Citizen Eco-drive Promaster Watches: Diver, Aqualand & Chronograph
So right here, you will notice the watch by way of the prism of her wrist, and never mine. People tend to fall in love with ultra-affordable Japanese dive watches. These watches would possibly at first seem “primary,” but then go on to far outperform expectations and end up getting plenty of put on just because they’ll go anyplace. In the top, although, one grows connected to them as they accompany you through memorable adventures and assist you to understand that you never needed a elaborate dive watch in the first place.
Additionally, just as you’d expect from a correct ISO-certified dive watch, all three of the arms plus each one of many 12-hour markers are completed with brightly glowing luminous material for added visibility at midnight. Furthermore, whereas all of the lume on the dial and palms glows a teal blue color, the small luminous pip on the bezel insert glows green, and this distinction in lume shade can be one thing that can be found on the unique black and blue versions of Citizen’s BN sequence diver. Along with its bold and vibrant colorway, one of many standout features on the reference BN X is its dial, which presents a turquoise blue surface citizen eco drive with a subtle gradient impact that darkens in the course of the outer edges. Beyond its novel colorway, the general type of the dial is equivalent to the other models within the BN collection, complete with its angled chapter ring, geometric handset, and date window at the 4 o’clock location. Going again a couple of years, I had saved a search for “automatic dive watch” or more probably “Automatik Taucheruhr”, with a restrict of €60 for the worth. Typical outcomes included rubber dive straps, or bezels, and other spare elements for automated dive watches, in addition to some utterly destroyed or junk pieces.
Despite it being the winter, the honeymoon phase ensued, so I wore this was from December by way of to Match nearly exclusively, and at all times on the rubber strap. The blue dial and bezel colours are very reminiscent of the bigger model besides that the markers here are outlined in a reflective blue – a brighter blue than the navy-adjacent dial color but darker than the powder-blue strap. Regardless of this little bit of blue flash on the surrounds, this 37mm Promaster still maintains its toolish appeal. While reasonably priced, rugged watches like this are sometimes referred to as “beaters” and spoken about within the context of diving or different out of doors actions, they can also be the kind of watch you wish to put on in on a regular basis informal situations.
As the model new colourful variants added to the Citizen Promaster BN sequence are functionally identical to the existing fashions, the ref. BN X and its two recently-released siblings are powered by the brand’s Eco-Drive Caliber E168 movement. Solar-powered and able to charging itself with any gentle source (natural or artificial), the Citizen Cal. E168 is an easy time-and-date quartz motion at its coronary heart, and it, therefore, provides proven efficiency and set-it-and-forget-it performance. Long-term timekeeping has been more than acceptable in relation to my private example, and other than essential adjustments as a result of travel, daylight savings, or updating the date show at the end of the month, I by no means have any cause to unscrew the crown.
The very first thing I observed as quickly as I ripped up the handbrake and seemed out of the car window was that directly throughout the road from the Air BNB was a dive shop. I looked down at my wrist and felt butterflies in my abdomen. After a few days snorkeling the crystalline waters of Playa Chica I labored up the braveness to stroll into the dive shop. The people there have been a band of incredibly pleasant Brits, who instantly let me know all in regards to the PADI discover scuba dive. The almost symbolic value of €50 obtained you a 30-minute dive, the place you’ll learn how to gear up, equalize, and breathe underwater utilizing a regulator.
Trawling via the mud of the Kleinanzeigen listings, you’ll have the ability to actually strike gold. I talked about this in my introductory protection, however the announcement of this new size within the model vary struck me as the ultimate word play for a really unisex diver. While I still find it a tad smaller than what I search for in this style of watch, the fact that Kasia and I might each pull this off effortlessly was very cool. It additionally simply so happened that we had been touring by way of Tokyo once we had this watch with us so it only made sense to shoot it there. But then I put it on and obtained that acquainted feeling I love from my 36mm Explorer, my 36mm Datejust. It’s the feeling I lengthy for – the feeling of me carrying a watch, and not the opposite means around.
The remainder of the dial adheres to the design codes found in plenty of generations of Citizen dive watches and they feel right at residence positioned with the ocean of lume. This includes a small date aperture at 3 o’clock, which retains a small remnant of lume to its right to keep up to ISO spec. One thing to quickly notice, and which in my eyes gives the Promaster NY0040 a ton of credibility, is its military previous. These watches have been adopted within the mid to late ‘90s by the Italian Navy or Marina Militare. A modified version of these watches was worn by the military divers. Some decommissioned pieces still make their way to the second-hand market at present, but they’re extraordinarily rare.
Really, I find it hard to believe that anybody might be on the fence about this one—especially now that prices are dipping so low. I have, however, seen a stainless-steel bracelet offered by Citizen that appears compelling. But, I nearly think that it might take away from the attractive, light-weight nature of the watch general.
Still, with a 20mm lug width, it’s going to be extremely easy to find one thing that works for you. Come to consider it, sailcloth could be a neat different to the stock strap. While I didn’t get any shots here, the lume is Citizen’s aqua tone BGW9 and I absolutely love it.
On boats, underwater and in more quotidian situations, here is what I discovered while sporting the basic Citizen Promaster Dive Automatic, also called the “Fugu.” Each watch within the Citizen Promaster Collection is crafted from high-quality supplies, including chrome steel, titanium, and rubber, and includes a vary of technical options to make sure maximum efficiency. Many of the watches on this collection are waterproof to depths of up to 200 meters, making them best for diving and other water-based activities. The Citizen Promaster assortment presents a range of function-forward professional sports activities watches which are designed for an energetic life outside, whether or not that is on land, at sea, or within the air. The Citizen Promaster Dive series consists of a diverse range of purpose-built diver’s watches that supply ISO-certified performance and the entire essential options to spend a life exploring the mysteries of the ocean.
Pair this with the comparatively skinny mid case section and titanium building, and you’re left with a watch that is downright pleasant on the wrist. Building upon the lineage of the well-known Seiko SKX007, the newest revamp of the iconic diver has been developed inside the Seiko 5 line (hence the nickname 5KX). While a few of the specs aren’t as function-heavy as the Citizen, there are a number of dial and elegance options available that give you extra creativity to precise yourself with your watch alternative – check out the total review. No, this Citizen Promaster Diver is powered by the Citizen Eco-Drive E168 motion, which is a photo voltaic quartz watch movement. Yes – the Citizen Promaster Diver is ISO certified, which makes it a high functionality professional diver.
Whether you put on it on the jangly OEM bracelet with its useful diver’s extension, on a vented rubber strap, or on a humble Nato strap, you really can’t go mistaken. In terms of case dimension and profile, the gold and turquoise Citizen Promaster Dive ref. BN X is similar to the opposite fashions from the current BN collection, and it measures 44mm in diameter by eleven.6mm-thick, with 20mm lugs and an general lug-to-lug distance of forty nine.5mm. Similarly, it also options nearly completely brushed surfaces, with the one polished elements being located on the crown and within the small grooves on the bezel.
Dedicated customer support staff able to resolve any purchase or product points. Mastersintime.com is the online specialist in brand watches, the place service and experience are paramount. Our customer support representatives are waiting for your call or e mail. Michael Peñate is an American author, photographer, and podcaster based in Seattle, Washington. His work typically focuses on the passage of time and the tools we use to attach with that very journey.