IntroducingCitizen Introduces The Next Generation Of Promaster Skyhawk

In 2024, to celebrate the Promaster's 35th anniversary, Citizen gave the Promaster Land a makeover with a brand new caliber U822 that offered quite a few noticeable technical upgrades to its predecessors in the very niche yet highly functional ana-digi tool watch space. Turns out, the introduction of this new caliber would foreshadow an eventual update across the other pillars of the Promaster lineup, and now we have a trio of new Promaster Skyhawk U830s with an updated caliber and layout.

It's a significant departure from the previous Caliber U680-based Promaster Skyhawks, with that old model and dial layout an iconic look in my mind across the many places I grew up looking at watches — department stores, sporting goods stores, and, as James Stacey would affectionately say, the duty-free section at your airport. Here, the new Promaster Skyhawks feature a redesigned 43mm case, with more pronounced facets as well as an overall sharper look while retaining the water resistance at 200m. Thickness is 13.9mm, and the steel bracelet is attached to the case with a very angular endlink said to be inspired by airplane wings. The lug-to-lug measurement with the endlink is 53.3mm, and is 48.4mm without it (should you change out the bracelet to a strap). 

There are three versions here, with all of them in steel — the blue dial ref. JV2000-51L is paired with the uncoated stainless steel case, the grey dial ref. JV2006-55H gets an ion-plated (a form of PVD) bezel and pushers, and the black dial ref. JV2005-58E gets a stealthy black ion-plated case and bracelet in addition. 

The biggest change here is, of course, the dial. As the watch features the new analog-digital caliber U830, gone are the small, asymmetrical LCD displays, instead replaced by a larger screen right above 6 o'clock. Like the Promaster Land update, this new display is actually a memory-in-pixel display, an update from older segmented LCD technology. Unlike a conventional pixel-based display, an MiP display contains pixels that can individually preserve their current color and state information. This means that the display draws power only when specific pixels need to be updated, thus very little power is drawn compared to a traditional screen, but at the same time offers significantly better resolution than you would get on the segmented LCD panel. Contrast is also improved, with the ability to customize whether the display is in standard or negative mode.

Above the display are three subdials, the left one serving as the power reserve indicator and 60-minute chronograph counter, the middle one a subdial for UTC time, and the right one the 24-hour time with AM/PM indication. The subdials, combined with the display and the slide rule bezel, offer a suite of functions that any Citizen Promaster customer would typically expect from one of these watches — world time functionality, a chronograph, alarm, perpetual calendar, and more. As it is an Eco-Drive model, the Promaster Skyhawk charges via solar and should be able to run for three years on a full charge.

All three Citizen Promaster Skyhawk models are available now, with the blue and grey dials priced at $795, and the black dial with black PVD case priced at $850.

I'm a big fan of this new update to the Promaster lineup. While a highly complicated watch like this still requires a busy dial, the updated design, with the focal point on the impressively large display at six o'clock, feels significantly more legible than the previous iterations with the U680 movement. The case and bracelet design, tweaked to feel slightly more contemporary, also give this new Skyhawk a much more versatile look. My pick of the bunch would be the Skyhawk U830 with a grey dial, ref. JV2006-55H. It's got a great combination of contrasting elements on the dial (not sure, though, how I feel about the black pushers on the case, but the contrast is quite nice).

The one main downgrade from the previous iterations of the Promaster Skyhawk "A-T" is the omission of atomic/radio-controlled timekeeping. The older models touted the ability for the watch to synchronize to the atomic time clock via radio signal in 43 countries around the world, but that is sadly no more. As someone who lives in New York City, I've never been able to properly take advantage of radio synchronization for the watches I own that support this feature, I assume because I live in a concrete and steel jungle. This isn't a dealbreaker for me, but I'd be curious to hear if other folks might find this a necessity at all.

Overall, I think the brand has done a great job with this next-generation Skyhawk. While it's a big change from the lovely, weird, asymmetrical layout of the past, Citizen is right to capitalize on the new U800 series of movements with the dramatically improved display. It's a reminder that these are watches where function is always kept in mind over form, and probably one of the few lines out there that truly earn the "Pro" in its name.

Brand: Citizen
Model: Promaster Skyhawk U830
Reference Number: JV2000-51L (Blue Dial); JV2006-55H (Grey Dial); JV2005-58E (Black Dial)

Diameter: 43mm
Thickness: 13.9mm
Case Material: Stainless steel
Dial Color: Blue; Grey; Black
Indexes: Applied
Lume: Yes
Water Resistance: 200m
Strap/Bracelet: Steel bracelet

Caliber: U830 Eco-Drive
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, perpetual calendar, alarm, 24-hour chronograph, countdown timer, UTC time, 24-hour time
Power Reserve: Up to three years on a full charge in power-save mode
Additional Details: Solar-powered

Price: $795 (Blue and grey dials); $850 (Black dial)
Availability: Now
Limited Edition: No

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