The Citizen Promaster collection of purpose-built tool watches turns 35 this year, and as part of an ongoing year-long anniversary celebration, the Japanese manufacturer has created a completely new featured-packed timepiece. Powered by the brand’s novel Eco-Drive Cal. H864 movement, the Citizen Promaster Geo Trekker is a rugged radio-controlled world timer that makes its debut appearance in two different colorways.
Crafted from stainless steel, the new Citizen Promaster Geo Trekker is available with standard brushed surfaces as the ref. BY3006-53H or with a dark gray finish as the ref. BY3005-56G. Additionally, while the stainless steel ref. BY3006-53H receives a dark gray dial with an entirely monochromatic color profile, the gray-finished ref. BY3005-56G is fitted with a black dial that has small red accents to further embrace its tactical-leaning aesthetic. Aside from their dial colors and finishing, the two new Citizen Promaster Geo Trekker are otherwise identical, and both versions are fitted with matching stainless steel bracelets that have brushed and polished surfaces to complement their cases.
In terms of dimensions, the new Citizen Promaster Geo Trekker watches measure 46mm in diameter by 11.5mm thick, and the cases offer a slightly conical profile to maximize the size of the dial while simultaneously reducing their overall presence on the wrist. Flat sapphire crystals with anti-reflective treatment protect the dials of the watches, and they are sounded by bezels that appear to have aviation scales with markings related to fuel consumption. I’m not going to even pretend to know how to use this type of bezel, although if you are someone who uses a watch to calculate the fuel consumption of your aircraft, you probably don’t need someone like me sitting at a computer and explaining it to you.
Flip the Citizen Promaster Geo Trekker over and you are greeted by a solid stainless steel caseback fitted to the reverse side of the watch. The caseback features an entirely brushed finish, and it is adorned with an engraving that depicts a map of the Northern Hemisphere. On the 3 o’clock side of the case is a signed screw-down crown flanked by a set of pump-style pushers, and water resistance for the Promaster Geo Trekker comes in at a healthy 200 meters, which means that it should be more than capable of withstanding nearly all forms of moisture contact.
Powering the Citizen Promaster Geo Trekker is the all-new Cal. H864 Eco-Drive movement, and the name of this caliber is derived from the number of seconds in a day (24 hours = 86,400 seconds). Similar to other premium Eco-Drive movements, the Caliber H864 can be powered by any light source, and it will run autonomously for 2.5 years when in power save mode. Along with offering radio-controlled timekeeping, the Citizen Cal. H864 features a perpetual calendar and power reserve indicator, plus the addition of world timer functionality, which it displays using a rotating UTC disc decorated with a map of the Northern Hemisphere that resides at the 6 o’clock location on the dial.
The appearance of the Citizen Promaster Geo Trekker’s dial is rather information-heavy with three registers, multiple scales along its perimeter, and a date window at the 4 o’clock location. Sitting opposite the UTC disc at the top of the dial is a multi-function register that doubles as a day display, while a smaller sub-dial at 9 o’clock serves as an AM/PM indicator and tracks the time in a 24-hour format. The font that is used for both the numerals on the UTC disc and the city names located around the periphery of the dial is inspired by the lettering found on world maps and navigation charts from the Age of Discovery, and the hands and hour markers are finished with green-glowing luminous material to increase their visibility in low-light settings.
Citizen is one of only a handful of brands that remains committed to producing thoroughly modern timepieces, and while it still offers a wide range of traditional mechanical watches, models such as the new Promaster Geo Trekker push the boundaries of what is possible with a fully analog display. Priced at $795 USD for the standard stainless steel ref. BY3006-53H or $850 USD for the ref. BY3006-53H with its dark gray finish, the Citizen Promaster Geo Trekker is positioned right in line with what you might expect to pay for an entry-level mechanical GMT, although it offers advanced functionality that can only be rivaled by digital displays and smartwatches. For more information on the Citizen Promaster Geo Trekker, please visit the brand’s website.