Model: Campanola BU0020-71E Eco-Drive with Moon Phase and Triple Calendar
Year: February 2017
Features:
Brand. The BU0020-71E is part of Campanola’s current collection. Available to buy new for ¥363,000 yen (almost $2,500), these celestial offerings from Citizen continue to be great value propositions on the secondary market for anyone brave enough to try a slightly unusual design.
Value. Much like the golden Tenmanboshi, this watch is part of Campanola’s Heaven Filled with Stars collection. However, instead of gold leaf, the stars scattered across its urushi lacquer subdial are crafted from crushed Mother of Pearl. It’s an intriguing design choice, made even more punchy by the watch’s deep, blacked-out aesthetic.
The Details. One of the subtle yet significant changes between past and present Eco-Drive Campanolas is the moon phase indicator. The moon now features eight layers of paint, giving its craters a rich, three-dimensional depth. Someone recently asked me why details like this, typically only noticeable through a macro lens, matter - and that’s a fair question, but one that has a simple answer.
The Craft. Small details show the watchmaker’s pride in their work and designs. Whether it’s decorating a movement hidden behind a solid caseback or meticulously layering a moon phase for heightened realism, these extra steps demonstrate a level of craftsmanship and diligence indicative of the entire project.
Layered. Campanolas are renowned for their use of layering, often opting for a distinctly three-dimensional look, as I’ve tried to demonstrate with the photos and video of this watch. As much as I love their cosmological dials and features, the thing that continues to draw me into Campanolas is their stacked approach to design.
Eco-Drive. Very few watches offer the same level of convenience and reliability as Citizen’s Eco-Drive. The six-month power reserve that can be charged from only 19 hours of sunlight. However, there has always been one downside - the dials must have a translucent surface to allow light to reach the solar capacitor beneath. As a result, the design possibilities for Eco-Drives have always been somewhat limited - until Citizen began experimenting with translucent bezels. As solar charging technology improved, the size of the capacitors shrank, meaning Eco-Drives only required the outer edge of the watch face for the charging element. This innovation led to the creation of Campanola Eco-Drives. These solar-charging bezels look completely normal - you wouldn’t even know they are translucent - but their presence means Eco-Drives can now boast much fancier designs.
Condition: In very good condition overall. No marks of any major significance, other than the caseback. Small hairlines can be seen on the bezel on close inspection.
Scope: No box and papers.
Movement: 8730 Eco-Drive “Solar Quartz”
Dimensions:
- Case Width: 43.2mm
- Case Thickness: 14.1mm
- Bracelet: Fits up to a 7.2 inch wrist.
