Ordinarily, a watchmaker might lament the fact that enthusiasts the world over had dubbed its creation the “Fujitsubo,” or barnacle. But the story behind the Citizen Promaster Diver Automatic is the stuff that PR dreams are made of.
In 1983, a Citizen Challenge Diver washed up on an Australian beach. Cleary, it had been submerged for years. Barnacles and bits of seas sponge had enveloped it. As the watch had initially been released in 1977, it is quite possible that it had been lost new and spent most of its life on the bottom of the ocean. Miraculously, when cleaned up, the movement still kept time.
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The Promaster Diver Automatic draws largely upon this earlier design. The dial sports the same blocky hour markers; the Mercedes hour hand and sword minute are almost identical. They both share the emblematic lollipop seconds, and the funky date window with its partial hour indicator at three. Even the aluminum bezel insert and countdown indicators are strikingly similar–though the Challenge Diver was fully graduated.
The case, too, is faithful to the original with elongated, bevelled lugs (unfortunately not drilled) and circular brushing. However, the Promaster Diver measures in at 41mm, with a lug to lug of 48.5mm and is 12.3mm thick. It is also fashioned from the brand’s proprietary Super Titanium, which is treated with Duratect—a hardening coating that is reportedly five times harder than stainless steel, anti-corrosive, anti-scratch, and hypoallergenic. Super Titanium is also 40% lighter than steel, making the Promaster Diver a dream on wrist, despite its substantial dimensions.
The Promaster is also equipped with a flat sapphire crystal which has been beveled where it meets the bezel. This provides attractive distortions of the hour markers when viewed at angles. With its screw down crown and solid case back, the watch also promises 200m of water resistance (up from 150m in the original). Operation of the crown is smooth; however, I might say that my only quibble here is that it appears too small in circumference and, ultimately, disproportionately long. A “squatter” design would definitely improve the silhouette. This would also reflect the crown construction in the original design.
The newest iteration uses a vintage green application of Natulite on all dial elements, including the bezel pip at twelve. It is also ISO 6425 compliant, making it a true diver.
The movement at the heart of the Promaster Diver is the Citizen 9051. It operates at a 4Hz beat rate and provides a 42-hour power reserve. Due to the inclusion of an anit-magnetic hairspring, the watch is also resistant to magnetism up to 16 000 A/m. It is accurate within -10/+20 seconds per day.
The black dial variant featured here comes on a polyurethane waffle strap. However, the watch is also available on a bracelet and in a blue dial colourway. The strap is a little stiff, but certainly robust, with two floating keepers and titanium hardware.
SPECS
| Case | Super Titanium 41mm Diameter 12.3mm Thick 48.5mm Lug to Lug 20mm Lug Width Screw Down Case Back & Crown 60-Click Unidirectional 200m Water Resistance |
| Dial & Crystal | Bevelled Sapphire Crystal /w AR Raised Indices Black Dial Mercedes/Sword Handset Natulite Lume |
| Movement | Citizen 9051 Anti-magnetic Hairsrping 24 Jewels 28 800bph 42-Hour Power Reserve |
| Strap | Polyurethane Waffle Strap /w Titanium Hardware |
Citizen Promaster Diver Automatic
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Final Thoughts
The Citizen Promaster Diver Automatic ticks all the right boxes for a vintage-styled diver, but it also ratchets things up a notch with its use of modern materials. It occupies a very competitive pricing bracket, but comes out swinging when compared to the Seiko SPB14X line–perhaps its closest contender in both style and specs. While somewhat ubiquitous in appearance, the Promaster Diver Automatic transcends its recognisable design through a superior wrist experience. With the right strap combination–(only 70 grams on rubber!)–the watch almost disappears.
The first thing I would do is throw this one on a quality NATO and it would live there comfortably–imperceptibly–until I looked down at it, again and again.
The Citizen Promaster Diver Automatic retails for $795 USD ($1195 CAD). For more information, please visit the brand website, or check it out at Gem Bijou. Thanks to them for sending this one in.
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About the author
Brent Robillard is a writer, educator, craftsman, and watch enthusiast. He is the author of four novels. You can follow him on Instagram.
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