They are the masters of light-powered quartz watches and this year they’re taking the power of light deep down the ocean floor, with their first solar-powered, ISO compliant 1,000-meter-rated dive watch. No matter how ‘technical’ you find their timepieces to be, there’s no denying that the team at Citizen, stay true to making their watches well thought out instruments. We’re talking about the new Citizen Promaster Eco-Drive Professional Diver 1000m.
Simply put, here, skills do the talking and with the overwhelming response, Citizen has successfully managed to conquer the loyalties of divers worldwide. How? Let’s take a look…
THE CASE
Inspired by a turban shell like structure, the new Promaster Eco-Drive Professional Diver 1,000M is offered in a 52.5mm case in titanium with an AR-coated sapphire crystal over the bezel. The titanium used here is ‘Super Titanium’ which means it is given the Duratect MRK surface-hardening treatment, along with a DLC-coating for scratch-resistance. The helium escape valve at 10 o clock releases helium gas that enters the watch when diving to prevent any damage to the movement. Attached to the case is a soft, black polyurethane dive-style strap.
THE BEZEL
The bezel itself is unidirectional which eliminates the danger of a diver accidentally turning the bezel the wrong way during a dive. Citizen has incorporated a new twist-to-lock mechanism for the rotating diver’s bezel. When the bezel is unlocked or the crown unscrewed, the user can see orange-colored sections which are an unsafe indication.
LUMINOSITY
The Promaster’s photo-luminescent markings absorb light fast and stay bright for a long time. The materials used have more than twice the afterglow brightness than a conventional material even after 5 hours. In case you’re wondering, NO the material does not contain any radioactive elements. Already in awe? That’s Citizen for you.
WATER RESISTANCE
The Promaster Eco-Drive Professional Diver is ISO compliant and water resistant to a whopping 1000m. CITIZEN has conducted various validation and vilification tests working closely with JAMSTEC (Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology), the ocean research authority in Japan. These include examining the effects of high water pressure to check waterproof performance in a high pressure environment as well as dial visibility, and luminous features in deep waters.
THE MOVEMENT
Inside the Citizen BN7020-09E is the brands’ in-house caliber J210 Eco-Drive quartz movement. Powered by light, the movement can run for 2.5 years when it is fully charged. The dial offers the time, date, and a power reserve indicator (indicates the charge time left). The movement’s non-removable battery is recharged as light enters through the dial to a photovoltaic cell located underneath it.
Time and again Citizen has pioneered groundbreaking technologies to make watches an indispensable part of modern life. It’s one of the few companies which proves that technology in watches are not just a Swiss accomplishment.
PRICE
Just over $3K (Australian Dollars)