Today, Citizen announces its partnership with Tony Hawk, appointing the legendary skateboarder as the spokesperson for its second-generation CZ Smart watch collection. First unveiled at CES 2023 earlier this year, the CZ Smart PQ2 is offered in a range of new touchscreen versions, ranging from Sport, Casual, to Hybrid Sport. The different modes serve to cater to various lifestyles, all the while equipping the brand’s proprietary CZ Smart YouQ app developed using IBM Watson® AI models, while being backed by pioneering research from NASA’s Ames Research Center.

As Hawk prepares for his comeback at the X Games in Japan next month, the living skate legend – who is in high spirits – tells Hypebeast, “I’ve been a gadget geek since I was a teenager and became a watch collector as I got older, so when I heard about the new Citizen smart watch and its revolutionary companion app, I was excited to get involved.”

On the topic of the new watch’s all-encompassing app and wellness features, the skate legend admits that he has never worn a wearable fitness device until now and that he finds it enlightening to see all his wellness information accessible in one place.

Hawk’s first impression of the new CZ Smart collection was pure amazement “I loved the styling combined with the tech of the YouQ app,” he exclaims. With 16 different style options across the three modes, Hawk reckons both athletes and watch enthusiasts will be able to get into the watch, due to its vast appeal and styling capabilities, and that both “will benefit equally from the wellness tracking” as well.

From the collection, Hawk’s current go-to’s are the Casual MX1000-52X in silver and the MX1018-06X Sports model with the blue silicone strap. The latter which he claims to be wearing all the time, and especially when he skates since the last few weeks, .

A regular morning for Tony Hawk begins with understanding his body stats on his CZ smart watch, where he reviews sleeping quality, heart rate patterns, along with other essential information before commencing his day. The watch takes approximately 40 minutes to charge to full, an amount of time that Hawk allows before taking his daughter to school.

“I’ve been much more aware of my eating and sleeping habits as I’ve gotten older, and now I can benefit from the Power Forecast and Power Score in the app.” The 54-year-old skateboarder further elaborates that the watch has helped him immensely when it comes to optimizing his activities to when he’s the most energetic and alert during the day. “So I can do what I love while also learning about what works best for my body,” says Hawk.

Ever since incorporating the CZ Smart into his everyday life, Tony Hawk also realizes just how much the watch can help him prepare before competitions. “I’m much more aware of my body rhythms as I head into the X-Games next month,” he adds, “I’ve learned that my Chronotype is “Mid Day Dynamo” which means I’m most energetic, alert, and productive in the middle of the day, so that’s when I try to practice the most.”

Referring to his traumatic injury back in 2022, Hawk tells Hypebeast that the recovery from the incident has been the biggest challenge in his career. He started wearing the CZ Smart later on during his rehabilitation, to which he praises the watch’s Smart YouQ app functionalities. As the watch provides an overview of his body’s wellness, Hawk explains that the insight has allowed him to adapt lifestyle choices which in turn, helped accelerate his recovery process.

I’m most energetic, alert, and productive in the middle of the day, so that’s when I try to practice the most.

From the new generation CS Smart, Hawk mentions that the Power Score is his favorite feature. The Power Score not only indicates both physical and cognitive capacity, but it also aids the recovering skateboarder to continue doing what he loves whilst shedding light on what works best for his body. “I also enjoy the simple 24-hour forecast in the YouQ app,” Hawk adds. He further explains how the feature helps him plan his schedules and activities, which include everything from skate times, flights, and events, to meetings. “It helps to know the times of day over the next 24 hours when I’ll be most alert. And if I’m slowing down, the YouQ app gives me personalized Power Fixes to get back on track.”

On a concluding note, Hawk recommends new users of the CZ Smart watch to familiarize themselves with the YouQ app as much as possible. As the more you use them, the more you’ll be able to grasp “why you feel the way you feel”  while also getting “to know yourself and your body’s rhythms better.”

The second-generation of CZ Smart Watches are currently available for pre-order on Citizen’s official website, and will be ready for shipment in May.