For late 2024, Citizen of Japan has launched a brand new assortment of technology-focused wristwatches which can be simple to overlook should you aren’t paying shut consideration. I used to be instantly intrigued by the Citizen Promaster Land with the U822 module after I noticed early photos of it. Citizen had been engaged on a brand new mid-range analog-digital (ana-digi) dial-based timepiece that appeared to carry some new issues to the desk whereas additionally emphasizing conventional simplicity (i.e. not a linked watch). I’ve now been in a position to totally play with the Citizen Promaster Land U822, and assume Citizen is getting into fascinating territory. The U822 system improves upon extra complicated and restricted person interfaces of the previous, however will nonetheless require a studying curve to know learn how to function it by way of simply the three pushers and crown (which can also be a pusher). Whereas the Citizen Promaster Land U822 debuts in just a few kinds, the mannequin I’m reviewing is the pricier of the lot, the Citizen Promaster Land U822 JV1008-63E which was launched to have fun the 35th Anniversary of the Citizen Promaster product household.
Analog-digital dial watches have been fashionable since their debut within the Nineteen Eighties. The thought was to merge the increasing universe of high-functionality digital watches with the aesthetic choice many individuals had of carrying analog watches with conventional fingers. Each European and Japanese manufacturers have launched a variety of analog-digital watches over time – a method that’s nonetheless very talked-about with Japanese watches however nonetheless exhibits up within the occasional Swiss timepiece too. I grew up with analog-digital watches, so I’m all the time searching for novel varieties that seize the essence of a very good ana-digi watch whereas increasing the performance we’ve come to count on from them. Citizen very a lot makes an attempt to try this with the U822 family.
Ana-digi watches make sense on paper, however are very difficult to get proper on the wrist. Not solely do the dials want to supply the legibility of an analog watch with the options of a digital watch, however they want to take action in a manner the place the options don’t overly compete with each other on the dial. Furthermore, the person interface that means that you can use the options have to be sufficiently simple, or else you find yourself with individuals who put on their watches however by no means use any of their deeper performance. I have to admit that I used to be not ready to determine learn how to enter the completely different modes on the Citizen Promaster Land U822 with out referencing the directions. I all the time wish to gauge what parts of a system are intuitive and which require investing a while with the handbook. In a really perfect world, most customers would be capable of intuit the interface, which not often is the case for Citizen’s high-functionality watches. Nonetheless, when you get the hold of how their system works, it’s relatively simple. How then do you turn modes on the Promaster Land U822? I used to be stumped till I regarded on the directions (which you should entry on-line and which aren’t included with the watch).
The reply is that you want to first press within the crown, after which you want to press the decrease pusher (which usually prompts the backlight) to modify between modes. Urgent within the crown can also be learn how to alter the settings, which isn’t usually the way you’d proceed to alter modes. Thus, relatively than having the ability to change modes on the fly, you want to enter a mode-switching state, after which change modes. The obtainable modes on this watch are 1) settings (to regulate the info), 2) the default calendar mode, 3) alarm, 4) countdown timer, 5) chronograph, and 6) world time. That is essential as a result of not like some competitor watches from corporations reminiscent of Casio, the Citizen Promaster Land U822 is a very unconnected watch. Which means it doesn’t depend on connecting to Bluetooth or something like that. Aside from receiving gentle via the dial to energy the Citizen Eco-Drive motion, all the pieces this watch does is self-contained – and lots of people prefer it that manner. Many people who find themselves towards the linked nature of smartwatches and the varied hybrid gadgets on the market, will just like the “autonomy” provided by Citizen on this new product – although you’ll need to be linked to learn the mandatory handbook to know learn how to use the gadget (only a slight irony there).
Essentially the most notable new piece of expertise within the Promaster Land U822 is the transfer away from an LCD display to a MIPS (reminiscence in pixel display). These use low energy however have a a lot larger decision and thus the flexibility to show extra knowledge than a normal LCD display. This implies the display now incorporates a extra superior menu system and the flexibility to maneuver via settings and screens extra clearly. The display isn’t big, so good eyesight is important. That stated, I believe Citizen did a pleasant job of assorting the knowledge on the dial, permitting house for the oblong MIP display, two analog subdials, and the three central fingers. The principle fingers are even designed to maneuver out of the way in which if you find yourself making an attempt to entry deeper info within the display a part of the dial. Wanting into the dial is a glare-free expertise as Citizen makes use of a flat, AR-coated sapphire crystal over the face of the watch.
One of many extra fascinating new options I appreciated within the U822 module is a light-weight publicity meter that Citizen calls “gentle stage.” I’ve seen methods like this on among the newer solar-powered Garmin smartwatches and wrote at size when recommending a system prefer it for the newer Tissot T-Touch Connect Sport hybrid smartwatches. In essence, the system tracks the watch’s present publicity to gentle, in addition to over time. That is essential as a result of as an Eco-Drive quartz-powered module, the U822 depends on common publicity to gentle for energy. The dial of the watch even has a default battery energy reserve indicator, and in response to Citizen, the U822’s rechargeable battery will final for eight months to at least one yr when totally charged. Going again to the sunshine stage system, it affords three screens of knowledge. The primary display signifies the present gentle stage utilizing a scoring system to point gentle power. The opposite two screens are graphs, and based mostly on the watch’s each day in addition to weekly gentle publicity fee. The aim is to be sure to are exposing the watch dial to sufficient lumens (ideally daylight) to maintain the system powered. As a “Land exploration” watch, the sunshine stage system can be roughly used to find out how a lot daylight the wearer has been uncovered to (since people additionally want some – however not an excessive amount of – daylight to outlive).
Analog-digital dial methods like this all the time have some drawbacks. That implies that not one of the options are as sturdy or clear to make use of as on a full analog or a full digital dial. A terrific instance is the chronograph system. When activated, the analog fingers observe the working minutes, seconds, and hours (as much as 40 hours). There isn’t a working digital counter. Nonetheless, once you cease the chronograph, the read-out (with extra precision) is indicated digitally. Why is there no working digital elapsed stopwatch info? Most likely to save lots of on energy, nevertheless it additionally looks like an odd omission, and it exhibits how one thing so simple as a chronograph is made extra difficult due to how each analog and digital parts mix collectively for this piece of conventional performance. Additionally, whereas the general luminant on the dial is great, the orange-colored backlight system for the display (not a brand new gentle system) is comparatively weak, nevertheless it nonetheless means that you can learn the info for its scant two seconds of on time.
There isn’t house in a watch overview like this to totally talk about all of the performance or the nuances of the Citizen U822 system. As I stated, it’s a basic enchancment each on Citizen working methods of the previous, in addition to expanded with new options and performance thanks partially to the MIP display. I’ll nonetheless say that the world time characteristic, when you perceive learn how to use it, is fairly efficient and I like how one can simply see two timezones (together with details about what zones these are) on the display. However if you wish to know extra than simply the time, you can be trying on the display on a watch like this a lot that you simply’ll most likely find yourself wishing it have been larger.
Having stated that, studying the time utilizing the analog fingers on the dial of the Citizen Promaster Land U822 is a breeze. The dial is each engaging and straightforward to learn given the excessive distinction and the superb quantity of luminous materials utilized to each the fingers and hour markers. Including a further analog ingredient, the dial of the watch has an inside rotating timing bezel that additionally has some compass markings on it. I don’t know the way usually this characteristic will get utilized by wearers, or if it deserves the existence of the additional crown on the left facet of the case, nevertheless it does present how Citizen’s core shopper for a watch like this appreciates daring fashion, out of doors autonomy, and options galore.
What concerning the watch itself? This reference JV1008-63E model of the Promaster Land U822 is extra ornamental and costly than the core fashions. With that stated, all of the Promaster Land U822 watches can have the identical case and dial design. The case right here is in gunmetal-colored metal (sorry, no Tremendous Titanium for these watches – but), water-resistant to 200 meters, and is 43.9mm large and about 15mm thick. The lugs are 22mm large, and this mannequin of the watch comes with each an identical metal metallic bracelet in addition to a grey camo-style cloth strap (which is fairly cool truly). We see extra grey camo ornament on the dial of the watch, and the bezel has the fascinating texture of polished layered metal just like Damascus-style metal. The non-Thirty fifth anniversary variations of the Promaster Land 822 (thus far) would not have the dial graphics, textured bezel, or fascinating strap choices, although they do value considerably much less.
As somebody who likes vaguely military-style timepieces with plenty of gadget-style performance, it’s laborious for me to withstand carrying a watch just like the Citizen Promaster Land. The watch is certainly not excellent and a few of its quirks are obvious. It isn’t a historically fairly watch both, nevertheless it makes up for that when it comes to its eagerness to have you ever go exterior and discover with it on. I might like to see an extension of the U822 system in a watch with out the inside rotating bezel and with a Citizen Tremendous Titanium case. Citizen doesn’t develop new {hardware} with out the intention of putting them in a variety of future timepiece fashions – so maybe my want will come true within the years to return. This watch can be particularly fascinating for individuals who need the performance provided, in a decidedly “non-connected” bundle (there’s a very actual marketplace for that). Retail worth for the reference JV1008-63E Citizen Promaster Land U822 “Promaster Thirty fifth Anniversary” watch is $795 USD. Learn more at the Citizen watch website.
Essential Info:
>Model: Citizen
>Mannequin: JV1008-63E Citizen Promaster Land U822 “Promaster Thirty fifth Anniversary”
>Value: $795 USD
>Dimension: 43.9mm large, ~15mm thick, ~51mm lengthy lug-to-lug distance
>When reviewer would personally put on it: When an unpretentious macho watch is so as.
>Good friend we’d advocate it to first: Out of doors or journey watch lover who equally has a penchant for analog-digital watches from Japan.
>Finest attribute of watch: Actual enchancment on previous methods, particularly given using MIP display. A number of options. Ideally suited for many who don’t need (or can’t use) linked watches.
>Worst attribute of watch: Person interface fluency requires consulting with the instruction handbook. Smallish display and textual content not ultimate for poorer eyesight (though the analog dial could be very legible). Questionable want for the analog inside rotating bezel. Weak backlight for the display.
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