Usually associated with solar-powered, high-spec professional diver’s watches, Citizen has just launched something unusual. The Promaster Mechanical Diver 200 m is a higher-end dive watch powered by the automatic cal. 9051 and a case made of its proprietary, hardened titanium.

Initial thoughts

The new Promaster is a huge – it’s 46 mm wide – with an aggressively, slightly over-the-top-design. And for that reason it’s cool; the style and size will surely appeal to anyone who likes large dive watches. Importantly, the Promaster Mechanical Diver is automatic, which gives it a greater technical appeal for the watch enthusiast.

Citizen’s dive watch offerings in recent years have either been solar or entry-level automatics (priced at between US$300-400), while the new Promaster costs about US$1,000. The price brings with its an impressively constructed case in hardened titanium, a massive bezel, and prominently domed sapphire crystal.

With Citizen having a history of dive watches with even greater depth ratings, the followups to the new Promaster will be worth keeping an eye on, especially a 1,000 m diver in the same style.

The case is 15.3 mm high, with almost half of that the bezel

Large and light

Despite the case size, the Promaster Mechanical Diver is lightweight. Both the case and bezel are Super Titanium, titanium that boasts an extra-hard surface thanks to Duratect treatment. The process takes place with the component in chamber that’s heated to several hundred degrees and filled with a gaseous mixture that increases the metal’s surface hardness to several times that of ordinary steel.

The case is treated with Duratect MRK, while the bezel is treated with Duratect TIC and then coated in black diamond-like carbon (DLC), giving it a darker colour than the case.

The black dial is finished with a hobnail pattern that echoes the bezel, while the minute and seconds hands are in orange, since they are the most crucial indications in a dive watch – the minute hand tracks the time underwater, while the seconds hand demonstrates the watch is running.

The same movement found in the integrated-bracelet Series 8 831, the cal. 9051 is a relatively thin movement that shares the basic architecture of the 9000-series family of movements but with upgraded features, resulting in the cal. 9051 having substantially better accuracy.

Because the balance spring and escapement are made of non-magnetic alloys, the cal. 9051 has a higher-than-average magnetism resistance of 16,000 A/m, enough to ensure that magnetic fields generated by everyday electronic devices like smartphones and tablets do not affect timekeeping.

And as is typical for a professional diver’s watch, the new Promaster diver is delivered on a long rubber strap that can be lengthened with an extension, allowing it to be worn over a wetsuit.

Key facts and price

Citizen Promaster Mechanical Diver 200 m
Ref. NB6004-08E (strap)

Diameter: 46 mm
Height: 15.3 mm
Material: Super Titanium with Duratect coating
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 200 m

Movement: Cal. 9051
Features: Hours, minutes, seconds, and date
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 42 hours

Strap: Rubber strap with diving extension

Availability: Now at Citizen boutiques and retailers
Price: US$1,050 on strap

For more, visit Citizenwatch-global.com.

This was brought to you in partnership with Citizen.