While we recently focused on the (truly impressive) Citizen Caliber 0200, this high-end model is an exception for the brand. When it comes to the core range where Citizen has long excelled, we have to look at much more affordable watches. Among these, some have long been favorites among fans, watches with their own community - Promaster. Today, we review the brand's latest iteration - the Citizen Promaster Marine Automatic Diver 200m Super Titanium™ NY0100-50XE with a green dial. Although the model has ventured into fashionable territory with the industry's hottest dial color, it remains one of the best value-for-money dive watches on the market.
PROMASTER
As you've guessed from the name, the Promaster collection is about professional application watches, meaning watches with a specific purpose. This collection includes watches for the sea (diving watches), land (exploration watches), and sky (pilot watches), and the name Promaster was first coined in 1989. But there's much more before this date.
The entire professional collection actually began in 1956 and 1959 with the Citizen Parashock and Citizen Parawater models, which were shock-resistant and water-resistant watches, respectively. The latter is also considered the first fully waterproof watch released by a Japanese company. Through a series of exhibitions across Japan, where the brand deliberately dropped the Parashock model from a helicopter, or the Trans-Pacific Test, where 130 Parawater watches were attached to various floating buoys in the Pacific Ocean, the brand gained respect and popularity.
Moving forward, Citizen continued its development and, for example, became the first brand to use titanium for producing (commercially available) wristwatches back in 1970. A decisive step in creating the Promaster collection occurred in 1982, several years before the collection's actual existence, with the release of the Citizen Professional Diver 1300m. These impressive, ultra-robust, uncompromising diving watches paved the way for the Promaster collection. Additionally, at that time, they were the most water-resistant watches available for public use.
In 1985, Citizen introduced a watch that became beloved among divers and watch enthusiasts, a watch that made a significant impact and remains one of the brand's most iconic models today - Aqualand, detailed in this comprehensive article. These were the world's first watches equipped with an electronic/digital depth gauge, foreshadowing what would eventually become standard equipment for divers: diving computers. However, when Aqualand was introduced, it wasn't yet Promaster.
The collection emerged in 1989 as a “brand for professionals on land, sea, and air” with specially designed models. Initially, the collection consisted of three models - one for each domain: Aqualand for divers (despite being released four years earlier), Altichron, a watch with an altimeter capable of measuring altitudes from -300 m to 5000 m, and finally, Promaster Sky with world-time function.
Finally, among the many watches released under the Promaster collection, there are some that have always held a high place in enthusiasts' hearts - the Promaster Marine Automatic Diver 200m, also known as NY0040. Released in 1997, these watches (in this case, made of steel) are one of the rare fully mechanical models in the collection and yet remain one of the most affordable, durable, reliable, and undoubtedly cool-looking models. Consider these watches the SKX007 from Citizen, in terms of affordability, appeal, and reliability. And it is these NY0040 that laid the foundation for the watch we are learning about today, NY0100-50XE. Titanium and a green dial for comfort/durability and fun, but underneath, the same old brilliant watch.
PROMASTER MARINE NY0100-50XE
The watch you see here is clearly not groundbreaking and adheres to the recipe invented almost 25 years ago with the first steel Promaster Marine 200m Automatic. Nevertheless, this new model includes numerous enhancements to an already comprehensive package: durability, lightness, and comfort with a titanium case, as well as a certain cool and trendy attire with the introduction of a green dial and bezel combination, now the hottest color on the market. There's nothing wrong with that, a little color doesn't change this model's potential.
Visually speaking, we're on familiar territory with this model NY0100-50XE. And it all starts with the case, having the exact same shape as the original 1997 watch, including the rather surprising crown positioned at 8 o'clock. Of course, screw-down to ensure water resistance, this left-sided crown may not be the best option when it comes to adjusting the time or day-date complication; however, if, like most people, you wear the watch on your left hand, it certainly enhances wearing comfort, as the crown becomes entirely unobtrusive and never gets in the way. And since it's an automatic watch, you won't have to use the crown too often for winding or adjusting the time. Moreover, this makes the Promaster watch stand out among other affordable diving watches.
The Promaster Marine Automatic Diver 200m watches, measuring 42 mm in diameter and 12 mm in height, are solid watches with medium dimensions for a watch in this category. The lugs are short and well-shaped, meaning the watch sits comfortably on most wrists. But the main thing is the material, as the Promaster NY0100, unlike the NY0040 model, is made from Super Titanium™ - solid titanium coated with a proprietary surface hardening technology called Duratect. This gives the watch a beautiful sheen (not the usual dark gray but something brighter), lightness (40% lighter than steel), and scratch resistance with a hardness of over 1,000Hv. As a result, the watch on the bracelet weighs only 110 grams compared to over 150 grams for a similar stainless steel model. And believe us, once you put the bracelet on your wrist, everything changes.
In other respects, the watch is simple but pleasant. The case displays a combination of satin-finished and polished surfaces (something impossible to do with grade 2 titanium but possible with Citizen's Super Titanium), as does the bracelet. The bezel also retained the same profile with specific grip around the periphery. The specification list includes a unidirectional bezel (robust yet precise), a screw-down crown and case back, 200m water resistance, mineral glass on top, and despite being in the affordable category, they have ISO 6425 diving certification… Yes, this means they are fully professional watches.
New this year, in addition to the existing blue model, is the dark green bezel insert and dial. Thanks to the sunburst finish, the dial gives the watch depth and a less rugged, more casual style, making it easier for daily wear. While the metal-applied markers, generously filled with luminous material, are identical to existing steel models, the hands have been redesigned to be larger and bolder than before. The important minute hand is painted red, adding a cool touch to the green NY0100-50XE. The day-date function at 3 o'clock remains present and is displayed on a black disc.
Beneath the titanium case back lies the caliber 8203, an in-house automatic movement known for its simplicity and reliability, operating at 3Hz with a 40-hour power reserve. The accuracy is +/- 20 sec/day (maximum, of course), which remains a very decent figure considering the watch's price. Moreover, it's widely known that Citizen Promaster Marine watches can perform much better.
To complete the kit, the NY0100-50XE is worn on a robust Super Titanium bracelet with a folding clasp and diving extension. Although these watches don't possess the quality of high-end dive watches, they are still quite pleasant to wear and equipped with all the essentials. Additionally, without a doubt, these green watches would look equally great on an accordion-style rubber strap, like the NY0040 model.
VERDICT
We at ONEWATCH team are accustomed to seeing, touching, and wearing all kinds of watches, from affordable to ultra-luxurious. Yet, these Citizen Promaster Marine Automatic Diver 200m Super Titanium Green Dial NY0100-50XE (sorry for the long name…) are an impressive model. If you add the price into the equation, the overall quality is simply stunning: the watch rewards you with durability, comfort, resistance, and, importantly, a very cool design.
Thanks to the new green color and the Super Titanium case and bracelet combination, these watches truly have a lot to love. Yet, the utilitarian, “blue-collar” spirit of the original Promaster Marine is still present, only now with better technical specifications. Of course, the watch is much more expensive than the NY0040 (priced at 239 euros), but this green titanium release remains very affordable and offers much for this price.
AVAILABILITY AND PRICE
The Citizen Promaster Marine Automatic Diver 200m NY0100-50XE is now available at retail. The price in Europe is 399 euros. For more detailed information, visit www.citizenwatch.eu or www.citizenwatch-global.com.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS – CITIZEN PROMASTER MARINE AUTOMATIC DIVER 200M SUPER TITANIUM GREEN DIAL NY0100-50XE
Case: 42 mm diameter x 12 mm height - Super Titanium case, matte - unidirectional bezel, 60-minute green aluminum insert - mineral glass - Super Titanium case back, screw-down - screw-down crown - 200m water resistance - ISO 6425 certified diver's watch
Dial: green sunburst matte dial, applied indices, red minute and second hands - hands and markers with luminous coating
Movement: caliber 8203, in-house - automatic - 25.60 mm - 21 jewels - 21,600 vph - 40-hour power reserve - hours, minutes, seconds, date - adjustable +/- 20 sec/day
Bracelet: Super Titanium bracelet with solid links - secure folding clasp with diving extension
Reference: NY0100-50XE
Availability: now available at retail - also available with a blue dial (ref. NY0100-50ME)
Price: 399 EUR