You’ve heard of “barn finds” when it comes to automobiles, but have you ever heard of a “barnacle find”? In 1983, a Citizen Challenge diver made in 1977 washed up on an Australian beach, covered in barnacles. As barnacles take time to build up, the watch evidently had been underwater for quite a few years. (As a side note, this would seem to indicate that the watch was most likely lost new. Can you imagine the heartbreak of that poor owner?) What separates this story from other “found on the beach” stories is that the watch was still in running condition. That same story is the inspiration behind the new Promaster Mechanical Diver 200M NB6021 from Citizen.
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The automatic Citizen watch found on an Australian beach in 1983 | Image: Citizen
The new version comes in two varieties, each sporting a retro look and dimensions to match the original survivor. Citizen did take the opportunity to update the Promaster with modern tech and materials. For starters, the new version is made entirely of Super Titanium. This material is not only lightweight, but also features Citizen’s Duratect hardening technology, which results in an ultra-resilient and scratch-resistant surface.
The case is kept to a modest size—just 41mm and just over 12 mm in height. You can choose from either a black or blue insert on the bezel, which also sports a silver 60-minute diving scale with a luminous pip in the triangular indicator. The indices are rectangular and filled with luminous material. The hour hand is Mercedes style and the minute is a sword. The sapphire crystal is flat-topped and there is a date window at 3 o’clock. Inside the case is a Citizen in-house Calibre 9051. An automatic movement, the device has a 42-hour power reserve.
The watch comes with two strap options—a black polyurethane with a titanium pin buckle and a Super Titanium three-ink bracelet with a folding clasp. The black with polyurethane strap is marked at EUR 650, while the blue on a titanium bracelet retails for EUR 750.
Citizen Promaster Mechanical Diver 200M NB6021 | Image: Citizen
Citizen Promaster Mechanical Diver 200M NB6021
Diameter: 41mm
Height: 12mm
Case: Super Titanium
Movement: Citizen in-house Calibre 9051
Bracelet: Super Titanium three-ink bracelet
Crystal: Sapphire
Citizen Promaster Mechanical Diver 200M NB6021 | Image: Citizen
Citizen Promaster Mechanical Diver 200M NB6021 | Image: Citizen
