When it comes to affordable automatic dive watches, you have plenty of options (especially with the Kickstarter/microbrands trend). But when it comes to serious, affordable dive watches from respected, established brands, two Japanese companies run the show… Seiko for sure, but Citizen, a century-old manufacturer, shouldn’t be overlooked. To mark 50 years of its presence on the European market, the brand unveils two limited edition divers, based on iconic models, the Promaster Marine Super Titanium NY0076-10EE & Promaster Mechanical Diver NY0087-13EE.

Citizen is not a brand we often cover on MONOCHROME. We have nothing against this Japanese manufacture per se, however, many of its watches are battery/solar driven, which doesn’t really comply with our editorial policy – normally, as we had to make an exception for this year’s super-impressive Citizen Calibre 0100 and its +/-1 second per year precision (the most precise wristwatch ever) and for the ultra-iconic Aqualand Promaster. Still, we do cover the group on a regular basis, since Citizen is on top of a company named Miyota, reliable entry-level movements that are found in multiple Kickstarter projects. However, what the brand has to present today is 1) cool, 2) absolutely affordable and 3) automatic.

With these two new pieces, Citizen wants to celebrate half a century of presence on the “old continent”. These new models are based on the most iconic pieces in the dive “Promaster” collection, namely the Marine Super Titanium and the Mechanical Diver – two watches that serious divers should know by heart. The whole idea here is to introduce a specific colour scheme, identical on both models.

Promaster Marine Super Titanium NY0076-10EE

The first of the two models is the Promaster Marine Super Titanium, which, as you might have guessed, features a lightweight and corrosion-resistant titanium case. This piece reveals a modernly designed case, with highly protective design features and sharp angles. It is also a large piece, with its 44mm diameter. The case is water-resistant to 200m.

Inside the Marine Super Titanium NY0076-10EE is the well-known calibre 8203 Citizen/Miyota, a 3Hz and 21-jewel workhorse with time-and-day/date display and hand-wound capacity. The main novelty for this 50th-anniversary edition comes for the colour scheme, with a black dial, a red seconds hand and a bezel insert with a red section for the first 15 minutes.

The Citizen Promaster Marine Super Titanium NY0076-10EE is worn on a urethane strap. It will only be available in Europe and will be limited to 1000 pieces. It is priced at EUR 399.

Promaster Mechanical Diver NY0087-13EE

The second model in this collection marking Citizen’s 50-year presence in Europe is based on the ultra-classic Promaster Mechanical Diver model. This watch, together with the Aqualand, is one of the best examples of the affordable yet robust watches manufactured by Citizen. The new reference NY0087-13EE sticks to the signature design with a notched bezel, round case and a crown positioned at 8 o’clock.

The case of this Promaster Mechanical Diver is made of stainless steel and measures 42mm across. Water-resistance is also of 200 metres. Here again, the main specificity is in the colour scheme, with a black dial, red accents on the hands and a bezel with the first 15-minute section in bright red. Just like its sibling above, it features the same automatic, time-and-day/date calibre 8203 Citizen/Miyota.

The Citizen Promaster Mechanical Diver NY0087-13EE is worn on a classic, extensible urethane strap with a depth scale printed on it. It will only be available in Europe and will be limited to 1000 pieces. It is priced at EUR 259.

More details at www.citizenwatch-global.com.