A Legendary Dive Watch Is Back and Better Than Ever

The Citizen “Fujitsubo” has never been better.

Published August 26, 2024

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One of the most legendary dive watches of all time is the Citizen Challenge Diver “Fujitsubo.” So what makes it legendary?

While being one of the more affordable professional dive watches of its day, the 1977 Challenge Diver developed a reputation for toughness after an example was found on the ocean floor off the coast of Australia in 1983.

Despite having been lost to the sea years prior, the watch was miraculously still ticking when it was discovered. It was in rough shape and completely covered in barnacles, earning the watch the nickname “Fujitsubo,” which is Japanese for barnacle.

In recent years, Citizen has resurrected the Challenge Diver’s iconic design in a series of modern titanium dive watches in its Promaster line, and now the brand has launched the most impressive version of the mythic diver yet.

Citizen Promaster Fujitsubo 35th Anniversary

$1,195 at Citizen

Going Platinum

Like previous iterations of the Promaster Fujitsubo, the new version is a 41mm dive watch powered by the Miyota 9051 automatic movement with heightened magnetic resistance and is rated to an ISO-compliant depth of 200m.

Also, like its modern brethren, the watch boasts a sapphire crystal and a case and bracelet made from Citizen’s proprietary Super Titanium: An especially durable version of the lightweight alloy that’s treated with the brand’s own surface-hardening technology, Duratect, to make it resistant to both scratching and rust.

So with so many similarities to existing references, what sets this latest version of the Fujitsubo apart? It’s all about the looks.

citizen dive watch on a mans wrist — A platinum DLC coating gives the watch a luster not typically seen on matte titanium watches.

The watch’s case and bracelet have received a platinum DLC coating for an added sheen that almost makes the watch sparkle. There’s no polishing anywhere on the watch, it’s completely matte finished, but the platinum treatment gives the watch a unique glow and luster that’s unexpected on a titanium watch without any mirror polish.

Also unique are the eye-catching blue accents. The bezel has a black aluminum insert, same as usual, but the grip of the bezel is uniquely treated with an iridescent blue coating. The watch’s dial also boasts a custom color, a deep marine blue with a sunray effect that, like the case and bracelet, gives the watch more sheen and sparkle than the matte dial of the standard Promaster “Fujitsubo.” Both touches are meant to evoke the sea where the original Citizen “Fujitsubo” was recovered.

These special visual effects were added to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Citizen’s Promaster line, the Japanese brand’s most dedicated line of professional sports watches. The Promaster line consists of three subcategories for Air, Land and Sea, and you can probably guess which one the Fujitsubo falls under.

This latest version of the diver isn’t just a special 35th-anniversary edition, it’s also a limited edition, with Citizen producing 4,500 pieces in total. (Admittedly, that’s kind of a lot for a limited edition.) The watch also features special 35th-anniversary Promaster branding on its caseback and is priced at a $200 premium over the standard Fujitsubo with an SRP of $1,195.