The History of Famous Citizen ‘Bullhead’ Flyback Chronograph
Citizen ‘Bullhead’ / Credit: 20th Century Watches
The Citizen Automatic ‘Challenge Timer’ Chronograph has a few nicknames. Namely ‘Bullhead’, but even ‘Mickey Mouse’. This is due to the caliber being rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise, thus having the two chronograph pushers and the crown at the top of the watch at 12 o’clock. This configuration gives it the ‘Bullhead’ or ‘Mickey Mouse’ look.
The Citizen Cal. 8110, which powered the Citizen ‘Bullhead’ Chronograph, was a mechanical chronograph movement launched by Citizen in the early 1970s. This Citizen chronograph caliber powered many different models back in the day, including the ‘Bullhead’, until about 1980. It was an excellent chronograph movement, hi-beat with a 28,800 bph rate. The ‘arch-nemesis’ of Seiko’s 6139 movement, if you will.
Being a flyback chronograph, the chronograph could be instantly set back to zero while still running. The seconds hand ‘flying back’ with the push of a button.
Citizen ‘Bullhead’ Challenge Timer Chronograph Cal. 8110A ‘Panda’ / Credit: Lot-Art user
The downside to traditional chronographs is that you can’t instantly stop and then reset right away. Which makes it more difficult if you are timing something such as cars going around a track or a team relay, where the instant stop and restart function is very practical.
Citizen ‘Bullhead’ Challenge Timer Chronograph Cal. 8110A ‘Panda’ / Credit: Sweephand
Another Citizen ‘Bullhead’ Challenge Timer Cal. 8110A variation / Credit: Sweephand
The small size of the Cal. 8110A movements allowed for the Citizen ‘Bullheads’ to wear relatively small on the wrist. An aspect of the Citizen which stood in sharp contrast to Seiko ‘Bullheads’. Citizen ‘Bullheads’ measured about 38 mm in diameter, while the Seiko ‘Bullheads’ were some of the bulkiest watches produced by the company, at around 44mm in diameter. Although Seiko did, of course, beat Citizen to market with their 6139 automatic chronograph released a few years prior to Citizen’s.
While the Citizen-Seiko automatic chronograph debate is an entirely different story, I’m enamoured by the Citizen Bullhead despite my affinity for Seiko.
By: Eric Mulder
Read more:
“Citizen Chronograph “Bullhead” Challenge Timer.” Vintage Citizen Watches, September 26th, 2015, https://vintagecitizenwatches.com/2015/09/26/citizen-chronograph-challenge-timer/comment-page-1/.
“Want An Original Citizen Bullhead? – A Quick Buying Guide.” Sweephand, November 2012, https://sweep-hand.org/want-an-original-citizen-bullhead-a-quick-buying-guide/.
A vintage Citizen 'Bullhead' Chronograph ref. 4-901177K, recently serviced and for sale on Toronto Vintage Watches.