Citizen & Honda Collide for This Perfectly Retro Ana-Digi Watch to Celebrate the Prelude’s Return

Last year, Honda decided to break the internet with the announcement of the Prelude returning after a 25-year hiatus. But this time around, it would be a hybrid with elements carried over from the Civic. To celebrate, Citizen has tapped its ’80s classic Ana-Digi Temp for a sporty collab that’s possibly the best retro release we’ve seen so far this year.

Two Icons, One Watch

The Ana-Digi Temp has one of the more storied origin stories in Japanese watchmaking. Citizen launched it in 1981 after spending what was reportedly around $1 million to develop its integrated circuit, which is a behemoth of a microprocessor by the standards of the day, roughly four times the size of a typical chip. It debuted as the first analog-digital watch with a built-in thermometer, accurate to within 0.1°C, and packed features like a perpetual calendar, dual-time, a 1/1000th-second chronograph, and four-function memory storage into that chunky rectangular case. The thing was practically a wrist-worn computer.

The Honda Prelude, meanwhile, had its own run as a Japan-first icon. Produced from 1979 through 2001, it was the sporty coupe that helped define Honda’s enthusiast identity before the Type R took over that role. The 2026 revival brings it back as a hybrid grand tourer with 200hp, Civic Type R suspension components, Brembo 4-piston brakes, and a new S+ Shift system that simulates rev-matched paddle shifts through the CVT.

Put these two together and the collab practically writes itself.

Dashboard Energy

The Citizen x Honda Ana-Digi Temp “2026 New Prelude” Limited Edition is built on the same platform Citizen has been running since reintroducing the line in 2020, with a Cal. 8989 quartz movement, 32.5mm wide by 40.6mm long stainless steel case, and 50m water resistance. Functionally, it’s the same watch underneath. What this collab does is give the dial a proper automotive makeover that suits the format.

The upper half carries the familiar dual analog subdials, with A1 for hours and minutes, and A2 styled like a speedometer for running seconds (or secondary functions depending on mode). The lower section handles the digital functions with a mode selector cycling through time, date, alarm, dual-time, and stopwatch on the left; two stacked LCDs to the right for everything from split times to a second time zone. The thermometer sensor, which looks like a small speaker grille on the original, gets a honeycomb pattern here, referencing the new Prelude’s front grille.

Honda’s iconic “H” sits at 12 o’clock. The wordmark appears on the lower right. The solid caseback is engraved with the resurrected Prelude logo. The branding is restrained compared to some of the Star Wars Ana-Digi drops, which leaned heavier on the tie-in.

The Two Variants

Two colorways available are a stainless steel case with white “panda” dial and blue accents, and a fully blacked-out version with the same blue highlights throughout. Both come on a single-row tapering stainless steel bracelet and ship in a special red box featuring the Prelude logo and a removable photo of the new hybrid coupe.

Spec Sheet

Pricing & Availability

The Citizen x Honda Ana-Digi Temp “2026 New Prelude” retails for 45,000 yen (~$290) through Honda’s official Fun Shop in Japan, where it’s exclusive to the Japanese market. Each colorway is limited to 200 pieces. U.S. buyers can find it through Japanese import retailers, though expect to pay a significant premium on top of standard tariffs.

Recap

Honda x Citizen Ana-Digi Temp Collab

Citizen and Honda teamed up to revive two ’80s icons at once, dropping a limited-edition Ana-Digi Temp dressed up with Prelude-inspired dial details to coincide with the car’s return as a 2026 hybrid. It’s a JDM-exclusive, 200-piece run in two colorways starting around $290.

Learn More: Honda