Citizen Auto Dater – October 1966 – Ref. AP SS 52701A-T – Original Citizen steel bracelet

A very authentic 1960s Citizen Auto Dater – technically sound, classically styled, and increasingly rare to find with its original bracelet. An ideal piece for collectors of Japanese vintage watches or as a stylish everyday watch with a history.

Citizen is one of the central pillars of the Japanese watch industry. Since the 1950s and 1960s, Citizen consistently pursued the goal of mass-producing technically advanced, everyday automatic watches – with clear legibility, robust construction, and very reliable movements.

With its Auto Dater line, Citizen quickly positioned itself as a direct competitor to Seiko, particularly in the segment of elegant day-date automatic watches. The Auto Dater models were characterized by independent design, robust stainless steel cases, and durable in-house movements, and were extremely popular in Japan.

Model History: Citizen Auto Dater (1966)

This example dates from October 1966 and belongs to the classic Auto-Dater generation of the mid-1960s. Characteristic features include:

• the symmetrical sunburst dial,
• the day-date display (day at 12 o'clock, date at 3 o'clock),
• the distinctive serrated bezel design,
• as well as the proven Citizen Caliber 520 with 21 jewels.

The watch embodies exactly the phase in which Japanese manufacturers finally caught up with their Swiss competitors in terms of technology and design.

Condition and Classification

The watch is in good, honest vintage condition overall:

• original Citizen stainless steel case with age-appropriate signs of wear,
• beautifully preserved silver dial with typical sunburst finish,
• original Citizen crown,
• original Citizen stainless steel bracelet (for approx. 17-18 cm wrist circumference),
• clear acrylic crystal with minor, typical signs of use.

On the wrist, the watch appears prominent due to its serrated bezel and clear dial architecture, yet remains elegant and well-balanced.

Technical Data

• Brand: Citizen
• Model: Auto Dater
• Reference: AP SS 52701A-T
• Year of Manufacture: October 1966
• Movement: Citizen Automatic, Caliber 520
• Jewels: 21 Jewels
• Functions: Hour, Minute, Second, Day, Date
• Case Material: Stainless steel
• Diameter: approx. 36 mm (without crown)
• Lug-to-Lug: approx. 42 mm
• Case Height: approx. 9.7 mm
• Lug Width: 18 mm
• Bracelet: Original Citizen stainless steel bracelet
• Weight: approx. 67 g incl. bracelet
• Crystal: Acrylic crystal

Warranty (used)
This is a used item. The limitation period for warranty claims (statutory warranty) is 12 months from delivery.

Note
As this is a used watch, water resistance cannot be guaranteed. To protect the movement, the watch should not come into contact with water or moisture.