Citizen Promaster Diver Review (BN0151-09L): Should You Buy It?

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We have all thought about buying a sleek looking diver watch at some point in our life. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a professional diver or not, a dive watch will never look bad on your wrist. Moreover, we are all familiar with Citizen and their plethora of amazing series. The BN0151-09L Diver watch from Citizen is one of the best affordable dive watches out there. Not only it comes with an affordable price tag, but also offers really good value for money. Interested to know why it qualifies as a great diver watch? Go through our Citizen Promaster Diver review and you’ll see what we’re talking about.

Citizen Promaster BN0151-09L Review

Our Citizen Promaster BN0151-09L Review

The Citizen BN0151-09L is the kind of watch that will definitely come to your liking as soon as you set your eyes on it. Apart from the fact that it’s an I.S.O certified dive watch, this watch is an absolute beauty. Even if you’re not into diving, this watch will surely up your outfit game whilst complimenting your wrist perfectly. Without further ado, let’s dive into the facts that make this watch one of the best watches under $500

The Design

One of the main reasons this watch took place on our favorites list is its magnificent design. The blue colored dial (azure blue to be specific) accompanied by the dark blue bezel is definitely eye soothing. The stainless-steel case certifies that the watch can take a beating. Moreover, the perfectly positioned markers and the luminous watch hands make sure you can read the time even under the direst circumstances.

The case diameter is 44m and the anti-reflective coated mineral crystal glass makes it scratch-resistant. The case diameter makes the lug of the watch short but not too short so it hugs your wrist perfectly. The date marker and the crown are positioned at 4’o clock, giving it a unique vibe. The position of the crown makes it really convenient to use. However, we felt that the date window could’ve been a bit larger.

The basic model comes with a blue molded polyurethane strap with stainless steel buckle. We’ve used generic leather straps and NATOs to check and they both fit in perfectly. So, it is safe to say that even though the Promaster doesn’t come with strap variants, you can use any straps that have a width of approx. 19 millimeters. However, we prefer the basic one that comes with the watch over others.

Additionally, if you’re looking for a different color, the BN0150-28E model of the same series comes with a black dial and a black strap (offers the same functionality).

Citizen Promaster Diver BN0151-09L lume shot

Accuracy

Another great feature of the Citizen Promaster is the accuracy of the watch. The BN0151-09L not only provides us with an accurate time but also provides accurate dive tracking.

It comes with a Japanese Quartz movement and claimed to be capable of +/- 15 seconds per month accuracy. Since the watch runs on ECO-Drive technology, it can last up to 6 months with a full charge. The watch even has a two-second interval mode that is automatically activated when it’s low on the power reserve.

The Promaster BN0151-09L comes with a unidirectional bezel with markers that are perfectly synced with the chapter ring. The bezel contains both ten-minute and five-minute increments for accurate dive tracking. The outer area of the bezel comes with a unique design that provides a better grip for the users. However, unlike the watch glass, the bezel gets easily scratched.

Citizen Eco-Drive

While Citizen has done a great job designing the BN0151-09L, the most unique feature that we found during our research for the Citizen Promaster Diver review is the ECO-drive technology. We are huge fans of Citizen Eco-Drive technology and believe that it's one of the best things that happened to the world of horology.

The Citizen Promaster comes with the E168 version of the Eco-Drive. As a result, you don’t have to worry about battery life at all. How the technology works is that it uses a rechargeable battery and stores power from any kind of light inside. Even keeping it under a table lamp for a few hours will fully charge the battery.

The BN0151-09L has some light amorphous silicon discs under the dial that act as energy converters. Although they are situated right underneath the main dial, they are invisible to the naked eye. So, another thumbs up for Citizen!

Comfort and Ease of Use

Considering the fact that it’s a dive watch, the Citizen Promaster is pretty light. And the 12mm thickness of the case gives it a slim profile, making it comfortable to wear throughout the day. Moreover, users can even wear it comfortably on top of diving gloves.

As we’ve already mentioned before, the dial is meticulously designed so that it’s convenient for the user to read the time. In addition, the three distinctive hands (hour, minute, and second) help out in this regard as well. The unique markers positioned at 3,6,9, and 12 make it easy to check the time quickly at a glance.

The position of the crown makes it very user-friendly. Although most of us are habituated with using the crown at the 3’o clock position, the 4’o clock crown makes it easier to set the date and time. Just like other quartz watches, the crown moves the date at the first unscrewed position and alters the time at the second. Additionally, the signature Promaster arrow logo can be found engraved on the crown.

If by chance you don't know the size of wrist, check out our watch size guide

Buying Guide: Our Advice

Before telling you whether we think buying the Citizen Promaster BN0151-09L is a good decision or not, let’s look at the pros and cons that will make our decision more practical.

Pros

  • Amazing design with crystal-clear dials
  • Scratch-resistant Anti-Reflective Mineral Crystal
  • I.S.O certified dive watch (200m water resistance)
  • Luminous hands and markers
  • Eco-Drive technology

Cons

  • Small date window
  • Some users reported the strap to be narrow
  • No daylight savings adjustments
Citizen Promaster diver review

If you compare the pros and cons of this diver watch, you’ll notice that it offers really good value for money. Although the price is a bit volatile, it usually stays around $200. However, if you’re still feeling confused about the Promaster, you can always return it for any reason and get a full refund.

Additionally, the Citizen Promaster Diver watches come with a 5-year Guarantee which can even be extended by a whole extra year if you just register your watch with Citizen.

Final Thoughts

Citizen BN0151 Eco-Drive is one of the best dive watches out there. The stylish design, the sturdy material, and the affordable price tag really make this watch a worthy candidate for your collection. To be honest, it’s hard to believe that people are getting confused about buying this watch. The world’s largest watchmaker never failed to amaze us. And they didn’t this time for sure.

To conclude, You should follow your heart and go for the Citizen Promaster BN0151-09L ( or the BN0150-28E if you wish to opt for the black one). Trust me, You won’t regret it!

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