This year Citizen introduced three new versions of its Promaster subcollection which is nicknamed after a pufferfish.

Citizen dive watches first came out in 1959, and the Promaster Dive Automatic “Fugu” line was originally adopted by the Italian Navy in 1989, according to Citizen. For 2023, three new 44 x 13.1 stainless steel variants have been introduced. From left to right, Ref. NY0130-08E features a black dial, a yellow flange, a black anodized aluminum bezel insert, and a polyurethane strap ($550), Ref.NY0136-52L features a dial with a blue flange, a blue anodized aluminum bezel insert, and a steel bracelet ($595), and Ref. NY0137-09A ($650) features a black-plated steel case, a fully luminous dial, a luminous flange, a black bezel insert, and a polyurethane strap.

A sapphire crystal protects the dial side, the crown screws down to the case at 7 o’clock, and the solid caseback which has a poisonous fugu or pufferfish engraved in it, screws in. The watch is depth rated 200 meters and has a rotating count-up dive bezel.

The functions of the watch hours, minutes, center seconds, and day/date are powered by in-house produced 3Hz automatic caliber 8204 which has a power reserve of 42-hours, and features hacking seconds for precise time-setting.

For the money, it’s a large but not massive, attractive automatic dive watch with a diving history and a distinctive shape and crown position, with a well-aligned bezel, which is not always the case in this price point.

 

Photo by Citizen.