Subexplorer
[Moderator - WristScan]
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Citizen Aqualand from 1987 and its new younger brother...
Hello dear friends:
I wish to share some shots of these brothers...
I bought my Citizen Aqualand in 1987, just a couple of years after it was introduced in the market in 1985. Reference is CQ-1012-50 equipped with a quartz movement C020. In those years I didn´t even dream with being a watch collector some day, and just wished to own another diving watch to make company to my Submariner 1680 from 1977.
This watch accompanied me in many scuba dives. It was an advanced watch for the epoch, when diving computers where just making their debut, and this watch not only informed the time, day date, chronograph, depth meter, alarm and even an alarm if the ascending rate after the dive was too fast.
During the years the watch became almost a cult object among old school divers and watch collectors too. The original model is a coveted timepiece among collectors of diving watches.
Around the year 2000 the watch was replaced by a new version, which is very closely following the shape and design of the original, now called Promaster Aqualand JP2000 - 08E with movement C-520.
A few weeks ago I got an example of the new watch and was surprised by the close likeness of both watches, though observing it more closely it differs in some bevels and curves and also in the way its many "complications" are set and changed.
There is a separate set of functions for scuba diving, alarms and a diving log of repetitive dives. Very interesting and a bit complex for an old timer like me not accustomed to work with modern digital watches. The old watch had a caseback closed with several little screws and three batteries inside. The new watch has a screw down caseback and only one battery inside.
In any case it is a pleasure to own both. The modern one comes with the same rubber straps of the old watch . The old one is presently fitted with a set of "sail clloth" nylon straps. The original ones rotted long ago. I changed for original rubber two times till I decided to not fit more of them as they are very very stiff and resisted only a few years.
The new watch has the same very stiff rubber with the some simple diving decompression tables engraved on one strap like the original of my old watch.
I wish you´ll enjoy these shots taken of both watches showing their differences but also will see that the watch is almost the same looks and character, typical of a 1980's style.
Best cordial regards, Abel
The 1987 model
Double wristing both
The new version with its original rubber straps.
Look very similar indeed!
Back side with depth meter sensor
Front side
Case back bevels back
Case back bevels front
Both case backs
Old case back
New caseback
These are the typical rubber straps with dive tables engraved on them…
Citizen Aqualand from 1987 and its new younger brother...
Hello dear friends: I wish to share some shots of these brothers... I bought my Citizen Aqualand in 1987, just a couple of years after it was introduced in the market in 1985. Reference is CQ-1012-50 equipped with a quartz movement C020. In those years I ...
Good memories….
Citizen was the divers choice as a reliable watch. I still have my watch from the 80’s somewhere ! Thank you for sharing this with us.
I absolutely loved this watch …
And remember buying it at Bahrain airport, on route for the Maldives. It never let me down and I clocked up more than 100 dives with it on many trips. It even survived a moray eel attack. Lucky, I had a thick diving glove on at the time. A similar thing h...
Oh My God! That´s a watch with history behind!! I hope you can locate it and take some shots some day to share with us. I have a very special fondness for this watch.
Mine was bought during a trip to a less exotic place and nothing to do with diving: While visiting the famous and beautiful Iguazu Cataracts in the North of my Country. Included in the tour was a crossing of the river to a neighbour Paraguayan town full o...
That is a big post
Interesting to read such a history of a Citizen dive watch. You’ve got a great time with it. The cool thing about the Citizen is it’s form. The depth sensor looks very cool.
Thank you so much dear Weems. I´m happy to know you found this post interesting. A great watch indeed. Agree with you that the sensor looks so cool and it gives the watch such...
... a distinctive shape. I enjoy it so much through the years and it brings me many fond memories. Hagwe! Abel
Hi Abel
Thanks for your post this brought back some memories, I learned to dive in the early 90s and was lucky enough to receive this for my 18th. I believe it was available at the same time as your version, but was analogue. It has depth, max depth and an ascent...
Hello Drek! Thank you so much for sharing your interesting Citizen. I´m glad my post brought you some fond memories. I also feel that your watch was available at approximately same time as my Aqualand...
... and probably is a more advanced design though it displays time analogic and mine in both analogic and digital, and yours also displays similar dive information. How nice to share snorkeling with your young son. One of the biggest pleasures given by sc...
Hi Abel
It is lovely to hear that the scuba tradition has continued within your family. I’m looking forward to seeing how my son develops and if he will go to scuba or to free diving (his current focus being the later which makes be a bit nervous as a parent!). I...
Thank you so much for your kind comments Drek!
Yes, of course you need to look closely his advances in snorkeling and see where he focus his interest. Agree with you that free diving has its risks. I confess that it always put me a bit nervous to take my children UW and even today I feel those butterf...
Thanks Abel
I think you have summed up the key challenge with being a parent, you can try your best to guide them, but ultimately you have to let them free, but it doesn’t stop you worrying about them! Have fun in the water, warm regards D
Ha ha ha!! Thank you dear Tony! Actually all wives of my watch loving…
… friends tell me same words: Abel, you are bad influence! Lol!! Well this is a very affordable watch anyway!! Ha ha ha!! Go for it Tony! It’s a milestone in diving watches history! Have a nice Sunday my dear friend! Abel
I remember when these watches came out.
I believe I looked at one but ended up with a Tag Formula 1. Happy to see yours posted here. The new one might be a fun addition.
Hello RabidManatee! Thank you for your reading and commenting.
The Tag F1 is a nice alternative. The new one is very similar as you can see and its price is very convenient and agree it would be a fun addition to your collection. Cheers Abel
Memory lane
Thanks for sharing, I love them too although I yet have to get one. My motorcycle instructor used to wear one and that was one of my serious cases of watch envy I wish they would release the black and gold again.
A friend from Catalonia with many dives on its "lugs!,
Thanks for remindingme the glorious eighties Abel. Simone ...
My pleasure Simone! Thanks to you for sharing…
… your old faithful diving buddy!! So nice to see your watch showing the little scars it got through many dives. Keep enjoying it so much!! Cordial regards Abel
Not mine but a very close one, actually!!!
I have a couple of friends still diving with these watches. Amazing that they are still selling this model, even in different colours. Enjoy yours
Ahh. Ok. Thank you so much for the calrification dear Simone. Interesting to know there are divers still wearing this watches. Yes, it´s amazing this watch is still being made...
... and sold after so many years. Guess it´s like a cult object now. I´ll keep enjoying mine so much. Have a nice week ahead my friend. Abel
This one is from a pal who...
Used to dive with an old Aqualand until very recently. He was sick of changing the batteries. But still an Aqualand owner is around here, let's see if I can reach him. Simone ...
Thank you so much Simone for sharing this other old workhorse (or should I say old workhippocampus? ;) ) It shows it has been well used in the job it was designed for.
Regarding batteries, this was not a problem with my own Aqualand, but some quartz watches have this tendency to cosume batteries too fast. Guess this indication of some other malfunction in the circuits I feel, though I´m not knowledgeable in this matter....
Citizen aqualand
Awsome article! I have an 85 and 92 gen 1 which I wear on a daily basis id like to share a little unknown feature these watches have a trimmer capacitor!!!! which you can adjust by a screw if your watch is running fast or slow. Ihaveboth mine running now...
