Citizen Promaster Marine NY0040-17LE Review: a no-nonsense automatic dive watch that just works

I’ve been wearing the Citizen Promaster Marine NY0040-17LE as a daily watch for a few weeks, swapping it in and out with my usual quartz beaters. I wanted a straightforward automatic diver that I wouldn’t be scared to knock around, and this one kept coming up in forums and Amazon reviews. It’s not the latest release, it’s not hyped to death, but it has a decent reputation and a fair price, especially when it drops under £200.

Out of the box, it feels like a proper tool watch, not a jewellery piece. The dial is a dark blue, the bezel is black, and the rubber strap is also blue. Nothing flashy. If you’re used to big modern divers at 44–45 mm, this one will feel more compact at about 41.5–42 mm, which for me is a good thing. It sits nicely on the wrist and doesn’t shout for attention, but it still looks like a real dive watch, not a fashion accessory.

During these weeks I used it like any normal person would: work, commuting, washing dishes, showers, a few swims at the pool. No babying it. I didn’t take it to 200 m, but it saw enough water to judge if it’s annoying to live with. I also rotated a couple of straps (NATO and leather) to see how flexible the watch is style-wise, because the stock rubber band gets mentioned a lot in reviews.

Overall, my first impression is pretty simple: this is a solid, old-school diver with a reliable movement and a few quirks. It’s not perfect, and there are things that bug me, but for the price it hits most of the basics very well. If you want an automatic dive watch that feels honest and functional, this one is worth a serious look, as long as you know what you’re getting and what you’re not.

Price-wise, this watch usually sits somewhere between £160–£230 depending on discounts. At the lower end of that range, it’s very decent value. You’re getting a real automatic dive watch from a known brand, ISO 200 m rating, a reliable movement, and a design that has been around for years and used by actual military units. It’s not some random no-name AliExpress diver pretending to be something it’s not.

Where the value takes a small hit is in the details: mineral crystal instead of sapphire, a pretty average rubber strap, weaker lume than some competitors, and the lack of official warranty on some listings. If you compare it to watches like the Orient Kamasu (which gives you sapphire and a good movement), you can argue that Citizen is a bit stingy on specs here. On the other hand, the NY0040 has its own charm: left-hand crown, proven movement, and an old-school tool watch vibe that some newer models don’t quite have.

In practice, you should probably budget an extra £10–£30 for a better strap (NATO, silicone, or leather), because almost everyone ends up changing the stock one. Once you factor that in, the overall package is still fair, but less of a screaming bargain. That said, the watch itself feels like it will last years if you take basic care of it, so you’re not throwing money at something disposable.

If you can catch it around the £160–£180 mark, I’d say the value is strong. Around £220–£230, it’s still reasonable but you start looking more closely at alternatives from Seiko and Orient. So the value rating really depends on the deal you get. For me, as a straightforward automatic diver from a trusted brand, it justifies its price, as long as you go into it knowing you’re paying for reliability and heritage, not for top-tier specs on paper.

The design is classic dive watch territory. You get a round 41.5–42 mm case, a one-way rotating bezel with chunky scalloped edges, bold hour markers, and thick hands. The dial is a dark blue with a guilloché-style texture that gives it some depth without trying to look fancy. In normal light, it reads clearly at a glance, which is basically what you want from a diver. The day/date window at 3 o’clock is black with white text, which some people like for the stealth look, but in practice it’s not the easiest to read unless you’re in good light.

The main thing that stands out is the crown at 8 o’clock instead of 3 or 4. On the wrist, this actually makes sense: it doesn’t dig into the back of your hand and you don’t catch it on your wrist when you bend it. It’s a screw-down crown, fairly chunky and easy to grip. Once you get used to reaching to the left side to adjust time or date, it’s no big deal. It also gives the watch a slightly different look from the usual Seiko or Orient divers around this price.

The bezel itself looks good and aligns well on my unit, which is not always a given in this price range. It has 60 clicks and the feel is on the firmer side, which I like. Some users reported it being too easy to knock, but on mine it takes a deliberate twist to move. I’d rather it be a bit stiff than loose, especially if you actually use it to time things. The insert is simple: black with white markings, no fancy ceramic or anything like that, but perfectly readable.

Overall, the design is functional and slightly old-school. It’s not trying to be dressy, and it’s not pretending to be a luxury piece. On a NATO or leather strap, it can pass as a casual everyday watch. On the stock rubber, it looks like what it is: a diver designed to be used, not shown off. If you like clean, tool-ish designs and don’t mind the left-hand crown, you’ll probably be happy with how it looks on the wrist.

On the wrist, the Promaster Marine is actually quite comfortable, mainly because of its size and the left-hand crown. At around 41.5 mm with a 13 mm thickness and relatively short lugs, it doesn’t overhang the wrist. On my average-sized wrist, it sits flat and doesn’t flop around, especially once I swapped the strap. The 94 g weight makes it feel present but not heavy, so you don’t get that wrist fatigue you can get with bigger steel divers by the end of the day.

The crown at 8 o’clock is genuinely nice in day-to-day use. With more typical right-side crowns, I sometimes get a bit of digging into the back of my hand when I bend my wrist, especially if the crown guards are sharp. Here, that problem basically disappears. You forget the crown is there until you need to adjust the time or date. It’s a small design tweak but it does improve comfort, especially if you wear your watch a bit lower on the wrist.

The weak link is the stock rubber strap. It’s usable, but not great. It’s a bit rigid out of the box, takes some time to break in, and can feel a little sweaty when it’s hot. One user mentioned skin reactions (eczema) to the rubber, which I didn’t personally get, but it’s not the softest or most skin-friendly rubber I’ve tried. After a couple of days, I swapped it for a NATO, and the comfort level jumped up immediately. On a soft nylon NATO or a decent silicone strap, the watch disappears on the wrist and is easy to wear all day.

In daily life – typing at a desk, driving, doing chores – the watch doesn’t get in the way. It fits under most shirt cuffs because it’s not insanely thick, and the caseback doesn’t have any sharp edges that dig into your skin. So in terms of pure comfort, I’d say: case and size are very good, crown position is great, strap is mediocre. If you plan to wear it a lot, budget for a better strap or NATO from day one.

On the materials side, you’re getting pretty standard stuff for this price range. The case is stainless steel, 41.5 mm in diameter, about 13 mm thick, and weighs around 94 g. It feels light for a dive watch, especially compared to some chunkier Seiko models. That lightness is nice for daily wear, but it also makes it feel a bit less tank-like than some competitors. Still, the finishing on the case is decent: no sharp edges, the brushing is clean, and nothing looks sloppy.

The crystal is mineral, not sapphire. That’s one of the main trade-offs here. Mineral will handle impacts better than cheap sapphire in some cases, but it will scratch more easily over time. If you’re careful and don’t scrape it against walls or metal, you’ll be fine, but if you’re rough with your watches, expect micro-scratches to show up eventually. For the price, mineral is pretty standard, but you can find some microbrands doing sapphire in this range, so it’s something to keep in mind.

The strap is listed as plastic but in practice it’s a rubber-style band. It feels like typical dive rubber: a bit stiff at first, slightly sticky against the skin when it’s hot, and not the most breathable. The buckle is a simple pin buckle, nothing special but it works. Many owners, myself included, ended up swapping it out pretty quickly for NATO, leather, or silicone options. The watch looks surprisingly good on a lot of different straps, especially black or grey NATOs and brown leather, which also helps hide the fact that the original strap is a bit cheap-feeling.

Water resistance is rated at 200 m and it’s an ISO-compliant diver, which is reassuring if you actually swim or dive with it. The caseback is screwed down, the crown is screw-down, and overall it feels like it’s built to handle water use. No helium valve or anything fancy, but for normal diving and swimming, the materials and construction feel up to the task. In short: solid case and build, average crystal, basic strap. Nothing premium, but nothing that screams corner-cutting either, apart from the strap.

In terms of durability, this watch feels like it can take daily use without drama. The stainless-steel case has held up well for me so far: a few minor marks from bumping into door frames and desks, but nothing serious and nothing that stands out. The brushing on the case hides light scratches pretty well. It’s not a tank like some big dive watches, but for regular wear, commuting, and casual sports, it feels more than capable.

The mineral crystal is the part I’m slightly cautious about. After a few weeks, I don’t see scratches yet, but based on experience with other mineral-crystal watches, it’s just a matter of time if you’re clumsy. It’s not a disaster – plenty of people live happily with scratched mineral – but if you’re expecting a watch that stays spotless for years, you’ll need to be a bit more careful or accept that the crystal will pick up marks. At this price, I can live with that, but it’s a clear trade-off versus sapphire-equipped competitors.

The rubber strap is another durability question mark. Functionally it holds up, but rubber can crack or get stiff after a few years, especially if exposed to sun, sweat, and saltwater a lot. Given how many owners end up swapping the strap anyway, I wouldn’t worry too much about its long-term life – just see it as a temporary solution until you get a better strap. The spring bars and buckle feel standard but not flimsy.

Water resistance has been solid so far. No fogging under the crystal after hot showers or going from cold to warm environments, which can be a weak point on cheaper watches. The screw-down crown threads feel secure as long as you take a second to make sure it’s properly aligned before tightening. Overall, I’d rate durability as good for the money: case and seals feel solid, crystal is the obvious weak spot long-term, and the strap is basic but replaceable. For a daily beater or a casual dive watch, it holds up just fine.

This watch uses Citizen’s automatic movement (from the 8xxx family), and in real life it does the job well. On my wrist, it’s been running at around +4 to +6 seconds per day, which matches what some Amazon reviewers mentioned (around 5 seconds per day). For this price range, that’s pretty solid. It’s not chronometer-level, but for an everyday automatic tool watch, it’s more than accurate enough. The movement is automatic only, so no Eco-Drive here, but it winds easily with normal wrist movement and I never had it stop during regular wear.

In terms of timekeeping stability, after setting it once, I didn’t need to constantly correct it. I checked it every few days against my phone, and the drift was small and predictable. If you’re picky, you can always reset it once a week and you’ll be well within a few seconds. The movement is also fairly quiet. You don’t hear rotor noise unless you stick it right up to your ear in a quiet room, which for me is a plus. I don’t want my watch sounding like a rattle every time I move my wrist.

The lume is where opinions differ. Some users say it’s good, others say it fades quickly. My take: the initial brightness is good – you step into a dark room and it’s easy to read. But after 10–15 minutes, it starts to fade, and after a few hours it’s pretty faint unless you gave it a strong light blast beforehand. Compared to something like a Seiko diver, it’s weaker. For quick night checks it’s fine, but if you expect all-night torch-level glow, you’ll be disappointed.

Water resistance and overall toughness seem solid. It’s rated to 200 m, ISO diver compliant, and I’ve used it for swimming and showers with zero issues. The screw-down crown and caseback feel secure. The bezel action is firm on my unit and doesn’t move accidentally, unlike what one reviewer mentioned about knocks shifting it. So performance-wise, you get: reliable automatic movement, decent accuracy, okay lume, and real dive capability. No fancy features, but the basics are covered well.

When you open the box, there’s no luxury experience here, and that’s fine. You get the watch on its blue rubber strap, a pin buckle, and the usual paperwork. That’s it. No extra straps, no fancy case, nothing that feels premium. The packaging is just enough to protect the watch in transit. If you like unboxing rituals, this one is going to feel a bit basic, but honestly I’d rather they put the money into the watch than into a shiny box that ends up in a drawer.

The watch itself looks exactly like the photos on Amazon: 42 mm-ish stainless steel case, dark blue guilloché-style dial, black bezel, and that crown at 8 o’clock, which is kind of the signature detail on this model. On the wrist it looks like a proper diver but not oversized. If you have smaller wrists, you’ll probably be relieved. If you’re used to big Seiko turtles or massive G-Shocks, this will feel more compact and easier to tuck under a sleeve.

One thing to note: there’s no manufacturer warranty listed, which is pretty unusual for a brand like Citizen. That’s a bit of a red flag if you’re unlucky and get a dud. Mine has been fine so far: no issues with alignment, no weird noises from the movement, and no moisture under the crystal. But knowing there’s no official warranty does sit in the back of your mind, especially if you’re used to 2–5 years from other brands.

Overall, the presentation is straightforward: you’re clearly paying for a tool watch, not a luxury experience. If you’re okay with a simple box, minimal accessories, and no real unboxing thrill, that’s not a problem. If you expect a bit of ceremony when dropping a couple hundred quid on a watch, this one feels a bit barebones on that front.