This Bonafide Classic Automatic Dive Watch Shouldn’t Be This Cheap

Citizen’s Promaster Fujitsubo titanium dive watch is an absolute steal at Huckberry right now.

Published 5 hours ago

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Citizen offers an impressive selection of well-respected dive watches, but none have a backstory as remarkable as the Promaster Fujitsubo.

In fact, few dive watches from any brand do.

a black Citizen dive watch — The Promaster Fujitsubo has a titanium case.

Introduced in 2022, the Promaster Fujitsubo is an upgraded reproduction of Citizen’s Challenger Diver from 1977. It borrowed visual elements from the Rolex Submariner and Seiko 62MAS, but developed its own respectable reputation.

The Challenger Diver’s aquatic durability went down in horological history after one was found off the coast of Australia in 1983, still in working condition despite being covered in barnacles.

All the best tool watches have nicknames, and this legendary story earned the Challenger the moniker “Fujitsubo,” which means barnacle in Japanese.

a Citizen watch on a man's wrist — The 41mm case size matches the modern Submariner.

Citizen’s revived version of the Challenger Diver, which falls under the Promaster umbrella and makes Fujitsubo its official title, is even tougher than the original.

The original steel case is now titanium, it has a modern movement and the water resistance has been upped to an ISO-compliant 200m.

A titan of the deep

Citizen was the first brand to make a titanium watch with the X-8 Chronometer, released in 1970. The Japanese watchmaker remains on the cutting edge of titanium case design, advancing performance while keeping it affordable.

the back of a Citizen watch — The Promater Fujitsubo caseback is a simple screw-on Super Titanium panel.

The Promaster Fujitsubo case is made from Citizen’s Super Titanium, a version of the lightweight alloy treated with Duratect. This proprietary surface-hardening treatment enhances protection against scratches and abrasions.

Another standout feature is this diver’s exceptional low-light legibility. All three hands, the applied block hour markers and the dive bezel pip have extremely bright lume inserts.

two Citizen watches in the dark — The Promaster Fujitsubo has powerful lume.

The Promaser Fujitsubo is powered by a Citizen caliber 9051 automatic movement with a 42-hour power reserve and an accuracy of -10/+20 seconds per day. A date complication is visible through a discrete date window at three o’clock.

Get ’em white it’s hot

Despite being one of Citizen’s best dive watches, few Promaster Fujitsubo options are available. Only two examples, including the platinum-coated 35th anniversary edition, are currently available on the brand’s website.

Citizen introduced a new steel Promaser Dive earlier this summer, so it looks like the “Barnacle” might be getting fazed out. If so, Huckberry offers one of the last, best opportunities to pick one up.

This particular reference has a black dial and a black unidirectional dive bezel insert, a timeless dive watch combination. It comes on a black rubber dive strap with a Super Titanium pin buckle.

Availability and price

Huckberry is selling a Citizen Promaster Fujitsubo with a black dial, bezel and rubber strap for 30 percent off during the online retailer’s massive summer sale, dropping the price to $556.

Compared to the 35th anniversary edition, which goes for $1,195, and the titanium three-link bracelet version, which costs $995, this is too good to pass up if you’re in the market for a dive watch.

Citizen Promaster Fujitsubo

Specs

Case Size	41mm
Movement	Citizen caliber 9051 automatic
Water Resistance	200m

$556 at Huckberry

$795 (30% off)

About the Author: Brad Lanphear is an associate editor at Gear Patrol covering watches and style. Before joining the publication, he previously wrote for Heddels and Men’s Health. Now, he’s on a never-ending quest to find the perfect pair of Japanese denim.