Changes and upgrades from the NY004 include the shape of the lumed indices, now straight and sharp corned instead of round. The handset is changed as well, still massive and legible, but now more straight-sided, with a sort of straight cathedral-style hand for the hours, and bold, a red-trimmed arrow for the minutes. The arrow-tipped second hand is lumed, and trimmed in red also. The colored minute hand is a great feature for a working diver’s watch, as it draws the eye immediately to the most important hand on the face- and it looks very cool above water too. Let there be light! Lume is often referred to because of its functional properties. But there is something magical about it. Not too long ago, I was researching the best Heuer/TAG Heuer watches from the 1980s. During that quest, I was reminded of the brilliance of the brand’s full lume dial diving watches from the 1980s. On top of that, our Fratello master of lume Lex wears his Chronoswiss Timemaster with a full lume dial regularly. It triggered me to find out more about the brilliance of lume dials and put the spotlight on some of the best lume watches. Fiat lux!

Citizen Promaster NY0040-17LE - Chrono24

At 42mm in diameter and 12mm in height, the Promaster Marine Automatic Diver 200m is a respectable watch, with average dimensions for a watch of this category. The lugs are short and also well shaped, meaning that the watch sits comfortably on most wrists. What’s important, though, is the material, since this Promaster NY0100, on the contrary to the NY0040, is made of Super Titanium™, which is solid titanium coated with a proprietary surface hardening technology called Duratect. This gives the watch a handsome shine (not the usual dark grey colour, but something brighter), lightness (40% lighter than steel) and scratch-resistance, with more than 1,000Hv hardness. As a result, the watch on its bracelet weighs just 110 grams, compared to more than 150 grams for an equivalent model in stainless steel. And believe us, it does change everything once strapped around the wrist. Movement: Citizen in-house Miyota Calibre 8200, self-winding movement with a manual-winding function They’ve gone for both a brushed and polished finish which is something I’ve always been quite a fan of. The top of the casing is finished in a brushed style, however, the sides of the casing have a polished shiny finish. I tend to find this sort of design gives a watch a high-quality look.The NY004’s unique crown position at 8:00 has been preserved in the Fugu, although the crown itself is now knurled rather than grooved- in my opinion a great upgrade, as knurling is low profile, has a tidy presentation and is unparalleled for good grip. The unusual location is kind of divisive among dive watch enthusiasts; for me, I love it! It prevents the crown from digging into the top of the wrist at all, and really sets this watch apart from any other diver. The crown is also signed with the Citizen Promaster logo.

NY0040: Better than the Seiko SKX007? Citizen NY0040: Better than the Seiko SKX007?

So, if you’re a forum reader, especially on a forum that focuses on more expensive brands, we are now entering the season of the infamous, “Is it safe to wear my insert watch brand and model to insert destination” threads. The threads often ask about South American locales where eagle-eyed squadrons of motorcycle gangs apparently roam the streets poised and ready to forcefully pilfer your Rolex with nary a thought about your life’s worth. Amazingly, as our news media becomes increasingly sensational, I see questions from quaking travelers asking about bucolic places in America because, as you know, the entirety of America carries assault rifles and apparently mows down all comers at merely the suggestion of a wrongful glance. Ok, so I am being overly harsh, as people honestly do want to know about safety. You love your watches and want to bring them with but you also desire some reassurance. In 1985, Citizen introduced a watch that would become a favourite of divers and watch enthusiasts, a watch that made an impact and that is still, today, one of the brand’s most emblematic models, the Aqualand – which is extensively explained in this in-depth article. It was the world’s first watch fitted with an electronic/digital depth gauge, which anticipated what would eventually become the standard equipment for divers: diving computers. But still, when presented, the Aqualand wasn’t yet a Promaster. There you have it, a list of some of the most spectacular lume watches around. If you want to know more about the workings of lume, go ahead and read Rob’s in-depth article about which watches glow in the dark best. It’s an interesting read that shines a light on the different producers and materials used to light up a dial. After reading that, please let us know what some of your favorite lume watches are in the comment section. Did we miss out on some of the great lume monsters? Let us know! Both the hands and the hour markers have a good coating of lume to make reading in dim lit conditions much easier. Most decent diving watches are expected to come with sufficient lume. The first thing I noticed as soon as I ripped up the handbrake and looked out of the car window was that directly across the street from the Air BNB was a dive shop. I looked down at my wrist and felt butterflies in my stomach. My mind was already made up. After a couple of days snorkeling the crystalline waters of Playa Chica I worked up the courage to walk into the dive shop. The people there were a band of incredibly friendly Brits, who immediately let me know all about the PADI discover scuba dive. The almost symbolic price of €50 got you a 30-minute dive, where you would learn how to gear up, equalize, and breathe underwater using a regulator. We agreed upon a time and date and just like that, it was in the books.This watch also offers great value for money. While Seiko is not a bad choice in itself, this watch also deserves a rightful spot beside the SKX007. From its looks to the functions it offers, it’s a classic watch. Moreover, you get an automatic movement and a water-resistance of 200 metres. Plus, you also get an ISO-certified watch! It’s hard to go wrong with this watch. Up Close with the Citizen Promaster NY0040