Citizen-Made Design Object "OZOC" (Citizen Caliber 6355) – Triple-Calendar Quartz Watch – Rare JDM Collector's Item from November 1997

This watch is less a classic timepiece than a stand-alone design object manufactured by Citizen – a Japanese design study from the world of fashion, so consistent in its design individuality that it doesn't fit into any of the usual categories. If you're looking for a watch that is guaranteed not to appear on a friend's wrist a second time, this is an extraordinary piece, practically unavailable in Germany.

Manufactured by Citizen: The heart and entire manufacturing basis of this watch come from Citizen – one of the three major Japanese watch corporations alongside Seiko and Orient. Both the built-in Citizen multifunction caliber 6355 and the complete case construction consistently bear the typical Citizen reference system: case reference 6355-H08827, dial code 6355-H14433, casing code GN-0-S. This complete Citizen movement and case identification clearly proves that the watch was produced within the Citizen manufacturing network and merely designed and signed for the Japanese fashion label OZOC (a brand of the large Japanese apparel group World Co., Ltd.). Behind its fashionable and idiosyncratic appearance lies the solid manufacturing quality and movement technology of a global Japanese corporation – not a cheap, no-name fashion movement, but genuine Citizen engineering. Through its subsidiary Miyota, founded in Nagano Prefecture in 1959, Citizen still produces a significant portion of the quality quartz and automatic movements used worldwide; the quartz multifunction caliber built here stands in exactly this tradition of reliable Japanese mass-produced precision.

Date of Manufacture – November 1997: The Citizen date code 7N0xxx stamped into the movement dates the watch to November 1997 (year-end digit "7" for 1997, letter code "N" for November). This dating is confirmed by the watch's entire design language – the cushion-shaped design case, the triple calendar subdial architecture, and the execution exactly correspond to the Japanese fashion watch aesthetic of the second half of the 1990s. The watch is thus a clearly datable contemporary document of Japanese design from the late 1990s.

The Outstanding Design Feature – The Double Magnifying Glass Display: The defining and in this form exceptionally rare design element of this watch are the two domed magnifying glasses (dome or cyclops lenses) that sit enthroned above the two subdials for day of the week (left) and month (right). While most watches – if any – feature a single magnifying glass over the date, this Citizen construction lifts two functional displays under their own, plastically domed magnification lenses. This creates an astonishing optical depth effect: the day of the week and month discs appear to float under their glass domes and magnify depending on the viewing angle. The author of this description – as well as the experienced collector who brought this watch in – is unaware of any other watch in which the day of the week and month are each displayed under their own domed magnifying glass. This very detail makes the watch a truly unique design and a conversation piece.

Triple Calendar Complication as a Design Theme: The black dial stages a complete triple calendar display (full calendar) as a graphical work of art:

• Pointer date via the large white arrow hand, pointing to the circumferential date ring (1–31) at the dial edge
• Day of the week in the left subdial under magnifying glass (SUN/MON/TUE/WED/THU/FRI/SAT)
• Month in the right subdial under magnifying glass (JAN/MAR/MAY/JUL/SEP/NOV)
• central hour and minute hands and a luminous red second hand as a deliberate color accent against the deep black

This "complete calendar" display logic, in its high mechanical form, belongs to the classic top complications of watchmaking. Here, supported by the reliable Citizen quartz movement, it is reinterpreted as a design playground and condensed with the two magnifying glasses into an unmistakable design statement.

The Case Design emphasizes its object character: a striking, cushion-shaped square case (32.4 × 32.4 mm) with heavily rounded corners, high-gloss polished flanks, and an inwardly curved "boxed" mineral crystal that gives the black dial additional depth. The compact, jewelry-like cushion shape combines 1970s design influences with clean fashion aesthetics and appears pleasantly independent and retro-modern today. With a height of only 9 mm and a lug-to-lug of 39 mm, the watch wears exceptionally flat, gender-neutral, and on almost any wrist.

Rarity: OZOC watches were produced exclusively for the Japanese domestic market and were never distributed internationally. They are practically unavailable in Germany or Europe – making this watch a true souvenir/collector's item off the beaten path. Precisely such Japanese curiosities with independent design and solid Citizen technology are increasingly sought after by design enthusiasts and collectors of unique pieces.

Condition and Scope of Delivery: The battery has been freshly changed; the watch runs and all displays (date, day of the week, month) function correctly. The case is in good condition with subtle signs of wear appropriate for its age. The watch wears a new, handcrafted European Pebro Rallye leather strap (RRP €53.00) in grey with characteristic perforated racing holes and white contrast stitching – a sporty and stylish combination that perfectly complements the playful-technical character of the dial and gives the watch a modern, motorsport-inspired appearance. Strap width 18 mm.

Overall, an exceptional design object manufactured by Citizen in November 1997 for lovers of unusual dial architecture, collectors of rare Japanese pieces, and anyone looking for a watch with true conversational value and unmistakable character.

Warranty (used)

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

Note

As this is a used watch, no water resistance can be guaranteed. To protect the movement, the watch should not come into contact with water or moisture.

Technical Data

• Manufacturer (Movement & Case): Citizen (Multifunction Caliber 6355, Citizen Casing "GN-0-S")
• Brand / Label: OZOC (Fashion label of World Co., Ltd., Japan)
• Model: Triple-Calendar Multifunction with Double Magnifying Glass Display
• Case Reference: 6355-H08827 K; Dial Code 6355-H14433 KA
• Citizen Date Code: 7N0222 → November 1997
• Market Availability: Japanese domestic market (JDM); practically unavailable in Europe
• Functions: Hours, Minutes, Red Central Seconds, Pointer Date (circumferential 1–31 ring), Day of the Week (subdial left under magnifying glass), Month (subdial right under magnifying glass)
• Special Feature: Two domed magnifying glasses (dome/cyclops lenses) over day of the week and month display – exceptionally rare design feature
• Battery: freshly changed
• Case Material: Base Metal, chrome-plated/polished (stainless steel case back)
• Case Shape: Cushion-shaped square design case with polished flanks
• Case Size: 32.4 × 32.4 mm
• Lug-to-Lug: 39 mm
• Height: 9 mm
• Lug Width: 18 mm
• Weight (with new leather strap): 43 g
• Crystal: Domed mineral crystal (main crystal) plus two domed magnifying glasses over the subdials
• Dial: Black, with two silver-colored subdials under magnifying glasses, circumferential white date ring, applied stick markers and "O·Z·O·C" signature
• Hands: Central hour/minute hands, white arrow date hand, red second hand
• Crown: Side at 3 o'clock
• Water Resistance: Original designation "Water Resist"; no guarantee for used watches (see note above)
• Strap: New, handcrafted European Pebro Rallye leather strap (RRP €53.00), grey with perforated racing holes and white contrast stitching, 18 mm
• Clasp: Stainless steel pin buckle
• Condition: Good used condition with subtle marks on the case; all functions flawless; fresh battery