Citizen Promaster Fugu Palms-On Watch Overview

Citizen Promaster Fugu

Out there for a dive watch? In case you are, you then already know, that there’s nearly no finish to your choices as of late. However, what a couple of traditional, some would say an icon? And one that’s nonetheless comparatively reasonably priced. That is the place the Citizen Promaster Fugu is available in, a watch that technically dates again to 1989, and in 2018 was refreshed and in 2021 refreshed once more. That brings us to at the moment, and now this 44mm Diver’s watch is offered in so many colours and combos it’ll make your head spin, a hacking motion, and topped with a sapphire crystal. Is that this the left-handed SKX alternative? Are there higher choices on the market? Is it an excessive amount of style and never sufficient perform? All might be mentioned right here on this evaluation.

Specs:

Mannequin #NY0158-09L

• 44mm Case

• 50mm Lug to Lug

• 13mm Thick

• 107 Grams in Weight

• Miyota 8207 Automated Motion

• Sapphire Crystal

• 200m Water Resistant

• Black Ion Plated (Overview Mannequin)

• Worth $575 MSRP

USE CODE WR30 AT SALTZMAN’S WATCHES TO SAVE 30%

https://saltzmans-watches.com/search.php?search_query=promaster

As you possibly can see within the specs above, this Citizen Promaster Fugu was supplied by Saltzman’s Watches and it can save you 30% through the use of code WR30 on their web site, not only for the Fugu collection, however any Citizen watch they at the moment carry. One other word about this, this black and blue mannequin I’m reviewing will not be at the moment accessible (bought out) however I’m informed in order for you one, simply e-mail them and say you noticed this evaluation and the code and they’ll ship you an bill with the low cost utilized and the watch will ship to you as quickly as they’re in inventory, which ought to be per week or two from at the moment (9-20-2022). So far as how lengthy the code will work, I’m not positive, I’ll replace this text in some unspecified time in the future so folks which might be studying this sooner or later aren’t making an attempt to make use of a defunct low cost code.

Saltzman’s Watches of Newport

So, let’s get into the evaluation of this Citizen Promaster Fugu already, as I can already hear your groans as you learn the preamble right here. Anyhow, sure, that is the newest model, and in the case of variations, since doing the video and preparing to do that article, I’ve discovered much more variations of this mannequin in the case of dial and bezel colors-pretty a lot it’s accessible in nearly any colorway you can think about, however not all can be found at each vendor or retailer. Saltzman’s appears to solely have 4 variations, so in order for you one which you do not see, e-mail them and ask if they’ll get it. However again to this FUGU, why is it known as Fugu? Effectively, I’m not positive if that could be a nickname given by Citizen or the followers of this watch by way of the years, however Citizen absolutely embraces it these days, with the Pufferfish etched on the case again as you possibly can see beneath. Mainly, the form of the bezel cutouts resembles the fins of the lethal fish, and that’s the place the title comes from.

The design of the Citizen Promaster Fugu has just about remained the identical for the reason that unique, (see pic beneath) however there have been just a few adjustments through the years, and this new mannequin now has a bigger knurled crown, a unique handset, and barely totally different indices than the unique, making it really feel just like the Fugu we knew again within the day, but additionally staying contemporary for the present market. One huge factor is the scale, which is now 44mm. I do not keep in mind what the unique was, it was most likely within the 40-42mm vary again then, however now at 44mm with a lug to lug of 50mm, some people worry that they won’t be able to put on this lethal fish comfortably on their smaller wrists. Whereas my wrist is not precisely small at 7.5 inches (19.05cm), you possibly can see it wears smaller than the specs counsel, and hopefully, you possibly can gauge if this might be too giant for you.

An Unique Citizen Promaster Fugu

This explicit instance has a black ion-plated case, a darkish blue dial with a blue aluminum bezel insert, and the dial is roofed with a sapphire crystal, one thing that the unique positively didn’t have. Whereas I do not know the pricing of the unique mannequin, I’m positive it was nowhere close to $600 again in 1989, and I consider the unique was quartz, and never computerized, so there’s not less than a great motive the worth has gone up . Like many watches like this which might be mass-produced, it is best to have the ability to discover a good low cost (sure we’re providing one right here, however I imply anyplace you select to buy), so that you most likely will not be paying full retail, so the road worth might be round $4-$475, perhaps cheaper on sure gross sales or holidays.

However even at that worth, there are some things to think about. Sure, this watch is marked Diver’s on the dial and is water-resistant to 200m, so it’s ISO compliant, and with a 120 click on bezel, that left the facet crown to guard from impression, it’s positively water succesful, and extra importantly dive succesful, if you wish to put on this watch as a backup to your dive pc. The case construct high quality appears fairly good, very stable feeling clicks to the bezel and the crown fairly easy, although I do discover it odd to set the time as I flip it the other way up to set the time and date, or on this case the day /date, although I do marvel how lengthy this ion plating will keep wanting pristine as pics of the bracelet variations in black IP, do look cheaper to me, and simply would not seem like plating that may maintain up properly in the long run. I could possibly be unsuitable although.

The dial could be very shiny, and between that, the reflection of the utilized markers and the crystal (which does say it has an inside AR coating), the dial is simply extraordinarily reflective, and you’ll see that in among the pictures and within the video evaluation. The indices on my instance will not be crammed in completely with the lume compound both, and it simply appears to be like sloppy. Do you discover this when it’s on the wrist? Probably not, however when you get nearer and examine it, it stands out. The day/date wheels additionally look slightly off. The reduce or separation of the 2 is not actually fairly, and once more, on common viewing isn’t any huge deal, however I’m right here to examine it with a superb tooth comb, and once I did, these are issues that I discovered.

The motion has been barely upgraded although, which is nice information for some, however in the event you had been anticipating the Miyota 9000 collection, you’re out of luck. Such as you, I might have appreciated this improve, however since that is Residents’ price range realm of watches, this Citizen Promaster Fugu collection looks as if it’ll have 8000 actions in some kind for the foreseeable future. Fortuitously, it is a hacking motion now, within the type of the Miyota 8204, however accuracy has not modified, so search for it to be round +/- 30 seconds a day. You might get it regulated to be higher, however that is the place this motion normally hits.

These watches can be found on rubber straps or full stainless-steel bracelets with stable finish hyperlinks. I haven’t got a bracelet to speak about, nevertheless it appears to have that cheap-looking clasp Citizen tends to make use of on a few of their lower-end watches, with the uncovered push button clasp, and in the event you get a black IP mannequin, these buttons will not be coated both and are simply an eyesore to me.

Talking of eyesores, try the photograph beneath of the nasty seam the place the 2 items of the rubber strap had been hooked up. That’s fairly sloppy as properly, no means round it. The strap itself is comfy, it appears to be like good on this piece, harking back to the originals, and it suits my wrist with a great quantity of strap leftover, however as I’ve heard from just a few, not sufficient to suit over a wetsuit, so that you would want to outfit this with an extended strap or see if there are the dive extender straps for this mannequin accessible.

Testing lume, I attempt to do it in just a few alternative ways. For footage, and for making an attempt to seize it with the digicam, I hit it with a UV mild, after which proceed to take pictures, so sure, the lume will look its greatest in these pictures. However what about 10 minutes later, or 20, or 3 hours? Effectively, the issue with that and most watches with lume, even ones with amazingly brilliant lume, is all of them start to fade, and capturing it correctly with little to no mild is nearly not possible. However in day-to-day use, and what your eyes see, the lume will not be unhealthy right here in any respect. 5 hours after going to mattress I used to be capable of see the time with no downside in any respect in a pitch black room and customarily discovered that if worn all day, the lume will maintain up properly for while you want it. How will it fare underwater is a query I can’t reply.

Total, how was my expertise with this new Citizen Promaster Fugu, particularly with it being so lengthy that I’ve had a Citizen diver in my fingers on my wrist? I usually take pleasure in it. It is comfy on the wrist, the black and blue of this variation is a coloration I do like, and for some motive, I gravitate in the direction of the darkish or blasted grey variations of those divers vs the brushed and polished stainless fashions. It’s a straightforward watch to make use of and put on, however in the case of the finer particulars, like that date window, the strap seams, the lume on the indices, and naturally, the motion, I feel I wish to see some enchancment , or presumably a lesser worth. There are a whole lot of watches, even divers on this worth vary, the whole lot from Seiko Turtles (which aren’t resistant to points both), numerous watches from microbrands and much more as of late from the unusual manufacturing facility manufacturers and the whole lot in between, in order all the time , competitors is stiff. I feel the attraction of those newest variations is all of the totally different colours and choices accessible, and if you will get them at a extremely good worth, may nonetheless be value it.

What say you? Let me know your ideas within the remark part beneath.

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