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What makes a Promaster?

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13K views 56 replies 12 participants last post by  TAHAWK  
#1 ·
I just recently acquired the pmd56-2864 and my Citizen collection is not rivaling my Bulovas in the number of pieces.

As I was observing the PMD, it caught my brother's attention of the seconds hand, which is also used on the SkyHawk and on the World Time AT; but not on the Night Hawk and much less the BM.

So, timex has a relative progression Easy Reader, Expedition, Waterbury (Archive Collection), Navi Line. Bulova has the Marine Star, and Precisionist.

The Citizen World Time is not a marketed as a ProMaster, but shares the seconds hand and it is built on par to the SkyHawk. So, what is the inside story of what makes a Promaster a Promaster?

Citizen by Wolfsatz, on Flickr

Citizen Family by Wolfsatz, on Flickr
 
#2 ·
Citizen has for decades sold their watches according to categories or themes or sub-brands. These days there is (in Japan) Exceed, Attesa, The Citizen, and also a couple sub-brands for women, like xC. A Promaster is aimed at the Professional Master, so it is supposed to be sporty (as in useable for sports) and rugged, but there are no fixed parameters. For example, why the Tsuno Chronographs are Promaster is beyond me. I guess they just wanted to place it above the non-sub-branded line of 'normal' watches, so they went with Promaster. If it was sold in Japan they would probably put in the Promaster Land subcategory, since it is not Sea or Sky.

In Citizen's own words:
PROMASTER - Authentic sports watch for the world ´s professionals
From its debut in 1989, the PROMASTER professional sports watch has been a firm favourite with professionals who challenge their limits.

Functionality enabled by innovative technology.
Carefully thought-through safety for the user.
Durability suited for extreme environments.
Go Deeper. Go Higher. Go Further.

CITIZEN's professional sports watch brand takes performance to a higher level to meet the needs of the pros who blaze the trails others follow.
Beyond your imagination.
 
#3 ·
#10 ·
such a good thread - grateful for @CitizenPromaster for his knowledge

I did wonder whether the 200m WR was a major indicator in the categorization
I too am uncertain why my Tsuno's are Promaster range - they seem both dressier n less toolish than my other 4 Promasters
 
#13 ·
Simon said:
I too am uncertain why my Tsuno's are Promaster range - they seem both dressier n less toolish than my other 4 Promasters
Click to expand...
Because it is a Racing Inspired Chronograph... goes with the sports theme. Ido think it belongs here with the other Promaster watches. The Panda one is actually so damn good looking.
 
#18 ·
feels like Promaster is similar to PROSPEX, kind of a "pro" standard for their watches (but tbh is equally marketing). there seems to be 'land, air, and sea' Prospex and Promaster seems to follow the same logic somewhat imo.

i only have 1 and though it's Eco Drive the bracelet puts it on par with a typical bracelet model Prospex as far as finish/quality/value (except the promaster clasp blows away the Seiko clasp). may even out-spec a typical Turtle as the Citizen also has AR on it's mineral and a signed crown.

15668063


15668065
 
#19 ·
Oh no, you said the P-word! Yes, obviously Prospex (Pro Specs -> Professional Specifications) is the Seiko analogue to Promaster, and Seiko has a long history of "professional" watches, but if I'm not mistaking as a brand Prospex is younger than the Promaster brand which was launched in 1989. It started out as a JDM brand (I can't ascertain when) and became international quite recently (2014?).

One big difference? People love the Promaster logo on the dial of their Citizen, but not everyone loves the X (actually a stylized S and P) on the dial of their Seiko 😈

A YouTube commenter on below video: "One thing all those great historic watches have in common? NO PROSPEX LOGO!!! Please Seiko, these are fantastic new watches, let down by tacky, crude branding, poor quality bracelets/clasps and average face/hand finish. They will not compete at the same price as the Swiss/Germans until these things are changed! Spring drive is great, but not enough to overcome these flaws."


A similar thread to this one but about Prospex soon got people confessing their hate for the brand and the X logo: Prospex difference? | WatchUSeek Watch Forums

But to be fair, the haters are a minority, they are just the most vocal ones:
Seiko Prospex Symbol: What's the general consensus? Time for a poll! | WatchUSeek Watch Forums
Why all the hate for the Prospex "X" logo??? | WatchUSeek Watch Forums

Anyway, another difference for JDM Promaster models and since recent times also some worldwide Promaster models is that some titanium models have Duratect MRK instead of Duratect TIC, so gas hardened titanium rather than titanium with an ion-plated titanium carbide coating. What all of that means can be found in the Titanium thread.
 
#20 ·
CitizenPromaster said:
One big difference? People love the Promaster logo on the dial of their Citizen, but not everyone loves the X (actually a stylized S and P) on the dial of their Seiko 😈
Click to expand...
I'll be the first one to confess that I find the X logo one of the worst marketing stints ever made. Some great watches are totally killed by the X factor. 🤦 And yes, the Promaster logo is a genuine staple of marketing.
 
#22 ·
As easy as making two versions.. one with and one without.. but then again... Seiko may careless what we think.
 
#24 ·
I don't see much problem with Prosepx apart from often inflated prices. There is not much of special going on but that typical for many watch types like "Field", "tool", "divers style", "takticool", "trench" etc. they more of style than substance in form of specific functions. People buy chronos with no reasonable ability to be used as chronograph. Some reputable brands pump (Casio) fake chronos with pushers which don't work. My point as far as people buy it...
I like Citizen because they often look more interesting, offer more value, bulletproof, solar and in many cases have advanced quartz movement and been part of some line or families ... it's rather afterthought.
Pretty sure manufactures know it to some degree. So in some cases though it may sound offensive i don't mean anything bad. There is nothing what makes for example Timex expedition more suited for expeditions of any sort compared to let say any other 50m WR Timex. That said i love their style and Expedition in this case is more of the style "umbrella".
Promaster used to be more lax in old days and till now some model can be sold in both promaster and non promaster way. And some been outright more on dressy side.
My point there are a lot of freedom in how manufactures decide on what wil be branded as pro and what will not.
15670149

15670150

15670151
 
#25 ·
Wolfsatz said:
As I was observing the PMD, it caught my brother's attention of the seconds hand, which is also used on the SkyHawk and on the World Time AT; but not on the Night Hawk and much less the BM.
Click to expand...
The second hand treatment with the C shape indicates radio reception. It's meant to represent a radio dish antenna. It's unrelated to the Promaster designation.
 
#30 ·
#33 ·
now I want one.
 
#36 ·
#39 ·
I was hoping no one would've notice.. I noticed after the shot was taken and then the sun was hitting my board.
 
#41 ·
#43 ·
It arrived a few months ago. And yes, this one will stay with me for a longggg time.
 
#44 ·
#45 ·
#46 ·
#48 · (Edited)
#51 ·
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