly advancing watchmaking expertise and proudly offers a collection of 31 calibers designed, developed and assembled in its own Manufacture at Plan-les-Ouates, Geneva.
Alpina, the original Swiss sport watch since 1883, is a fine watchmaking manufacture based in Geneva, Switzerland with a mission to design and engineer luxury sport watches that operate with the greatest precision and reliability possible in the most demanding sporting environments.