Although Citizen’s first (and now rare!) automatic watch used the familiar ‘swinging’ or ‘oscillating’ weight type of rotor when it was launched in 1958, the company designed and used its own circular geared rotor in the early to mid-1960s. It used this design in the ‘Jet’ and ‘Super Jet’ models, and it is known as the ‘Jet rotor’.
In the mid-1960s the Jet movements were dropped in favour of swinging weight designs – I have read somewhere that the Jets were a little less reliable, but I’m not sure if this was actually the case. Perhaps more important was the trend to slimmer designs to which the swinging weight was better suited.
The Jet movements all ran at 18,000 beats per hour, and generally can be hand wound – the exception may be the ‘Rookie’ which had small recessed crowns suggesting only automatic winding. Some movements had an ‘Easy Change’ quick set mechanism for the date, which involves pulling the crown in and out when in the time setting position – this has the disadvantage that the date can be accidentally changed if the crown is pulled a little too hard when the time has to be adjusted. As far as I know, all the later (41xx) movements had the Easy Change feature.
The later models had day windows, which can only be set by winding back and forth between 12 and 9.
The Jet models are all part of the ’03′ movement ‘family’, which comprises three groups starting with the 03xx models first seen in October 1961, followed by the 11xx (January 1962) and completed by the 41xx (1964). Interestingly this last group includes one hand winding model – the Seven – which uses the 23 jewel 4000 movement (see here for a look at that one: http://sweep-hand.org/2011/06/29/this-weeks-featured-watch-9-the-seven/)
The movements look pretty well the same, but there is an easy way to identify the later, 41xx calibers from the earlier ones. This is done by counting the screws on the rotor – the early ones (03xx and 11xx) have six, on the left below, the later 41xx has just four:
Before summarising the movements and models, here’s a quick video showing how the rotor moves, it winds in both directions: http://s282.photobucket.com/albums/kk252/Sweephand/Jet%20Auto%20Dater%2017j/?action=view¤t=MVI_0537.mp4
The following summary is correct to the best of my knowledge at the moment – I’ll add and amend if and when other / more information comes to light.
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Movement & Model Summary:
Movement # Model Name(s) Jeweling Date/Day First Production
0310 Jet Automatic 21, 23, 25 None October 1961
0320, 0321 Jet Rookie 17, 19 None 1962
0340, 0341 Super Jet, Super Precision 35 None 1963
1120, 1121 Jet Auto Dater, Newmaster, 19, 21, 23, Date January 1962 120m, Para200mWater 27, 35
1130, 1131, Jet Auto Dater, Rookie, 17, 19 Date 1962 1132, 1133 Para400Water, 40m
1150 Super Jet Auto Dater, 39 Date 1963 Super Auto Dater 80m/150m
1160, 1161 Super Jet Auto Dater 39 Date 1963 (Easy Change)
1170 Jet Auto Dater 27 Date 1962 (Easy Change)
4101, 4102, 4103 Auto Dater Seven, 40m 25 Date & Day 1964
4111, 4112, 4113 Auto Dater Seven, 40m, 19 Date & Day 1964 Ceto
4130 Auto Dater Seven , 40m 35 Date & Day 1964
4120, 4121 Auto Dater Seven Monthly 19 Date, Day & Month 1964
(NB: I think all 41xx movements had ‘Easy Change’ quick set for date)
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Movement Dimensions:
Width: Depth:
0310, 0320/1, 0340/1 29.00mm 4.65mm
1120/1, 11300/1/2/3 29.00mm 5.00mm
1150, 1160/1, 1170 29.00mm 5.34mm
All 41xx Movements 29.00mm 6.39mm
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If you’re interested in the architecture of the movement, here are schematics showing how it is put together.
Schematic 1 -Rotor Side:
Schematic 2 – Dial Side (11xx Variants):
Schematic 3 – Dial Side (41xx Variants, excluding ‘Monthly’):
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Gallery:
Here are just a few examples to illustrate the range of models that used the Jet movements, with acknowledgement to sellers on Yahoo Japan for the images:
Jet Automatic: 
Jet Automatic: 
Jet Automatic: 
Rookie: 
Super Jet: 
Auto Dater: 
Auto Dater: 
Super Jet: 
Auto Dater 7: 
Auto Dater 7: 
Some models have special case backs, e.g.:
Auto Dater: 
Auto Dater 7: 
Super Jet: 
Super Jet: 
And finally from my own collection:
1120 Auto Dater: 
1130 Auto Dater: 
4101 Auto Dater 7:
4120 Monthly: 
Super Jet: 
Hi,
What is the easiest way to open a snap cover on Super Jet Auto Dater. There is no lip or notch to go by.
Hi Albert,
there should be a fine notch in the case back – depending what position the back is in, it may be between the lugs so will be hidden by the strap or bracelet. In fact I think that this is the correct position, with the notch at the 6 o’clock point. The notch is rather fine, so will be clearer under a loupe. I have found careful use of a small (watch repairer’s) screwdriver, small enough obviously to engage in the notch and then twisted rather than pushed too much, works on this type of case back. My knife type case opener is not really thin enough, and is more likely to slip and cause damage.
Stephen
Thank you Stephan.
I inspected the case under the magnifying glass and it looks so tight as if it was a single piece. No sign of notch. Is there a way to access it from the front, through the crystal?
Albert
That’s interesting Albert – I have only my Super Auto Dater to go by, and a number of photos, but of course they won’t show the type of back clearly. I’ve looked again at some more reference material, and Super Jets were made with a one-piece case as well as the more usual snap on type, so clearly it looks like you have one of these. I’ve seen the one-piece case on the Super Jet diver, I guess this would make it a more water resistant design. Sometimes this is indicated by a mark on the case back, an ‘X’ in a circle like on this one:
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk252/Sweephand/Seven/Seven4000back2.jpg
I’m not a watch repairer, so I’ve never opened up a one piece case, but there are tools for this, one being a ‘claw’ which pulls the crystal off. A competent watch repairer should be able to do that.
Have you any pics of the watch you could link to – it would be nice to see it, there are not that many about
If not can you describe it and the markings on the back?
Regards,
Stephen
Hi Stephen, do you know if the Jet family watch came with a signed buckle or it is usually plain in 1960s? Thanks!
Hi Wilson – good question! I’m not sure whether the Jets would originally fitted with signed buckles – or whether some were, e.g. the Super Jets and others were not. Leather straps and their buckles are likely to have worn out and been replaced over the years so finding fully original examples is going to be very rare. I’ve not got or seen any original catalogs or adverts for the Jets, which may have shed some light on this. However, there were definitely signed Citizen buckles from the 1950s and 1960s, so I reckon it is likely that they did use them on the Jets. Here’s a pic from a Japanese auction of a number of vintage leather straps and buckles, which went for a great deal of money if I remember correctly:
Where Jets were fitted with bracelets, I would think they may well have had signed clasps at least sometimes, although one or two of my 1960s watches (not Jets) have original bracelets with non-signed clasps, although they are clearly marked ‘Citizen’ inside. Here’s an example of a 1960s signed clasp with the earlier mark that would have been used when Jets were in production:
So I’m afraid I can’t give a clear cut answer – my gut feeling is that it is likely that signed buckles and clasps would have been used, but not necessarily on all models, may be on the more expensive ones.
Stephen