If you’re a fan of Citizen divers (here’s one of my favorites), and you like their implementation of light power (aka Eco-Drive), then this upcoming release is one you’ll want to take note of. Basically, they took the popular Promaster Eco-Drive Diver (Citizen / Amazon), and upgraded it. Time to meet the Citizen Promaster Eco-Drive Diver 300m.
Citizen Promaster Eco-Drive Diver 300m: what it is
If you’re familiar with the watch this one is based off of, it’s going to look (and feel) very familiar. Externally, there’s not a lot that you’re going to note as looking all that different. The case is a few millimeters larger, but your eye won’t notice that. What it will catch, however, is the helium escape valve (HEV) that is on the side of the case. With that valve – and one presumes some tweaks to the gaskets – this new diver carries a 300m WR rating, which is plenty for taking it on a scuba dive. Or, you know, sitting at the side of the pool.
What else is different?
On the exterior, we’ve got a new material making up the strap of the Citizen Promaster Eco-Drive Diver 300m. This is a biomass-based polyurethane, which basically means we’ve got some plant matter mixed into the soft plastic of the strap. Less impact on the environment, and it also makes the strap resistant to hydrolysis, which should help the strap last longer.
Inside, there’s also another big change. We’ve got a newer movement (as compared to the model this watch is based off of), the Caliber E365. The movement was introduced at Watches & Wonders 2023, and showed up in watches later that year. The big callout (aside from it being powered by any sort of light, not just the sun) is that it can run for a full year in the dark once it has gained a full charge. So, no worries about the watch just stopping when you’re diving in the deeps – or it’s been tucked away in the watch box for a few weeks.
Wrapping things up
The Citizen Promaster Eco-Drive Diver 300m is scheduled to be released next month, and we’ve got our name on the list for a review loaner (so be on the lookout for that). When it hits the shelves, it’ll be commanding a price of $695. That’s just under double of what the predecessor model ran, so if you don’t need the 300m rating, that might be a way to save some coin. citizenwatch.com
Citizen Promaster Eco-Drive Diver 300m Tech Specs
- Brand: CITIZEN PROMASTER / Eco-Drive Diver 300m
- Model: BN1024-01Z
- Launch: April 2025 (scheduled)
- Price: (Projected) USD $695
- Case/Band: Stainless steel / Biomass-based polyurethane (BENEBiOL™)/includes strap extension?
- Glass: Sapphire glass with anti-reflective coating
- Case diameter/ thickness: 46.0mm /16.3mm?design specification only ?
- Specifications
- Cal.E365 /Accuracy of ±15 seconds per month/Eco-Drive runs for one year on full charge
- ISO-standard diving water resistance to 300 m (Saturation Diving)
- Luminous (Hands and indices)
- One-Way Rotating Bezel
- Screw lock crown
- Recycled materials used for selected dial components
