IFL Watches Introduces The Citizen Tsuyosa Automatic Wise Guys Concept Limited Edition

The Citizen Tsuyosa Automatic has quickly become a welcoming canvas for the creativity of the IFL Watches team. For its newest the creation, the brand was inspired by the “three wise monkeys” and the timeless proverb they depict. In great IFLW tradition, the colorful dial is modified to portray the proverb in a fun way. It makes this Citizen Tsuyosa Wise Guys Concept another colorful limited-edition release that will only further the Stockholm-based brand’s success.

IFL Watches has been knocking out one great release after another. If you blink, you might miss one or two. As I explained in previous articles, I am a big fan of the abstract dials that the brand creates. The so-called Midnight Sky and Galaxy dials are an absolute joy to see with their colorful presence achieved through the pointillism technique. As it turns out, I completely missed out on the Citizen Tsuyosa Galaxy Concept that came out not too long ago. It’s great proof that the Tsuyosa works just as well for abstract dials as for character-based ones.

Citizen Tsuyosa Wise Guys Concept

For the newest release, the IFLW team has created another hand-painted dial in that last category. Not too long ago, I reviewed the Free Willie limited edition, which celebrated the passing of Steamboat Willie’s passage into the public domain. Before that, I had the pleasure of writing about the Space Surfer. Both used the Citizen Tsuyosa Automatic as the canvas for the creations.

For IFLW’s next modified Tsuyosa dial, the brand draws inspiration from the internationally famous depiction of the “three wise monkeys.” Though the underlying philosophy comes from Buddhist teachings and is hundreds of years older, the depiction of the monkeys started gaining popularity in 17th-century Japan after Hidari Jingorō carved it above a doorway at the Nikkō Tōshōgū Shrine. Therefore, what looks like a fun, playful dial is a design with some real cultural meaning. It makes this new IFLW Wise Guys Concept more than just a funky timepiece, and I like that idea.

The principle behind the new Wise Guys Concept

In Japanese, the proverb that many Westerners know as “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil,” simply translates to “mizaru (見ざる, ‘see not’), kikazaru (聞かざる, ‘hear not’), iwazaru (言わざる, ‘speak not’).” In Japanese culture, the principle teaches prudence and purity. Amusingly, though, the famous depiction arose from a play on words. The archaic verb negator -zaru sounds the same as the suffix meaning “monkey”; for example, nihonzaru (日本猿 / ニホンザル), the word for the Japanese macaque, literally means “Japan monkey.” Therefore, Hidari Jingorō’s carving depicted three monkeys — one who does not see because he covers his eyes, another who does not hear because he covers his ears, and a third who does not speak because he covers his mouth.

According to Oxford Reference, “‘See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil’ [was] first recorded in 1926 and [is] now generally used sarcastically against those who, through selfishness or cowardice, choose to ignore some wrongdoing.” For the new 150-piece limited edition, the creative team at IFLW devised a modern and fun way of depicting the timeless proverb.

The Citizen Tsuyosa Automatic NJ0150

It all starts with the yellow-dial reference NJ0150-81Z from the Citizen Tsuyosa Automatic series. It was part of the first drop when the series debuted in 2022 (but before Citizen gave it the Tsuyosa name). Robert-Jan reviewed that specific version when it came out. The watch has a 40mm stainless steel case that measures 11.7mm thick and 49mm from lug to lug. It is fitted with an integrated stainless steel bracelet that is super flexible and comfortable on the wrist. I reviewed the blue- and black-dial NJ0150 in 2022 and remember being thoroughly impressed by the watches’ style and comfort.

Inside the case, you will find the in-house-produced Citizen caliber 8210. This automatic movement operates at 21,600vph and delivers a 40-hour power reserve. According to Citizen, the average accuracy is approximately ±20 seconds per day.

Every time I see the Tsuyosa Automatic, it reminds me how much I like the watch. In particular, the three different blue dials that came out in early 2023 look great. But while the regular version is a cool, affordable watch, it only starts there for IFL Watches.

Creating the Citizen Tsuyosa Wise Guys Concept

For this special version, the IFLW team used the same principles as with every hand-painted limited edition. First, you will see two contrasting colors from a distance to tell you this is no ordinary Tsuyosa. The new dial uses yellow and brown as the main colors, and the combination works very well. But that is only the start of the fun. Once you get close, you will see that the hand-painted monkeys tell the story. If you zoom in even more, you see the great attention that went into creating these dials.

On the left, you will find Mizaru, who wears sunglasses because he doesn’t see. As you can see, he has a gold tooth, reflecting today’s hip-hop culture. In the middle, Kikazaru is wearing noise-canceling headphones because he doesn’t hear. But look at how his mouth is painted around the double marker at 6 o’clock. It almost looks like he grew two giant tusks. On the right, you see Iwazaru, who has covered his mouth with a bandana because he doesn’t speak. The street-art-inspired style makes for a playful depiction of the classic “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” principle.

Final thoughts on the IFLW Citizen Tsuyosa Wise Guys Concept

The monkeys are illustrated using multiple layers of enamel paint. This gives the dials their vibrancy and great detail. As all the dials are created by hand, each one is unique. That means that if you buy one of the 150 available pieces, there will be nobody else with precisely the same dial as you. You will have the chance to buy a distinctive piece that stands out through its style and craftsmanship for €890.

Most of all, I love that IFL Watches has created a little corner of the watch universe where its artists can let their creativity roam freely. As I mentioned, I love the abstract pointillism dials the most. I am still bummed that I missed out on the brilliant Oris Divers 65 Tiffany Sky that looks stellar with its northern-lights-inspired dial. I also love the space-travel-inspired dials the team has created. With this new Wise Guys Concept, the team at IFL Watches takes creative steps in a new direction. It’s a direction that will attract a young crowd that loves street art, and I have no doubts that IFLW will find 150 buyers for this new release. After all, every recent limited edition from the Swedish brand has sold out in no time. Without a doubt, that will also happen this time around.

For more information or to buy the new Tsuyosa Automatic Wise Guys Concept, head to the official IFL Watches website. The watch will be available to purchase starting today, July 15th, at 16:00 CEST. In the comments section, let us know your thoughts on this new Citizen Tsuyosa with its customized dial.