Manly Watch Pick for 2014: Citizen Promaster Carbon Diver

 

 

 

About seven years later, having journeyed through oversized Las Vegas watches, tool divers, and pushing my price point as far as $1,000 for automatic watches like the Orient Saturation Diver, I find myself lowering my price tastes a bit as Citizen’s Eco-Drive line has very appealing watches at the $350-$550 range. 

 

For 2014, I’m looking for the Watch Pick of the Year and I am considering the following:

One. Toolish and bold appearance without making you feel you’re strutting the streets of Las Vegas

Two. By all accounts a strong lume

Three. Features and build quality to price point ratio

Four. Functionality

Five. Wow factor (“gotta wear it today”)

Six. Low or no maintenance

Considering these factors, I feel compelled to give my Manly Watch for 2014 to the Citizen Promaster Carbon Diver, which comes as close to the ideal "manly aesthetic" I can imagine. The Promaster Carbon Diver comes in three models. The BJ2135 and BJ2145 both come with rubber strap. The BJ2105 comes with a steel bracelet. The prices for the rubber strap models are about $350-400. The steel bracelet, which is harder to find, is in the mid-400s.

I wouldn’t be surprised if I pick up a rubber and bracelet version for this year.

 

 

 

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Comments

[Gary]

I like the styling better on the other Citizen Promaster depth meter watch that you talked about before.

http://herculodge.typepad.com/herculodge/2014/03/a-blog-to-watch-says-citizen-promaster-bj2128-05e-is-a-great-every-day-diver.html

[Angelo]

Is the Tuna your watch pick for 2013? It's early in 2014 to make a pick. I just sold six watches on the Bay and am hoping to move a couple more. That's not a big percentage of my collection, but for various reasons, I'm not finding many others I want to sell at this time. The old rule about "if you haven't worn it in a while, it's okay to sell it" doesn't work for me. My twist on that rule is to wear that watch for one day---and if it does nothing for me, go ahead and sell it. But if I find myself remembering why I liked the watch so much when I bought it, don't sell it. Yesterday, I wore my gunmetal Seiko Kinetic and for now at least, decided I'd rather have that watch more than the money it would bring in a sale.

[Angelo]

http://www.longislandwatch.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=AE-1200WH-1AV&utm_source=adroll&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=liquidads

Lower price than a G-Shock----if you don't need the impact resistance/tank-like build of a G-Shock, this Casio offers a lot of the same image at a fraction of the price. And they have others that are similar, including round cases. I happen to like the sqaured lines of this digital.

[Angelo]

http://www.longislandwatch.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=AE-1200WH-1AV&utm_source=adroll&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=liquidads

Nice G-Shock alternative at a much lower price. Casio knows how to do digital right! If you don't need the tank-like build and impact resistance of a G-Shock but would like some of that same no-nonsense, basic black look, this one looks like a strong buy. They also offer similar digitals with round cases----but I sort of like the squared off lines on this one.

[Angelo]

Sorry, didn't mean to post two of the same comments----but it's weird----the first post didn't show up so I assumed it didn't make it to the site and I just sent a second one. Now both of them are here.

[Gary]

I have one of these, Angelo, and I like it. I wrote a review of it on Herculodge awhile ago. Here it is:

http://herculodge.typepad.com/herculodge/2013/06/gary-says-the-casio-james-bond-watch-is-worth-its-19-price-tag.html

[Angelo]

Gary: It's truly a nice looking watch. Putting aside the great watches we read about here---watches costing in the hundreds or thousands of dollars---we're in a period of time right now that is "the golden era" of inexpensive watches. I say that because the watch you bought for around twenty bucks looks good and performs well. We've gotten to the point with quartz technology when even the least expensive quartz watches that they give away for free---are more accurate than moderately priced watches from the 1960s. They are water resistant, dust proof, antimagnetic, supremely durable---and literally given away when you order vitamins or apply for a credit card----my kid has even received free watches in his McDonald's Happy Meal that manage to keep almost perfect time. And the mechanical (wind-up) or automatic movements being made in China now---and found on watches costing fifteen or twenty bucks---are respectable movements. They are acceptably accurate and long lasting. I have a skeleton watch made in China or Hong Kong---branded "Goer." Stainless steel case, padded leather band, mainspring watch that needs manual winding---accurate---and these things sell for around twenty bucks give or take a few dollars. For people who might not be connoisseurs but enjoy a cheap new watch every now and then, this is the golden age. The watches are plentiful---all sizes, all bracelet/band types, digitals or analogs, quartz or mechanical (winding or automatic), all for around thirty dollars or often much less.