Citizen recordmaster Rmos 52802-Y
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The model RMOS 52082-Y was released around mid/late 1967. It came seemingly a couple of months after the RMOS 52801-Y. The dial is flat black and the text is crisp white. Citizen recordmaster is printed near the top and Chronograph 21j is printed near the bottom. There is a cross hair through the centre and a tachymeter scale around the perimeter. The scale starts at 500 and it typically can be used to measure speeds and distances. Date window is at three. The hands are baton style with lume up the middle. The hour markers are polished with small lume squares at the tip. The crystal is acrylic and the crown is marked C. |
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The case is made from polished stainless steel. It is the most common recordmaster case design it measures 36mm exc crown and 43mm lug to lug. Lug width is 18mm. Thickness is approx 11mm. The case back should look like the image shown here. The first 3 numbers of the serial relate do the manufacture date. This one is from October 1967. The etching is quite shallow on the early models. The bracelet is a polished stainless steel 5 grain beads of rice and there seems to be 2 common styles. One where the outermost row of beads are flatter and one where all 5 rows of beads are the same. The clasp is unsigned in both cases and looks like the image shown below. |
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The movement is the first iteration of Citizen's only hand winding chronograph movement, Citizen calibre 5700. It has 21 jewels and beats at a slow 18,000bph. Elapsed time can be measured for one minute. The user can start/stop and reset the chronograph as well as flyback (reset while running). The crown is pulled one stage to adjust the time. The date is not quick-set but is changed by advancing the hour hand past 12. This design introduces the first of the sporty tool style recordmasters with the addition of lume and a tachymeter scale. The design cues in this model would go on to influence most of the subsequent recordmaster variations to come including the best known 63-0110. |
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Buying tips...
There is always a particular interest in the first models and this one is no exception as Citizens first chronograph manufactured the RMOS 52082_Y does tend to attract a slightly higher buying price than some of it's recordmaster siblings. However there are a couple of things to look out for. The first cal 5700 had a weak point in the design around the centre wheel pivot and later iterations seem to have addressed this issue. As a result if you are considering one that is not running it is worth noting that it may be due to a broken pivot and a replacement part will be almost impossible to find. They also seem to be more susceptible to letting in moisture and it is almost impossible to find this early lumed version without some amount of lume deterioration. If you are lucky enough to find on with seemingly no corrosion the lume should be starting to turn a nice yellow in colour. If it is glowing bright and green it has been re done.. It is worth making sure you study a picture of the movement to check for moisture.
There is always a particular interest in the first models and this one is no exception as Citizens first chronograph manufactured the RMOS 52082_Y does tend to attract a slightly higher buying price than some of it's recordmaster siblings. However there are a couple of things to look out for. The first cal 5700 had a weak point in the design around the centre wheel pivot and later iterations seem to have addressed this issue. As a result if you are considering one that is not running it is worth noting that it may be due to a broken pivot and a replacement part will be almost impossible to find. They also seem to be more susceptible to letting in moisture and it is almost impossible to find this early lumed version without some amount of lume deterioration. If you are lucky enough to find on with seemingly no corrosion the lume should be starting to turn a nice yellow in colour. If it is glowing bright and green it has been re done.. It is worth making sure you study a picture of the movement to check for moisture.
Disclaimer...
The articles on this website contain some information which is factual and some which is an opinion or conclusion drawn by the author as a result of personal observation. Whilst all efforts will made to convey which comments are based upon factual information and which are based upon opinion it is important to understand the author accepts no liability in the event that any of the information provided on this website proves to be inaccurate at any stage...
The articles on this website contain some information which is factual and some which is an opinion or conclusion drawn by the author as a result of personal observation. Whilst all efforts will made to convey which comments are based upon factual information and which are based upon opinion it is important to understand the author accepts no liability in the event that any of the information provided on this website proves to be inaccurate at any stage...
