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Citizen KEI NK0051-51F Watch
The Citizen KEI NK0051-51F is an automatic from the KEI series, the line with which Citizen returns to essentials: watches of clean balance, with nothing superfluous, made to outlast a trend. KEI began as a project for the Japanese market. The brand already had sports models (Promaster), mechanical pieces with character (Series 8) and recognisable classics (Tsuyosa), but it lacked a neutral piece that was neither one nor the other. That is where KEI came from: a watch that adapts to the wrist and to the occasion without imposing a style. In this variant, the dial is black, the most sober in the series.
The case is steel, 38 mm in diameter and 10.9 mm thick, and weighs 134 g. The 38 mm is a size Citizen chose on purpose at a time when the market is returning to contained dimensions. The distance between the lugs has been shortened so that the watch sits well on the wrist and does not shift. The fitted bracelet is solid steel, not integrated, and closes with a deployant triple-folding clasp with pushers.
The dial is black, with luminous hands and indices, and includes a date window at 3. The crystal is flat sapphire. The case back is transparent and screwed down, allowing the rotor and the movement to be seen in operation. Water resistance is 5 bar.
The movement is the 8310 calibre, automatic, the same as the latest Tsuyosa and Promaster models. The crown is pull-type, not screw-down, and is located at 3. Compared with the Tsuyosa, the position of the crown changes, not its function: it also has hacking seconds for precise setting.
Legibility has been worked on to the millimetre: the minute and seconds hands reach exactly to the scale, and the hour hand stays close to the indices, so the time can be read without effort, even in poor light. On the black dial, the contrast of the luminous hands and indices is even more marked than on the lighter variants.
The KEI series is not a Tsuyosa and not a pilot's watch: it is a dress automatic with a contained case, designed to accompany for years. Citizen describes it as a piece without adornment, focused on what is truly asked of a watch: that it reads well and feels comfortable. The NK0051-51F is the black dial variant within a series that also offers silver-white, grey, blue and silver with gold details.
The absence of adornment on the dial, the 38 mm case and the 10.9 mm thickness are part of that neutral character. It is a versatile watch, designed to stay on the wrist as fashions change.
Automatic 8310 Calibre 60-Hour Power Reserve 38 mm Black Dial Flat Sapphire
Why choose this watch?
60-hour power reserve
The 8310 calibre offers 60 hours of running time, compared with the 40 hours of entry-level automatics.
38 mm and 10.9 mm: contained case, short lugs
Citizen shortened the distance between the lugs so that the 38 mm case sits well on medium wrists without overhanging. The 10.9 mm thickness and 134 g keep it flat under a sleeve. It is not a watch of presence, it is a watch of proportion.
Black dial: the most sober KEI variant
The black dial makes the watch disappear under a suit sleeve, without giving up the see-through back or the steel bracelet. It is the most discreet version of the series, designed for those who want a mechanical watch that does not draw attention.
Legibility with hands extended to the scale
The minute and seconds hands reach exactly to the scale, and the hour hand sits close to the indices. On the black dial, the contrast with the luminous hands is greater. The result is a dial that reads without effort.
Frequently asked questions
Can the bracelet be replaced with a strap?
Yes. The bracelet is mounted on spring bars, not an integrated bracelet. It can be replaced with a 19 mm lug width strap. The only particularity is that the original clasp is a deployant triple-folding clasp with pushers, so a new strap will need its own clasp or a buckle.
Can it get wet, or does it only resist splashes?
Water resistance is 5 bar. It covers splashes, rain and hand washing, but not swimming or showering with the watch on. For aquatic use, a watch with higher resistance is advisable.
Is the black dial as legible as the silver-white one?
Yes. The luminous hands and indices contrast more against the black background than against silver-white. Legibility is equal or better, especially in low light.
Does the 38 mm case work well on large wrists?
Citizen shortened the distance between the lugs on purpose so that the case does not overhang. It is a compact watch, designed for medium wrists. On large wrists it may sit tight, but the short lugs help it not to look small.
