Citizen BN0151-09L Eco-Drive Promaster Review & Complete Guide

Citizen BN0151-09L Eco-Drive Promaster Review & Complete Guide

If you are looking for an affordable and beautifully designed dive watch that is accurate and robust, the Citizen BN0151-09L Eco-Drive is definitely a watch to consider.

In the price range of about 200 USD, there is a wide selection of dive watches. But not all watches are created equal. In this price range, three of the most popular brands are Casio, Seiko, and of course Citizen.

When you think of a dive watch, you probably think of something along the lines of the Rolex Submariner. This watch has set the standard for a dive watch and defined how one should look. With that said, many dive watches tend to seek inspiration from the Rolex Submariner in its design language. Now, there is nothing negative about this per se. It’s a beautiful design that has proven to be truly timeless. But the issue is that things can easily get boring when all watches look the same.

This watch is available in two colors. The blue with reference number BN0151-09L and the black version with reference number BN0150-28E.

That issue, you won’t have with the Citizen BN0151-09L, however. If you are looking for an original dive watch that has its own unique design, the Citizen BN0151-09L Review is the answer to your needs.

Citizen BN0151-09L Review

The Citizen BN0151-09L can instantly be recognized as a sporty dive watch, but this is not because it looks like a Submariner. In fact, it has a unique design, but it offers everything you may need in a dive watch, and it offers this at a very attractive price. It has great water resistance, has large applied markers and hands, a generous amount of luminous material, and a unidirectional rotating bezel.

This watch is part of the Promaster Series from Casio which originally launched in 1989. If you have had a look at some of the original watches from this series, you can see that many design elements from the originals have been used as inspiration for this modern iteration. Promaster watches from Citizen have been popular choices among professionals, and with that said, it is built to last. Oh, and it has some very interesting technology, too, but more on that later.

In this article, we are reviewing and looking closer at the Citizen Eco-Drive BN0151-09L.

Citizen BN0151-09L case

The Citizen BN0151-09L has a robust and sporty stainless steel case with a diameter of 44mm. Including the crown, the diameter is 48mm. The case design is quite simple with short lugs and a satin finish both on the upper side and the side of the case. Unlike many other watches, it does not have polished sides, but considering its sporty look, satin-brushed sides are appropriate. The watch has a lug-to-lug 

Sitting on top of the case is a bezel with large knurled edges on some parts around it. Casio chose not to do knurled edges around the whole bezel, but those that exist help you get a good grip when operating it. The watch has a blue aluminum bezel insert with silver markers. In some lights, this bezel insert looks black, and in others a brighter blue. At 12 o’clock, it has a lume pip so you can read it in the dark.

Positioned at 4 o’clock, we find the screw-down crown. This is protected by small crown guards. Due to the small crown guards, the crown is not fully protected, so this could potentially put the crown at risk. At the same time, The 4 o’clock position means that it does not sit as exposed as a crown at 3 o’clock. The small crown guards also help make the case less bulky, and the shape of the case remains round.

The case has a thickness of 12mm and a lug width of 20mm. With all of the case’s dimensions in mind, it is a large watch, but it is not huge. The good thing is that because the lugs are relatively short, they rarely point out from the wrist unless you have very small wrists, which is the primary reason why certain watches look too big on people.

The watch offers a water resistance of 200M which is enough for diving, swimming, and doing all sorts of water activities. It is also ISO-certified.

Citizen BN0151-09L Movement

The BN0151-09L is powered by the Citizen quartz caliber E168. This movement features Citizen’s Eco-Drive technology which means the energy is generated by light, such as sunlight and ambient light, and never needs a new battery. Apart from increasing its life length and extinguishing the need for a battery replacement every other year or so, it also ensures that the water resistance is not compromised as it keeps you from having the case back opened. Plus, it is also good for the environment.

This technology lets light in via the dial, which then charges the movement with energy. The movement offers an accuracy of +- 15 seconds per month and operates with a 32,768Hz oscillator It has a power reserve of 6 months.

Dial

Moving on to the dial of this watch, we find that the dial has everything you need in a dive watch. The dial is slightly matte and dark blue which prevents reflection but also helps add some texture. The watch has applied metal markers, with triangle-shaped markers at 3, 6, 9, and 12, and circular markers for the rest of the hours. The markers have a generous amount of luminous material applied to them which provides a strong and bright glow in the dark.  The hands are broad and easy to read. To help distinguish them, the minute hand has been painted orange. This creates a nice contrast against the otherwise blue watch and is the only additional color used. The hand has an arrow tip.

The hour hand is wide but short, has an arrow tip, and is made of polished metal.

At 4 o’clock, we have the date window, which has a white background and the dates printed in black. A common complaint is that date windows ruin the symmetry of the watch, and whilst this is a compromise that has to be done for an additional (and useful) function, it is relatively discreet and well-integrated.

Around the outer edge of the dial, the watch has a chapter ring on which the second markers are printed in white.

Overall, the dial is really beautiful and well-made.

Citizen BN0151-09L Bracelet

The watch is presented on a dark blue polyurethane strap and not a bracelet. Similar to rubber or silicone, it is very soft and suitable for a dive watch. The strap looks great on this watch and definitely adds to its dive-watch look.

The lug width of 20mm is standard in the watch industry, which means you have a wide selection of different straps to choose from shall you wish to change.

The choice of putting this on a polyurethane strap was a good decision by Citizen. This is because, for affordable watches, the bracelet is often the part of the watch that is compromised with the most. This means things like hollow end links and a rattly feel. But opting for a polyurethane strap keeps this watch from that and gives an overall better first impression of the quality.

The strap is comfortable to wear and has ”folds” that exist for diving when the pressure increases.

Specifications

• Diameter: 44mm
• Movement: Citizen Eco-Drive quartz movement (Solar-powered)
• Water resistance: 200M/330 feet/2ATM
• Thickness: 12mm
• Lug Width: 20mm
• Crystal: Mineral with anti-reflective coating
• Power reserve: 6 months
• Frequency: 32,768Hz oscillator
• Accuracy: +- 15 seconds per month

Conclusion

To conclude this article, the Citizen BN0151-09L Eco-Drive Promaster is a dive watch that offers great value for money. It has a unique design, has a nice finish, is built to last, and is extremely tough and durable. The watch is also equipped with some interesting technology that relates to the solar-powered Eco-Drive movement.

If you are looking for high quality and original dive watch that offers great value for money at an affordable price, the Citizen BN0151-09L Eco-Drive Promaster is definitely a watch you won’t be disappointed with.

The Citizen BN0151-09L Eco-Drive Promaster is available to order on Amazon.