If you have been reading anything of mine in the last couple of years, you may have picked up on the fact that I am a massive James Bond fan and a huge chronophile. I love a good watch, and the fact that James Bond is one of the reasons I got into watches just ties all of it together. Sean Connery’s Rolex Submariner, Timothy Dalton’s TAG Heuer Nightdiver, and the Omegas accompanying both Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig on their missions have become icons of the watch world. But now, another iconic literary character is taking their watch and giving it the James Bond treatment. John Krasinski’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War lands on Amazon Prime today (see my spoiler-free review of it here), and his Citizen Attesa is a side character that deserves the same attention given to its Bond counterparts.
Once I saw the watch on screen, I reached out to my friends over at Citizen to get their take on the watch becoming a character of its own.
From the beginning, what made the collaboration feel authentic was that ATTESA already embodied the same qualities associated with Jack Ryan: intelligence, reliability, adaptability, and sophistication under pressure. – Eric Horowitz, Managing Director of Citizen
Noticing the watch
As a self-proclaimed chronophile, I am almost always looking at someone’s watch. Whether it is in person or on the screen, my eyes immediately dart to the wrist to see what I am dealing with. It was my first ever networking trick, the ice breaker I used to start conversations with people. “I love your watch,” I would say. “Tell me about it” or “What is it?” So it was only natural for me to take a peek at Jack Ryan’s watch when he sat in the park speaking with James Greer (who also may or may not have been wearing a Citizen as well, I didn’t get a great look, but it resembled a Navihawk or Zenshin). There was a good shot of the Attesa, dark, sleek, and the perfect addition to the wardrobe of a man leaving the operations life for the civilian world. It would do well in either, which…ended up being the whole point because Jack Ryan was right back in it for the next hour and a half.
A natural collaboration
One of the reasons James Bond was able to become synonymous with his watches was that they fit his aura. It didn’t feel like a placement. It felt like he was the kind of man who would wear a Rolex or an Omega (I have my own feelings on the kind of watch James Bond would actually wear). That is why Brioni and Tom Ford never felt like a placement. One of the reasons the Aston Martin felt like it fit. They all screamed James Bond and his affinity for luxury. The Attesa felt the same way. It isn’t flashy. It isn’t overly expensive. It is an accessible watch for a man who worked for the government and needed something that looked as elevated as it functioned. It felt like a natural, thought out selection by Jack Ryan, the way all watches are.
“Jack Ryan wears the Citizen ATTESA (CC4055-65E) throughout Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War,” Horowitz explains. “The watch features a striking 44.6mm Super Titanium™ case and bracelet, offering a lightweight yet durable construction, a beautiful fit, and finish, perfect for any adventure and any time zone. ATTESA represents the pinnacle of Citizen innovation through technologies like Super Titanium™, Satellite Wave GPS, and Eco-Drive, making it much more than an accessory. From the beginning, what made the collaboration feel authentic was that ATTESA already embodied the same qualities associated with Jack Ryan: intelligence, reliability, adaptability, and sophistication under pressure. Rather than feeling like a traditional product placement, the watch naturally belonged in that world. Now ATTESA is introduced to a global audience as a mission-ready field instrument, built for people operating in demanding environments.”
Passing the torch
James Bond has been the peak of spy thrillers for six decades. He has been a force of nature for not just movies, but products surrounding him as well. Jason Bourne, Ethan Hunt, John Wick, Jack Bauer, and even earlier iterations of Jack Ryan, none of them were able to replicate that same impact. The Attesa feels different. John Krasinski’s Jack Ryan feels like the modern evolution of all of these characters. The one applicable to today. The man who sheds all the lenses of the past to bring the concerns of people today to the forefront. Faced with someone serving as our own moral compass. And he couldn’t do that without the right gear. Including the Citizen Attesa.
“It’s hugely exciting because watches in spy franchises almost become characters themselves,” Horowitz says. “There’s such a strong cultural history of high-performance timepieces being associated with iconic protagonists, so seeing Citizen ATTESA on the arm of one of today’s most iconic action heroes feels right in line with ATTESA’s ethos: “Achieve the Impossible.” ATTESA genuinely belongs in that conversation, not just aesthetically – although it does look fantastic –, but technologically. Features like Satellite Wave GPS, Super Titanium™, and Eco-Drive make it a true performance watch built for precision, durability, and global functionality. Seeing those qualities represented on screen validates what Citizen has been building toward for decades and introduces an entirely new audience to the depth of innovation behind the brand. This comes at a pivotal time for the brand as it celebrates 50 years of Innovation in Eco-Drive technology, which leverages any kind of light, whether artificial or natural, to power the watch on Jack Ryan’s wrist.”
