This Week’s Featured Watch # 46 – The Super Jet Autodater, 39 Jewels

Citizen’s automatics of the early 1960s used a circular geared rotor, and the line was known  as the ‘Jet’. Three movements were used from 1961 until about 1966 or 1967 when more conventional rotors took over. More detail on the series can be found on the Jet Automatic page: https://sweep-hand.org/the-jet-automatic/

Higher grade ‘Super’ versions of the two earlier movements were produced, a no date model with 35 jewels (0340 movement) and a date model with 39 jewels (1150 movement). The week’s watch is my example of the 1150 Super Jet Autodater, from 1963:

The Super Jet carries the usual rocket emblem for the Jet models and the three stars logo is added, which Citizen used on their higher grade models:

Typical of its time the case is gold filled (although there were stainless steel models) and again in line with its high grade the gold is thicker than was found on lesser models – this one is 100 microns (for comparison the Super Deluxe has 80 microns of gold). The watch was a presentation and has fine engraving around the outside with cruder marks on the centre of the press on back. The production date of December 1963 coincides with the date of engraving:

Inside is the gold plated Jet movement:

The Jet rotor has a distinctive sound as it rotates, and in my view has a more pleasing aesthetic than the more common swinging weight type. I understand it was dropped because it was less efficient than the centrally mounted rotor.

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11 Responses to This Week’s Featured Watch # 46 – The Super Jet Autodater, 39 Jewels

  1. Tom says:

    Very nice, and a birth month watch for me! Please let me know if you are willing to sell it. I just got a Seiko birth month watch, now I’m searching for a birth month Jet.

  2. Francesco says:

    Hi, my uncle has a very nice Citizen Super Jet like this one, dated on 1963, and he would like to sell it….. any idea how to sell it? Thank you very much for any help.

    • sweephand says:

      Hi Francesco, thanks for visiting my blog, and apologies for my slow reply. The obvious place to suggest is eBay, but I know not everyone likes using that. It does offer some protection for buyers and sellers though. There are forums for collectors where watches are sold, but they are not really suitable for a one-off sale since you – or your uncle, would need to be a member for a while and to have posted a minimum number of times etc. Hope this helps, Stephen

  3. Britten says:

    I have one but I need help big time about what I have please get back to me

    • sweephand says:

      Thanks for visiting my blog – can you please provide more info about the watch and what you want help with – thanks

      • Britten says:

        Ok can I post photos?? I have just picture this. It’s taken apart extremely carefully and placed suspended, in some type of epoxy resin and it beautiful it’s a 39” thirty nine jewls but it doesn’t have the back plate or the front. It’s only the inner workings of it witch I find very impressive. And by the way on top is place a very old but perfect condition flick lighter that works great. So please let me know I think it may be one of a kind. Thanks

  4. marvin says:

    Thanks for posting that Stephen. That is one beautiful watch in great condition. I’m jealous. 🙂

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