When it comes to watch collecting, Seiko and Citizen have always felt a bit like the Jets and the Sharks. You’re either a Seiko guy, or you’re a Citizen guy. I’ve always been a Seiko guy. But one hot and muggy afternoon in Chicago, I was hiding from the heat in the lobby of Avenue West during the Windup Watch Show, trying to figure out where I was going to lunch, and in walks Jason Heaton (of The Grey NATO fame) wearing a lume dialed Citizen Aqualand. It was at that moment, the watch shining on Jason’s wrist, that I knew my collection, and potentially my mind, was going to expand.
The Citizen Aqualand is a strange watch to see in person. The first thing you notice is the giant tumor sticking off the right hand side of the case – that’s the depth guage. You see, the Promaster Aqualand is an actual dive computer. You can put the watch into ‘dive mode’ and it will record depth data for up to four concurrent dives. The watch also features an ascending alarm in case the diver starts to surface too quickly. All that being said, I live in Nashville and don’t dive. So to me, it’s just a cool-looking dive watch with a glow-y dial.
Citizen Promaster Aqualand Depth Meter JP2007-17W Specifications
| Case Size | 50.7mm (diameter) x 51mm (lug-to-lug) x 14.8mm (thick) |
| Water Resistance | 200 meters |
| Movement | Citizen C520 |
| Power Reserve | Quartz, so… a long time |
| Case Material | Stainless steel case with gunmetal PVD coating |
| Crystal | Mineral glass |
| Bracelet | Rubber with dive extension |
| Price | $550 |
The Aqualand also has tons of heritage, Citizen released the first version of it in the mid-80s. It elicits images of crusty old dive masters sitting in huts on the beach somewhere in the Caribbean. At the very least, wearing an Aqualand will likely inspire that “real-world watch encounter.” Someone will likely approach you to ask what you’ve got on your wrist.
Pros
- First and foremost it looks friggen sweet and will likely generate interest from watch and normie people alike.
- It’s fairly cheap thrills at $550 new and closer to $300 preowned.
- Arguably cooler than a G-Shock.
Cons
- I mean… size, I guess. But these watches are total ‘quick machines’ and practicality shouldn’t factor here.
- 24mm lug width, hello rubber wrist blanket.
- The movement has a whole “Dive” mode that you’ll likely never use.
- I guess someone might argue that the lume dial mixed with the lumed hands and indices might make it harder to see.
So in the end who’s the Citizen Aqualand for? Well, it’s for serious divers but besides that it’s for watch collectors that want an interesting quartz piece and don’t mind the size. The Aqualand is nothing but quirk, it screams uniqueness, and will start conversations with watch folks and civilians alike. If you’re looking for competitive options I’d point you at any Ani-Digi G-Shock that’s available. You could easily get the same level of functionality (save the dive computer) for less money but that watch, in my opinion, would be much less interesting.
Aaron is a Nashville based watch collector and road bike rider. In addition to TBWS, his articles can been seen on ABlogtoWatch and Bladereviews.com. Aaron’s interests primarily focus on tool watches — specifically in the dive, pilot, or field watch arenas. When not over enthusiastically asking someone about the watch they’re wearing, Aaron can be found traveling, cycling, trying new restaurants with his partner Carissa, or petting any and all dogs within his sightline.