Citizen compressor-style watches from the 70s

I have researched Citizen for some time. It seems they only made very few models in the 60s or 70s that had a watch case at 42 mm or larger. And these models are undeniably cool.

Citizen 51-1811 Diver and Aviator

Dial: Citizen Automatic 21 Jewels
Movement 8200A, introduced in 1975
Width: app. 42-43 mm
Length: app. 46 mm
Cushion-style case.
Two crowns and rotable internal bezel which gives the watch a resemblance to a large super compressor.

Examples of different color combinations which are supposed to be ok:

Vintagecitizenwatches.com calls this model for the aviator.

According to this discussion at Watchuseek some combinations of bezels and dials are more likely to be Frankenwatches. Please note that this is not confirmed. Coincidentally they are from the same eBay-seller... Examples:

I'll like to add this version as a possible Franken. It has "Custom V2 23 Jewels" on the dial. The 8200A movement has 21 jewels...

Citizen 61-5111

Dial: Citizen Water100Mproof Automatic 21 jewels
Movement
Width: app 42 mm
Super discussion here.

And a version with red dial:

The models with "Seven Star" on the dial seems to have the same large watch case. A blue:

And a silver dial:

Citizen 61-5773 Diver

Dial: Citizen Seven Star, Para100MWater, 23 jewels

  OR Citizen, Water100MProof, Automatic, 21 jewels

Width: app. 42 mm

Length: ?
Cushion-style case.

See pictures here: Sweephand

Citizen 68-0516 GMT Worldtimer

Dial: Citizen Automatic 21 Jewels
Movement 7450, introduced in 1971
Width: app. 42 mm
Length: app. 46 mm
Cushion-style case.
Great article here.

Two different color combinations:

Citizen 63-0314 Record Master

Width: app. 43 mm
Length: app. 45 mm
Black case.

The Spaceman and the Record Master side by side:

Citizen 67-9178 Spaceman Chronograph

Dial: Citizen Chronograph Automatic 23 Jewels
Movement 8110
Width: app. 42 mm
Length: app. 45 mm
Black case.

A black and a white dialed version:

At this link are Citizen catalogs from 1974, 1977 and 1979 but strangely not one mention one of the watches above.

Other vintage Citizens

All other vintage Citizens seems to be smaller than 42 mm.

Including 52-0110 diver (41 mm), 67-5172 Moon Dater (40 mm) and all Citizen bullheads. 

How to date a Citizen watch

On the back case of a vintage Citizen watch from the 70s there are typically several rows with numbers.

Blogger Sweephand is one of the leading experts on vintage Citizen's. Illustration from Sweephand:

Quote from Sweephand with my comments in brackets:

The key is knowing which decade the watch was produced in, and the Movement Table is useful for determining that. (The watch above is from the 70s).

The first three numbers in the serial are used for the date – the first number is the year. (Thus the watch above is from "3" = 1973 and "11" = november).

One more example:

This watch is a 51-1811 and has a caliber 8200A movement produced from 1975. The serial is "0" = 1980 and "03" = march.

And one more 51-1811:

This watch is from "8" = 1978 and "08" = august.

The Coriental watch brand

Not much is known. The brand Coriental is not even listed in Mikrolisk.

I have only found a few Coriental watches on the net:

If you take away the first "C" and last "AL" it spells "ORIENT"...

It seems to be a common assumption that brand names like CORIENTAL, ASEIKON, BASEIKONE, LESEIKORI and ACITIZENO for some reason where invented to take advantage of the rising popularity of japanese watch brands in the 70s. 

Some speculate that the buyers could wipe out the first and last letters and then pretend to have a genuine ORIENT or SEIKO. And then my Coriental would end up looking something like this:

It's not centered on the watch and it would still have the characteristic logo stripe. It doesn't make sense. Maybe Coriental did start out as a homage/cheat brand but eventually grew into a brand in its own right?

Coriental Calendar Antimagnetic World Time watch

For some time I have noticed different watches with the same large watch case. I believe I got really lucky with a specimen bought from Portugal. After gentle cleaning it looks to be in almost mint condition. And the price was only 30 EUR.

The watch measures:
Width: 42 mm
Length: 47,5 mm
Height: 12,9 mm
Lug width: 22 mm

Some pictures from the ad on eBay:

Coriental Calendar Antimagnetic World Time

Coriental Calendar Antimagnetic World Time

Coriental Calendar Antimagnetic World Time

On the nice, shiny steel blue dial it says: Coriental Calendar Antimagnetic. It has an internal non-rotating bezel with cities of the world, thus the seller referred to the watch as a ”World Time”.

In the internal bezel it has a cut-out hole where the month can be read. The month can be set by turning the lower crown. Rather interesting arrangement and it adds a fine splash of red to the design. The months are in Spanish – nice to have a watch that say “mayo” and “julio”.

Coriental Calendar Antimagnetic World Time

Coriental Calendar Antimagnetic World Time

The back-case could easily be opened using the method with a rubber ball.

On the movement it says: ONE 1 JEWEL UNADJUSTED SWISS PARTS.

Coriental Calendar Antimagnetic World Time

Using Ranfft the movement looks almost exactly like a Baumgartner 866. This dates the watch to late 70s or early 80s. In one forum-post it is called the ‘Hong Kong jumbo’ watch, which supposedly were sold up to 1985.

The Coriental watch has probably been assembled in Hong Kong. But why Swiss parts are used for the movement is still unclear to me. Why not make the entire watch in the east?

The watch came without a strap or bracelet. I have put it together with a steel bracelet which gives it a very classical Rolex-like look. But larger at 42 mm and with a fun history.

Wrist shots:

Coriental Calendar Antimagnetic World Time

Coriental Calendar Antimagnetic World Time

Coriental Calendar Antimagnetic World Time