Introducing Citizen Celebrates 35 Years Of The Promaster With A Limited Edition Trio For Land, Air, And Sea

This year marks the 35th anniversary of Citizen's sporty and ever-capable Promaster series, and as part of the brand's celebration of all things Promaster, Citizen has just announced a special trio of limited edition models. Representing Sea, Land, and Air, we get one model for each realm, including a special colorway and surface treatment for the lovely Fujitsubo diver and a pair of tech-forward multi-function quartz watches. After 35 years of making a wide collection of sporty do-it-all watches, it's an interesting look at what Citizen sees as the core tenants of the Promaster line. 

Originally launched in 1989 as the brand's outlet for professional-spec watches, the Promaster concept has aged into an all-encompassing collection of watches that generally fall into one of three philosophies: Air (pilot's watches), Land (field watches), or Sea (dive watches). As such, this new 35th-anniversary collection has one of each, and the full specs for each of the three are presented below. 

For Sea, we have a 4,500-piece limited edition take on the brand's Mechanical Diver 200m, aka the Fujitsubo, aka the Challenge Diver. This version retains much of what made the original release so appealing but adds a blue dial, a special light blue accent color for the edge of the bezel, and a surface treatment of Duratect Platinum for the titanium case and bracelet. The finishing treatment offers enhanced scratch resistance (Citizen quotes an impressive 1000-1200 Hv) and gives a finish to the metal that is much more silver-toned than conventional titanium. Sizing remains at 41 x 12.3 x 48.5mm, as does the movement (Citizen's automatic 9051) – but you do get a special caseback for Promasters 35th birthday and a price tag of $1,195. Sales for this model begin this month, and if you want a closer look at the standard-spec Fujitsubo diver, please see my Hands-On here. 

For Land, we have something pretty cool, especially if you're like me and possess something of a proclivity for ana-digi watches. There is something so deeply cool about ana-digi watches, like the Citizen Aqualand, Breitling Pluton or Aerospace, the ever-rad Chronosport UDT, or the extra-burley Seiko Arnie – I like them all! For this specific ana-digi model, we get one of the first Citizen watches to use a brand-new movement called the U680, which features a higher-resolution Memory in Pixel (MIP) display that allows for more flexibility over how data can be displayed (ana-digi watches often use very simple displays). The multi-capable movement has a stack of handy features that are listed below, and the 43.9mm watch comes with both a matching steel bracelet and a Cordura nylon strap. This tactical-feeling new model will retail for $995 and is limited to 5,900 units worldwide, with availability slated for August of this year.

Finally, for Air, we have a 35th Anniversary Skyhawk A-T that has a grey-colored plating over a steel case and bracelet. Sizing comes in at 45.7mm x 13.8, and the dial layout will be roughly recognizable to anyone who has owned any of the ana-digi Citizen Skyhawks in the past. With atomic radio-sync timekeeping from its Eco-Drive movement, this model offers a host of travel and digital-derived functionality and will hit the market in September of this year at $995 as part of a 5,600-piece international limited edition. 

It's hard to argue with any of the three as you have a 41mm diver with great specs and a great price that is flanked by two over-achieving ana-digi models that could really only come from Citizen. My notes are pretty light in this case, as I'm thinking what most of you are thinking: why not find a way to make the Land and Air models a bit smaller? Something under 41mm would likely have expanded the possible audience. Other than that, it's a Promaster anniversary, so we can't exactly be all that surprised that Citizen would go for watches the represent the core of the Promaster idea. 

Speaking within the deep niche of my own love for Ana-Digi watches, that is the main takeaway for yours truly, and I can't wait to see this movement make it into other watches. I can think of so many cool ways that such a movement could be used to support a wide array of features on a variety of sport watches. 

Interestingly, while these three models represent a special moment in the lineage of the Promaster, it's only a part of what Citizen is working on for their sportiest line of watches. The brand is also expanding the ambassadors for the Promaster realms, with base jumper and paraglider Jeff Shapiro joining for Air and photographer and explorer Jody MacDonald joining for Sea (alongside the very talented photographer William Drumm). For Land, let's not forget the Canadian climbing legend Will Gadd, who recently became a Promaster ambassador himself (and can be seen putting the watch to good use above). 

Expect more on these as soon as we can get them on wrist. 

Reference Number: NB6026-56L

Diameter: 41mm
Thickness: 12.3mm
Case Material: Super Titanium (with Duratect Platinum treatment)
Dial Color: Blue
Lume: Yes, markers and hands
Water Resistance: 200 meters
Strap/Bracelet: Matching Super Titanium (with Duratect Platinum treatment)

Caliber: Citizen 9051
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date
Power Reserve: 42 hours
Winding: Automatic or manual
Frequency: 28,800 vph (4 Hz)
Jewels: 24
Stated accuracy: -10 to +20 seconds/day

Price: $1,195
Limited Edition: 4500 pieces worldwide

Reference Number: JV1008-63E

Diameter: 43.9mm
Thickness: 14mm
Case Material: Stainless steel
Dial Color: Black
Lume: Hands and markers
Water Resistance: 200 meters
Strap/Bracelet: Steel bracelet and interchangeable cordura strap

Caliber: Citizen U822 (Ana-digi, quartz)
Functions: Time, world time, chronograph, alarm, perpetual calendar, LED backlight, digital display
Power Reserve: 3 years via Eco-Drive on full charge
Stated accuracy: +/- 15 seconds a month

Price: $995
Limited Edition: 5,900 pieces worldwide

Reference Number: JY8146-54E

Diameter: 45.7mm
Thickness: 13.8mm
Case Material: Stainless steel
Dial Color: Black
Lume: Hands and markers
Water Resistance: 200 meters
Strap/Bracelet: Matching steel bracelet 

Caliber: Citizen U680 (Ana-Digi, quartz, atomic radio synch)
Functions: Time, world time, atomic time calibration, power reserve, perpetual calendar, 1/100th chronograph, digital displays
Power Reserve: 3.5 years via Eco-Drive on a full charge
Stated accuracy: +/- 15 seconds a month

Price: $995
Limited Edition: 5,600 pieces worldwide