Citizen Promaster Marine BN0227-09L Watch Review

Today we are going to check Citizen Promaster Marine BN0227-09L. Behind such long name you will find quite a sleek diver watch from the famous Japanese manufacturer. Well, this diver is a bit different from what we are used to get on the market nowadays. Citizen decided to look into previous releases and actually revive what was produced by them long time ago. As a result we get a line of Promaster diver watches with quite unusual styling. I decided to get one and check it closer in this article.

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Dial

First of all it is important to note that there are three versions in total. We are going to talk about the blue one, but you can also pick green or black. Those two look a bit more “usual” though, so it is something to consider. Blue color nicely matches greyish shade of the case, what creates a really beautiful combination. Note that this is not a plain blue backing, we get a camouflage pattern instead.

All indices are applied and have generous amount of lume on them. Handset is somewhat classic for diving watches, so you will get two large parts together with lollipop seconds hand. All this looks great in person and legibility is amazing here.

Somehow Citizen has managed to keep the amount of all the possible writings at credible minimum. You will find manufacturer’s logo and information about movement/water protection. Date window is also here, but I am still not sure if it is good to have this element without magnifying glass. As you might remember, some rivals on the market actually offer glass with such section. Another interesting touch is that index is kept even at 3″ position where date window sits.

Case size is 47mm, but dial is obviously smaller and sits nicely “inside” the watch. Note that we get a mineral glass here, so you will have to be careful with it. I would prefer the sapphire part instead, but it looks like Citizen considers mineral glass as tough enough for casual diving.

Nevertheless, mineral glass doesn’t influence the legibility of the dial, so you won’t have any issues here. As I mentioned before, all indices and hands are covered with Superluminova, and you can see them in work on the photos below and in the video-review.

In my opinion this is a decent result which should be enough for everyday use and even for some diving with this watch. On the photo below you can see the lume dot is also present on the bezel. Here we can talk about case.

Case

Before we start checking whole case, it is worth noting the dimensions of this part. Case size is 47mm, it is 14.3mm thick and weighs 88g. The latter number might look surprising if you consider the size of today’s watch. Nevertheless, it was easy to achieve thanks to Super Titanium which is used by Citizen in its various series.

Case received a PVD coating treatment, so whole part is textured and has this nice matte finish to it. As you remember, such surface is more scratch-resistant and should work fine in everyday use. Note that shape is not exactly typical – four corners on both sides. Such feature adds to the rugged styling of this watch. As you can see on the photo above, case works nicely with large bezel. I have to note how bezel moves here – sound is not that loud, but distinct. There is no free movement for this part, everything sits tight as it should.

Crown protection is not that big, what is somewhat surprising to me. Note that rear cover is plain steel with some engraving on it. Empty central section might come handy to engrave your own symbols there. 🙂 Water protection is clocked at 200m, what should be enough for recreational diving.

Screwdown crown itself is a relatively large part with nice ribbed surface. It is easy to handle, and I think it should be fine even in gloves. Of course, we have two positions and on the side you will find Promaster sign engraving.

Movement and Strap

Today’s watch is based on custom Citizen caliber. We get Citizen E168 movement which can work up to six months on one charge. Keep in mind that this is Eco-Drive movement, so it can charge on the bright sunlight. In my opinion this is a great feature which gives you a hassle-free use experience.

As for the strap, you can see it on the pictures – watch comes with nice blue accessory. Citizen Promaster Marine BN0227-09L contains additional strap end for professional use. I have to note that rubber here is quite soft and easy to bend around your wrist. Of course, this watch should also look fine with a classic nato strap in the same color.

In Use

Here we can talk about this watch in real world scenarios. I was worried about size of this watch, but the only thing that might bother you is the thickness of this timepiece. Large dimensions of the case don’t influence the overall ease of wear. Who knows, maybe it is also thanks to light weight as when you take watch in hands for the first time, mind just can’t connect the size with the perceived weight.

I didn’t have any issues with the dial. Large indices and hands make it easier to check the time, so there are no problems at all. Color version is also a perfect fit for this watch, somehow it avoids cheap look with the camouflage on the dial. Of course, this is not exactly the watch to wear with the business suit, but it works with most of the outfits.

Citizen Promaster Marine BN0227-09L – Price and Availability

Today’s watch should be already available and price tag will be set at 500USD. For this price you will get a great divers watch in a quite unique styling. I think that is the main selling point here as Citizen Promaster Marine BN0227-09L doesn’t look like anything on the market. We are all used to “classic” divers from all the brands around, and it is good to see something fresh.

At the same time this timepiece manages to offer all necessary functions together with special materials. In my opinion this is a great pick for those who are not bothered by mineral glass or non-automatic movement. Instead you will get a reliable workhorse which should survive in different situations. 🙂