Citizen’s Affordable, Under-the-Radar GMT Adventure Watch Gets an Even Sportier Edition

When it comes to budget-friendly Japanese watches, Seiko certainly gets the lion’s share of the fanfare. Yet Citizen has been quietly chugging along in its shadow, going toe-to-toe with the hyped-up giant despite receiving less media attention overall.

In fact, just a couple of weeks ago, Citizen quietly released a pretty spectacular, budget-friendly travel watch that has quickly become a sleeper hit.

And now, it has returned to that same watch with another sneaky release: the Citizen Promaster Land GMT Navy, which takes it in an even sportier direction.

Citizen

Sleeper hit 2.0

If you appreciated the red-dialed version of the Promaster Land GMT from a couple of weeks back, I’ve got some very good news: at its core, this is the same watch. From its styling to its functionality, just about everything remains intact.

For those unfamiliar, let me clear this up. This is a GMT, meaning it has a third hand and a fixed 24-hour bezel for tracking a second timezone. It also has a date window at the 3 o’clock position and a durable stainless steel case.

Citizen

Crucially, within that case, is its most user-friendly feature: the movement. This watch is powered by a highly accurate, reliable quartz movement, but there’s a twist.

It doesn’t run on batteries; it’s solar-powered via the brand’s legendary Eco-Drive tech. That means no battery swaps, no winding, no charging and so on.

That same tech makes it extremely friendly to outdoor adventurers, as it is powered by light. So, anytime you’re outside, you’re juicing up your watch.

And yet, that’s not the only thing sporty about it, especially with this new version that, despite its functional and stylistic similarities, does have some noteworthy distinctions.

Citizen

Same watch, lower price

The most immediately recognizable difference between this take and its predecessor is its colorway. While the first one had a red dial, this one is navy blue. But that’s not actually the most exciting change.

See, the previous version had a steel link bracelet. While durable and classic, it added two things to the aforementioned predecessor: weight and cost. This new take swaps the link band for a lighter, more warm-weather-friendly nylon strap.

Citizen

That change also shaves off a respectable $70 from the MSRP, which is especially notable given how budget-friendly the watch already was. There’s just one catch: there isn’t a red version with a nylon strap nor a blue version with a link bracelet; you’d have to choose one or the other.

Still, navy blue is about as classic a choice as it gets, and that, plus the dip in cost, might make this an even bigger hit than its sibling. While that’s a tall order, it remains to be seen if this more affordable version can usurp Citizen’s sleeper-hit throne.

Citizen

Available now

Like its predecessor, the Citizen Promaster Land GMT Navy dropped sneakily on the brand’s site with no big announcement or fanfare. Similarly, it’s another exclusive, so you can only get it there for $525.

Citizen

Citizen Promaster Land GMT Navy

Specs

Case Size	39.5mm
Movement	Eco-Drive, solar
Water Resistance	200m

• $525 at Citizen

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