31 July 2023 |
Taking the Citizen Watch Promaster Sea from the Bahamas to New York City.
Scuba diving involves a massive leap of faith, both literally as you need to take a singular massive step into the water, and figuratively, as in the blind trust one has to have when breathing from an air tank at sixty feet below. The activity implies certain qualities about a person – namely that they’re a curious, slightly thrill-seeking adventurer without a fear of the unknown. Perhaps then it’s no surprise that watch brands have jumped on the idea of creating a stylish design for the daring explorer types. Waterproof and created to withstand pressure, dive watches are a category of their own, made in equal parts for form and function.
Given their intended purpose, those who own and use this category of watches have historically been a niche customer base. But a subset of enthusiasts have emerged who are making them into a style statement, wearing it both in, and out, of the ocean. Unsurprisingly, like most watch collectors, the bulk of them are men, though women are also joining in larger numbers. So when Citizen Watch invited us along to a diving trip in the Bahamas, it made for an interesting experiment: Can you take their Promaster Dive from the city and have it seamlessly integrate into your wardrobe?
Citizen has had a long history of making watches that are meant to be submerged as the brand created Japan’s first fully waterproof style, the Parawater, in 1959. From there notable innovations in the 1980s and beyond included achieving water resistance up to 1,300 meters, creating the world’s first analog depth meter, and integrating a dive computer into the design. Their latest, the Promaster Sea, has several versions, with the Promaster Dive being the most petite wrist friendly, thanks to its 37mm case size. Made with a silver-tone stainless steel exterior and a black polyurethane strap, the piece is water resistant up to 200 meters and has a battery that can be recharged by exposing the face to light.
When you’re in the ocean, wearing the watch is a no-brainer, as it serves the practical purpose of measuring the time you’re below the surface, a key part of scuba diving safely. And truly, you do lose all sense of time as 45 minutes flew by, making a timepiece necessary. Waterproof and tough, it withstood the pressure as we descended sixty feet below the surface. As our limbs flailed, trying to put on and take off all the gear, the watch was fine to take a few knocks, showing little wear and tear. Functionally, a dive watch did everything it promised and looked cool against our wetsuits.
Out of the water, the dive watch proved to be a surprising yet stylish addition to an all-black city wardrobe. Worn with a nylon Prada miniskirt and sandals during an especially hot and humid dinner, the combination was equal parts sporty and chic, with the silver tones of the skirt playing off the details of the watch. Combine it with a breezy pair of Pleats Please Issey Miyake trousers, and you’ll notice how the crisp pleats echoed the slick ribbing of the band, making it an accidental perfect match. Would a dive watch work with more formal outfits? Probably not with a black polyurethane band. But swap into a similar titanium style and suddenly you’re channeling a female James Bond, going from the depths of the ocean to the depths of intrigue. Niche as a dive watch may be, it’s an unexpected styling element worth considering next time you’re in the market for a timepiece.
Citizen Promaster Dive, $375 at Citizen
Photos courtesy of Kristin Paterakis
