Citizen Men's Analogue Automatic Watch with a Rubber Band Promaster Marine

Product Information

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! Launched in 1997 by Citizen, the Promaster NY0040 (known to many as Citizen NY0040) is one of the most recognisable watches from the brand. Many watch enthusiasts can spot this timepiece instantly, from anywhere. Despite the changes it had undergone, it only proved iconic as ever. To this day, the watch remains in production with various iterations available. 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. This watch is one of my favorite dive watches – 100% for its unique and beautiful design. At a glance, it doesn’t appear too out of the ordinary or revolutionary- but when you look closely, handle it and wear it you come to appreciate what a really spectacular piece Citizen has put together. Regarding weaknesses of the SKX007, I dislike how the dial is a crisp white and the hands are off-white. To some, it may appear like patina, but I find it a little cheesy. Also, I see a small gap between the day and date wheel, which is not typical for Seiko. Aside from that, my only other general wish is for a hand-winding movement, but because this is Seiko, I can’t be too surprised that the watch is sold without one.

Citizen Promaster NY0040-17LE - Chrono24

The bad: Not too much at this price point. The strap is quite tough, and apparently takes a while to break in. The LHD crown is not built for using on this fat boys wrist. It’s a small screw down crown and it’s very hard to wind or correct something ‘on wrist’. Not a big complaint though. I know Rolex blah blah,Tudor,blah blah,but come on,this watch is cheap accurate reliable as a wood burning stove,has a style all of its own and can hold its own against ANYTHING else from any other brand- (sorry Seiko you’re not even in the running). With its new green colour and this Super Titanium case and bracelet combination, there’s really a lot to love about this watch. And yet, the utilitarian, blue-collar feel of the original Promaster Marine is still present, just with better specs all around now. Sure, it’s quite a lot more expensive than an NY0040 (which comes at EUR 239), but this green titanium edition remains very accessible and brings a lot to the table for that price. Availability & Price Personally, I’d have preferred a coin edged bezel design but that’s more down to my personal taste than anything else. That being said, a lot of other people obviously seem to like it.Chronoswiss produced more than one lume-inspired model in the early 2000s. Lex’ CH6233LU is a 44mm manual winding beast that pops off the wrist. Chronoswiss also produced a 40mm automatic version and a 40mm chronograph that is also stunning. If you are looking for something a bit more modest, those could be an option. But the overall proportions of the 44mm version look better. At first, the idea was to select the best full lume dial watches from the past and the present. But during the research for this article, the scope kept getting wider as the magic of lume is not restricted to full lume dials. While there certainly is a list to be made with the best full lume dials, it would put some amazing watches that play brilliantly with the theme of light by using lume out of scope. So in that light (pun intended), let’s take a look at some of the best lume watches. Another great thing about the watch is that you can always change the strap to any bracelet you prefer. If you don’t like the rubber strap or are looking forward to wearing the watch in a more casual or formal setting, this is what you do. The Citizen NY0040 looks good on any strap such as nylon and stainless steel. Price of the Citizen NY0040 Man, those titanium EcoDrives are brilliant. I’d say that if you’re a Citizen fan already you won’t regret going with an automatic NY-series diver. I’ll be honest, I got mine three years ago now, and I’ve never had any issues with timekeeping, which is quite impressive considering that I have no idea when it was last serviced. Throw in the mix that I’ve done just about everything and anything with this watch and it makes an impressive thing even more so!

NY0040-50W Promaster Aqualand Automatic Acciaio Full Lume NY0040-50W Promaster Aqualand Automatic Acciaio Full Lume

Even though we recently focused our attention on the (truly impressive) Citizen Caliber 0200, this highly accomplished model is an exception for the brand. When it comes to its core range, where Citizen has long excelled, we have to look at far more accessible watches. And one, in particular, has long been a fan’s favourite, a watch with its own community, the Promaster. And today, we’ll look at the brand’s latest iteration, the Citizen Promaster Marine Automatic Diver 200m Super Titanium™ NY0100-50XE with its green dial. And even if it has moved into fashionable territories with a dial bearing the industry’s hottest colour, it remains one of the best value proposition dive watches on the market. PromasterThe decompression table is worn out, and until a Seiko AD squeezed the gasket last year it was working just fine. Probably still does. 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! It’s impossible to talk about the Fugu without talking about its predecessor in the Citizen dive watch stable; the venerable NY004. The NY004 was first released in 1993, and famously adopted for combat use in 1997 by the Italian Navy’s Special Forces unit. Strangely for me (who likes all things Panerai) the Tron takes it too far. I can just about cope with the lume on the case, but the strap? Come on. The Citizen Promaster NY0040 is often overshadowed when it comes to diving watches by the likes of the Seiko SKX007 or the Seiko SKX009 which there’s no denying, are impressive watches. I just think when it comes to ISO certified diving watches, the Promaster NY0040 deserves a little more credit.