Measuring Depth: Citizen Marks 40 Years of the Aqualand Legacy with Limited Edition Promaster Tribute
Citizen is marking four decades since a pivotal moment in dive watch history with the release of a new limited edition of the trailblazing Aqualand. Launched in 1985, this timepiece was the first diver’s watch to incorporate an electronic depth sensor, changing how divers interacted with wrist-worn instruments. The PROMASTER Aqualand 40th Anniversary Limited Edition (Ref. JP2008-06E), announced ahead of its July 2025 release, stays largely faithful to the design of the original while incorporating modern materials and diving functions.
The anniversary edition carries over the defining characteristics of the 1985 watch: an oversized case, a bulbous depth sensor protruding from the 9 o’clock position, and a crown offset to 4 o’clock. While the dimensions are imposing— a 50.7mm case diameter and a thickness of 14.8mm— the watch remains purpose-built, engineered for readability and function in demanding underwater environments.
The steel case features a matte brushed finish in gray, with gold-plated accents on the pushers, the markers and hands, the bezel, and the gauge. Functionality remains at the center: the analog-digital display on the black dial provides standard timekeeping along with a calendar, alarm, chronograph, and, most crucially, depth measurement and dive time tracking in dive mode. An ascent rate alarm warns divers if they are surfacing too quickly.
The watch is ISO-certified and water-resistant to 200 meters. As such, it includes unidirectional diver's bezel, prominent luminescent hour markers and different hands, and a screw-lock crown. Inside is Citizen’s Cal. C520, a quartz movement with an accuracy rating of ±20 seconds per month.
The watch is attached to a plant-based polyurethane strap developed by Mitsubishi Chemical. It’s a sustainable alternative to traditional rubber straps, with improved resistance to water degradation.
Citizen will produce 5,800 pieces of the anniversary edition worldwide, with each case back carrying a commemorative engraving referencing the Aqualand’s depth sensor.
Pricing is marked at $595.
To learn more, visit Citizen, here.
