Citizen Promaster Diver Review 2024

The Citizen Promaster Diver is part of the Promaster Sea Collection, a lineup of professional Diver’s watches manufactured by Citizen with solar-powered analog quartz watches with a stainless steel case.

Each watch in this collection meets the ISO 6425 specification, making it safe for scuba diving or other water sports and activities that may cause water damage.

Unsurprisingly, watches from the Promaster Sea Collection are loved so much, given Citizen’s innovative eco-drive technology, which means the watch can passively absorb light and doesn’t require battery replacement.

Citizen managed to keep the price around $200, making it the market’s most affordable, high-quality diving watch.

In the Citizen Promaster Diver review, we will examine the BN0151-09L model in this lineup.

Citizen Promaster Diver Review

We saw a sturdy and durable watch as we opened the box. The case is made of stainless steel, and the watch measures 44mm wide and 12mm thick. Weighing in at 15.2 oz, this Diver’s watch has accurate weight but isn’t tiringly heavy.

The BN0151-09L has thick textured bezels that we love. As mentioned above, the BN0151-09L uses a dark blue scheme. Looking at the dial, you can see the luminous hands and the hour display that stands out even in low-light conditions.

Part of the reason it looks transparent is thanks to the anti-reflective mineral crystal glass display. Finally, the Citizen Promaster Diver watch has a standard 20mm lug width, making it easy to customize the straps to fit third-party products.

Watchband

Depending on whether you have the BN0151-09L model, the polyurethane band is available in this watch with a convenient dive table printed on one side for no-decompression limits.

As expected, the band was very durable. It is ribbed to give it some flexibility, but it sits right on top of a dry or wetsuit when scuba diving.

The band may feel stiff the first time you put it on, but it doesn’t take long to split and becomes more comfortable afterward. This brand is a style found on classic Diver’s watches.

The standard width of the lugs is 20mm, which makes them compatible with most other band types. If you don’t like the original band, you can personalize your watch by trying a variety of third-party bands until you get a band that suits your needs. We found the bands that came with it adequately.

Dial

The dial is either black or dark blue. The watch face is about 30mm wide; the rest is part of the Diver’s bezel. The dial is very intuitive. The time display is white, contrasting well with dark blue and black. In addition, the edges of the hands and the date are polished on the outer rim of the index, making it visible in direct sunlight.

The Citizen Promaster has 12-hour marks on the dial and a date window at the 4 o’clock position. The date window obscures one of the displays on many watches due to lack of space. This is not the case with Promaster.

The Citizen has included half of the markings, including the volume, so that even if partially obscured, the wearer can still see the spot. This is a nice touch. There are three needles on the dial, which is standard practice. There are hour hand, minute hand, and second hand.

All of them are relatively wide to accommodate the lumen, including the thin second hand. The minute hand is the longest, and the colored hour hand with a pointed tip stands out the most. Combined with the lume, it pops out of the rest of the components, and you can see it at a glance.

You’ll find the Citizen logo proudly displayed just below the midnight mark. Next, at the top, at 6 o’clock from the bottom, is a model name and a waterproof indicator. These are all very standard practices.

One thing to note is that the 12-hour index has a unique shape compared to other stocks. This differentiates it from another index, so the remaining marks can be orientated relatively quickly in low visibility conditions.

For example, if you see this shape, you know it points upwards, and the other direction should point downwards. The outer beveled ring has a mark every minute. It is simple and fits well into the overall design of the dial without compromising other markings.

Overall, the dials on the Promaster Diver are intuitive and do what they need without overloading the user. This is for you if you prefer a more minimalist design on the hands and dials.

Bezel

To meet stringent ISO-6425 requirements, the watch’s stainless steel bezel is designed to be challenging to rotate underwater. The justification is that this reduces the chance of being accidentally adjusted if something bumps or bumps. It’s also a one-sided bezel where the bezel only rotates on one side.

Next, there is a notch on the side of the bezel to further enhance grip and track elapsed time of up to 60 minutes. It also has a ratchet mechanism that clicks when turning.

Each ‘click’ means it’s set to track 30 minutes, so it’s easy to know how much time you’re measuring. Of course, this watch has luminescent markings, and the bezel shows the minutes and 10-minute intervals.

Citizen Promaster diver 200m waterproof ISO 6425

Not everyone who wears a diver’s watch wears a diver’s watch. Most people don’t, and it’s just fine. But to cover all bases, we’ll talk about how durable the watch is, especially when exposed to water.

Many manufacturers selling watches claim to be Diver’s watches, but they only show parts and do not meet international standards. In other words, if you claim to be waterproof up to 100m, 200m, 300m, etc., you can survive a short time and fail much faster.

Meeting ISO 6425 certification means that international standards for watch durability have been reached and can be considered a legitimate diver’s watch. Yes, the Citizen Promaster Diver BN0151-09L meets these stringent requirements.

In addition to meeting the ISO 6425 standard, the Promaster watch’s stainless steel case protects against saltwater’s corrosive properties. It can be used in deep water under tremendous pressure for long periods without problems.

Citizen Promaster Diver analog quartz movement

The Promaster Diver is equipped with an analog quartz movement, the most precise type of movement a watch can have. If accuracy is your main concern, this is the best you can get.

What’s more, this watch is solar-powered. This means that when worn outdoors, it absorbs natural and artificial light to keep your hands moving.

Essentially, with no need to change batteries, the Promaster Diver will continue to work for decades. Again, it also means you’ll keep hearing the secondhand ticking forever. We find it very quiet, but more sensitive wearers may find it annoying when trying to sleep.

Another noteworthy thing is that the Promaster Diver’s caliber is E168. In other words, the accuracy of this watch is a reliable accuracy of + or – 15 seconds per month, assuming a room temperature of 5-35˚C. There can be a small margin of error of a few seconds per month, but over time, it can average out.

Battery life and Recharge

Citizen’s Eco-Drive technology uses a thin amorphous silicon disk underneath the dial to absorb natural and artificial light and convert it into electrical energy. This energy is stored in a rechargeable titanium lithium-ion battery.

Citizens are much greener because they don’t use the toxic chemicals commonly found in regular batteries. And since they can last decades before they need to be replaced, the amount of waste generated is only a fraction of what other battery-powered devices produce.

Thanks to Eco-Drive, there is no need to charge the Promaster watches specifically specifically. You can go through the day as usual, absorb any ambient light you are exposed to, and convert it into energy without changing cables or batteries.

Maintenance

We have already mentioned above that you do not need to replace the battery in your Promaster Diver’s watch. But the same cannot be said about gears and gaskets. These deteriorate much faster and must be replaced every two or three years. Please send it to an authorized civic service center. Doing so will prolong the life of your watch.

Conclusion of Citizen Promaster Diver Watch Review.

Overall, we are impressed with the durability and performance of the Citizen Promaster BN0151-09L diver watch.

You will get a large, classic men’s Diver’s watch with a corrosion-resistant stainless steel case; the mineral crystal glass is anti-reflective, scratch-resistant, and impact-resistant, and the watchband is sturdy and comfortable.

The best part of this watch is the Eco-Drive technology and the fact that there is no need to change the battery. Whether you decide to purchase the BN0151-09L, BN0158-00X, or BN0150-28E model of the Citizen Promaster diver’s watch, you’re getting an excellent maintenance-free watch at an affordable price.

Frequently Asked Questions about Citizen Promaster Diver Watch

What is Citizen Promaster?

The Citizen Promaster brand captivates the imaginations of sports professionals worldwide with high-performance sports watches. Citizen’s iconic professional Diver’s watch was awarded the highest depth rating in the world in 1982 and boasted pressure resistance of up to 1,300 meters.

Are Citizen Promaster Watches good?

Again, it is reliable and noticeably time-consuming (+/- 5 seconds per month). And there is no need to change or roll up the battery. Citizen watches are fantastic and have great value.

How does Citizen Promaster watch work?

First, the crown tightens the screw. Every high-quality Diver’s watch should have this feature. This prevents accidental opening underwater, breaking the waterproof seal, and damaging the watch. It also has a guard, so it won’t come loose even if you bump into it.

Next up is rum. The lume can be found on the edge of the 12 markers, the three needles, and even the circles on the rotating bezel. I especially like how the second-hand fills with lumens, as not all manufacturers do this for their watches.

Charging the lume is very simple. Like with Eco-Drive technology, it sets by exposing it to light. It can also be formed from an artificial light source, such as a flashlight or desk lamp.

In your daily life, you will most likely be exposed to enough sunlight that you do not need to charge your watch.

Finally, the essential unidirectional rotating bezel is a must-have for a diver’s watch. It’s pretty standard. Unidirectional means you only rotate in one direction, so you cannot accidentally add time during a dive.

This means you don’t have to worry about running out of air before time runs out. On the bezel, you’ll find a thin mark with a circle at the top every minute, a giant baton for five minutes, a square mark every ten minutes, and a printed number.

The dark bezel with white indices makes the mark stand out, making it look good and stand out underwater.

What is the difference between BN0151-09L and BN0150-28E?

There is very little difference between them. Both are part of the Citizen’s Promaster Sea collection, but you can think of them as the same watch.

Aside from the color scheme, the BN0151-09L and BN0150-28E models are identical. They are made of the same material, have the same design, have the same function, and have the same weight.

The difference lies only in the color scheme. Specifically, the BN0151-09L has a blue rubber strap and a dark blue watch face. On the other hand, the BN0150-28E has a black rubber band and a black dial.

In other words, the reasons for choosing one of the other models depend on whether you prefer a blue or black watch.

How do you recharge Citizen Promaster Diver’s battery?

When the watch’s battery is low, the second hand will start moving every two seconds, signaling that it needs to be recharged. When fully charged, regular operation resumes.

There are a few things to remember regarding how to keep your Citizen watch charged.

First, it may take more effort to keep the charge going in winter than summer. This is because watches are most often stored under the sleeves of a shirt or jacket to limit exposure to light.

Therefore, efforts may be made to expose the watch to artificial light to compensate for the reduced light exposure. If it is safe, roll up your sleeves and let in natural light.

If using an artificial light source, place it at least 2 feet away from the light source to avoid overheating. Pull the crown out to expose it to the light source to triple the charging speed. This is usually how water or moisture can get inside a waterproof watch, so do so only under ideal conditions.

Finally, the batteries in Eco-Drive watches are designed to last a lifetime. Even after 20 years of use, it has been shown that the battery has degraded only to retain about 80% of its original charge.

This is still very impressive, considering how quickly batteries in other devices fail and need to be replaced.