Citizen Seven Star V2 – 26 Jewels – green gradient dial – March 1973 – freshly serviced

A dial that fades from a bright, mossy green in the center to deep black at the edges – an effect collectors call "vignette" or "fumé," which became a hallmark of Japanese watch design in the early 1970s. This Citizen Seven Star from March 1973 is a particularly clean example of this.

The gradient dial

Vignette dials are created by increasing the density of the color application from the center toward the edges. The effort involved is significant, but the result reacts to every movement: in direct light, the center opens up and the green appears clear; in the shade, the surface closes, and the watch looks almost black. Two photos of the same watch look different – and that is not a weakness of the photography, but the point.

Set against this background are bold, applied gold indices with light filling, surrounded by a ring of fine luminous dots. The day-date window at 3 o'clock is gold-framed; the day of the week is bilingual and switches between Japanese Kanji and English abbreviation – a feature that identifies the watch immediately as a Japanese domestic model.

The Seven Star line and the 26-jewel version

The Seven crest with the crown denotes Citizen's better automatic movements. Within the Seven Star series, 26 jewels mark the high-end configuration – the more common versions of this series operate with 21 jewels.

The case back is stamped CITIZEN · WATER RESISTANT · STAINLESS STEEL · 7700 · GN-1-S with reference 4-770889 TA, the designation "AUTOMATIC," and the serial number 30300317, which dates the watch to March 1973.

Serviced

The watch was serviced by a watchmaker before our acquisition and came to us in ready-to-wear condition.

Design and character

The case is a cushion-shaped tonneau construction with wide, polished flanks and a narrow, high-gloss bezel that encloses the dial like a frame around a picture. The lugs, which appear integrated, transition directly into the steel bracelet.

With a diameter of 36.7 mm, a lug-to-lug of 39.9 mm, and a height of 12.5 mm, the watch is compact in width and sturdy in height – the stature that characterizes Japanese automatic watches of the early seventies. 97 grams with the steel bracelet give it a solid, high-quality feel.

Condition

The dial, luminous dots, case, crystal, and crown are in good, but used condition. The watch is supplied on a new steel bracelet.

Operating note: The day and date quick-set should not be operated between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m.; set the hands to approximately 6 o'clock beforehand.

Technical specifications

• Brand: Citizen
• Model: Seven Star V2
• Reference: 4-770889 TA
• Case code: GN-1-S, 7700
• Movement: Automatic
• Jewels: 26 jewels
• Functions: Hour, minute, sweep second, day (Kanji/English), date
• Case material: Stainless steel
• Diameter without crown: 36.7 mm
• Lug-to-lug: 39.9 mm
• Height: 12.5 mm
• Lug width: 18 mm
• Weight incl. bracelet: 97 g
• Serial number: 30300317
• Date: March 1973
• Service: Serviced by a watchmaker
• Strap: New steel bracelet
• Origin: Japan

Who is it for?

For anyone looking for a colored dial that is not flashy – green that disappears and reappears depending on the light. For collectors of Japanese automatic watches from the early 1970s for whom the specific configuration is important. And for buyers who want to wear a vintage watch with a full calendar every day.

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.