Recommended Free Tools
The Citizen Auto Dater Uni reference ADUS31201-T is an unusual mid-1960s watch with two crowns, a date display and a rotating internal bezel. Watch writer Michael Stockton places it around 1964 to 1965 and frames it as a visual and period rival to Seiko’s Silver Wave—but the available evidence does not establish a formal rivalry or identical technical capabilities.
What is the Citizen Auto Dater Uni ADUS31201-T?
It is a vintage Citizen with a distinctive inner-bezel layout: a second crown controls the bezel rather than sitting unused as decoration. In a 2018 account, Fratello contributor Michael Stockton dated the reference to around 1964 and into 1965. That dating is specialist reporting, not confirmation from a Citizen factory archive. Fratello’s 2018 profile of the Auto Dater Uni identifies the watch as reference ADUS31201-T.
Two crowns, two jobs
The upper crown rotates the internal bezel; the lower crown winds and sets the time. A date window sits at 3 o’clock. The dial’s luminous details include dots at 3, 6 and 9, arrows between them, and a luminous “T” at 12. Stockton also describes a thick, beveled acrylic crystal. These details make the watch legible as a practical, sporty design, even though they do not establish that it was built or tested to modern dive-watch standards.
How does it compare with the Seiko Silver Wave?
The Silver Wave is a useful comparison because both watches combine applied markers with an internal-bezel design. Fratello’s 2018 article calls the Uni a competitor in spirit, and a later Fratello podcast article also groups the reference among Japanese watches that took on the Silver Wave. Those descriptions support a design and period comparison, not proof of a documented commercial contest or equivalent engineering.
#1 Best Overall
- The "Tsuyosa" Automatic, from the NJ015 series, brings ultramodern sports styling right to your wrist. Executed in a versatile 40mm footprint, the sophisticated design of the watch makes a strong impression via a silver-tone stainless steel case and a seamlessly integrated, matching bracelet.
- . Underneath an anti-reflective sapphire crystal, the sporty timepiece makes use of a sunray green dial, with a 3 o’clock date window and contrasting silver-tone details adding to its classic aesthetic. Powered by an automatic movement and offering up to 50 meters of water resistance, the refined timepiece is a daily wearing choice ready for work, play, and everything in between. Caliber 8210.
- 3 Hand with Date, Automatic, 42 Hour Power Reserve
- Sapphire Crystal
- 50M Water Resistant and 5 Year Limited Warranty
The Uni’s date at 3 o’clock is a clear part of its own dial layout. The available information does not provide a sufficiently verified, side-by-side technical specification set for both models, so claims about which was more capable would go beyond the evidence. Fratello’s later discussion of Japanese watches includes the ADUS31201-T in its Silver Wave context.
What are the reported dimensions and specifications?
| Detail | Reported information |
|---|---|
| Reference | ADUS31201-T, identified by Fratello in 2018 |
| Approximate period | Around 1964 into 1965, as dated by Stockton in 2018 |
| Case | Stainless steel; slightly over 37 mm across, as reported in 2018 |
| Lug width | 18 mm, as reported in 2018 |
| Bezel | Internal rotating bezel, adjusted with the upper crown |
| Time-setting crown | Lower crown; used for winding and setting the time |
| Date | Window at 3 o’clock |
| Water-resistance marking | 40 m on the example reported by Fratello in 2018; not a current test or guarantee |
| Case back | Snap back, as described for the reviewed example |
The measurements and construction details above describe the example and reporting in the 2018 article; they should not be treated as a complete official specification for every surviving watch.
Rank #2
- With bold design and superior accuracy, Citizen Atomic Timekeeping watches synchronize to an atomic clock with a margin of error of just one second in 100,000 years
- 1 Second Chronograph Measures up to 60 Minutes, Perpetual Calendar, 12/24 Hour Time, Alarm, Power Reserve Indicator, Date
- Two-Tone Stainless Steel
- Luminous Hands and Markers and Anti-Reflective Sapphire Crystal
- 200 Meters Water Resistant and 5 Year Limited Warranty
Is the Auto Dater Uni a dive watch?
It has the visual language of a light diver: an internal rotating bezel, luminous dial details and a reported 40 m marking on the reviewed example. That marking is not evidence that a decades-old watch remains water-resistant. Seals age, cases may have been opened or repaired, and individual condition varies. Do not swim or dive with a specific watch on the strength of its vintage marking. Have a qualified watchmaker assess and test that example before exposing it to water.
How rare is it, and what is it worth?
Stockton wrote in 2018 that he had found only three or four other examples while researching the reference, describing the search as difficult and suggesting Japan as a place to look. That is one collector’s search experience, not a production count or a current measure of availability. No production total is established by the cited material.
Rank #3
- Men's luxury timepieces with technical advancements and a sporty style
- 1/5 Second Chronograph Measures up to 60 Minutes, 12/24 Hour Time, Date
- Silver-Tone Stainless Steel
- Spherical Mineral Crystal
- 100 Meters Water Resistant and 5 Year Limited Warranty
His $400–$700 estimate was an opinion published in 2018, not a current valuation. It should not be used as a present-day asking-price benchmark. Current value depends on the specific watch’s condition, originality, service history and the market at the time of purchase; the available sources do not establish a current market range.
What should a buyer check?
- Bezel operation: Confirm that the upper crown turns the internal bezel and that it moves and aligns as expected.
- Timekeeping and winding: Check the lower crown’s winding and setting functions, ideally with a watchmaker’s assessment of the movement.
- Dial and crystal: The reviewed example had some dial paint loss, so inspect the dial, luminous details and beveled acrylic crystal rather than assuming every example is pristine.
- Case and water resistance: Inspect for wear or prior repairs, and arrange a professional assessment before any water exposure.
- Bracelet and originality: Stockton’s example wore a beads-of-rice bracelet, while catalog images showed another bracelet. Do not assume a bracelet on a listing is original to the model.
- Dimensions: The reported 18 mm lug width can help identify strap options, but measure the individual watch before buying a strap.
Do not confuse it with the ParaWater AU140801
Citizen Auto Dater Uni ParaWater AU140801 is a different reference covered in a separate Fratello article. That article reports details including caliber 2400, 17 jewels, hand winding and no quick-set date for the AU140801. Those specifications, as well as that article’s price estimate, should not be transferred to the ADUS31201-T. Fratello’s profile of the Auto Dater Uni ParaWater AU140801 concerns that separate model.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Timeless styling that effortlessly takes you from work to play.
- 3 Hand, Date
- Silver-Tone Stainless Steel
- Sapphire Crystal, Blue Dial
- 100 Meters Water Resistant and 5 Year Limited Warranty
Rank #4
- Iconic Promaster watches with advanced functions designed to venture to the deepest depths.
- 3 Hand, Date
- Silver-Tone Stainless Steel
- Luminous Hands and Markers and Anti-Reflective Mineral Crystal
- Featuring our Eco-Drive technology – powered by light, any light. 200 Meters Water Resistant and 5 Year Limited Warranty
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
