Both the hands and the hour markers have a good coating of lume to make reading in dim lit conditions much easier. Most decent diving watches are expected to come with sufficient lume. A number of subsequent commenters opine that the Citizen wears smaller (even "women's watch" small.) The Seiko has a slightly more octagonal shape, and, as discussed below, a much bigger, protruding crown. Because of that, I would agree that it wears larger. But in my experience, not extremely so.

The first thing I noticed as soon as I ripped up the handbrake and looked out of the car window was that directly across the street from the Air BNB was a dive shop. I looked down at my wrist and felt butterflies in my stomach. My mind was already made up. After a couple of days snorkeling the crystalline waters of Playa Chica I worked up the courage to walk into the dive shop. The people there were a band of incredibly friendly Brits, who immediately let me know all about the PADI discover scuba dive. The almost symbolic price of €50 got you a 30-minute dive, where you would learn how to gear up, equalize, and breathe underwater using a regulator. We agreed upon a time and date and just like that, it was in the books. Caution: I do not know if the EcoDrive diver this bracelet was meant for was distributed in markets other than the US. If so, the model number of the watch and/or the part number of the bracelet may differ from the numbers I’ve used. However, turn off the lights and the NY0040-09W's other personality emerges. When fully charged, the luminous dial and hands glow brightly in the dark reminding me of a small green lantern. It just beams!This Citizen diver may not be the most iconic dive watch out there, but it does have quite an impressive history, as well as the specs to make it a thoroughbred diver. I can freely admit that this watch was never on my radar. As you might have read in my previous article on the Seiko 7002, it was the Seiko SKX line that firmly held my novice watch collector’s attention. However, being a student at the time the price was not one that I could even think about paying. I did know one thing — I wanted a proper automatic dive watch.

But there are problems. I'd prefer the 22mm lug width on the Seiko (the Citizen's included rubber strap is severely notched, and it's easy to see why... 22mm just feels more proportional for this type of watch). And while the Citizen's all-brushed bezel looks really great straight on (on top of the brushed top of its case) it looks quite odd from a side view when looking at its sleek polished sides. I'll have to go for a tie.I don't have a good comparison, since I don't in fact own the 007. But my understanding is that neither will shine for what seems like, or what is, forever (tritium, or a Monster), neither will peter out in 2 hours, so let's call it a draw.

I have had the watch for one week now and my enthusiasm is undiminished. I wanted something different and the 09W definitely meets that criteria. The watch is truly striking without going over the top. Build quality and fit/finish is very good for this price point from a major watch maker. (Note: As I continue to collect watches, my respect deepens for watch makers, especially those that make their own movements, as opposed to "brands" that are merely in the watch business, i.e., outsourcing manufacture, and sometimes even service/support.) All is not perfect, though. The lume on both the dial and hands will last through the night but for someone like me who wears glasses, it becomes almost unusable. After a few hours, the lume between the dial and hands become rather muddled together, making it difficult to read the time in the wee hours unless you have excellent vision, but who does at 4am??? Whether you are looking to dip your toe into the world of mechanical watches and are looking for a solid starting point, or you are in the market for a quality beater, the Citizen Promaster NY0040 definitely holds its own. Despite having flown under the radar for a long time, I think it’s a watch that deserves more recognition and consideration. With a retail price of around €190, it’s a true value proposition. With a military past for added credibility, these Citizens are a perfect care-free companion for any situation you might find yourself in. Both have their pluses and minuses, and your preferences might be different than mine. Because aesthetics are important in this race, I'd buy the Citizen again, if given the choice between it and the 007. But there's room for both in a collection (particularly if you buy a 009 or the SKXA35, with their considerably different aesthetics, or if you're up for modding an 007, which is much easier to do with a plethora of off-the-shelf parts available). But the real win, to me is that the Citizen really contends. Every time we recommend an 007, we really should be also recommending the NY0040. Sure, maybe it's a little hard to find, and maybe it is or will soon be discontinued, but as long as it's around, it's a competitor, and a viable alternative, for folks wanting that inky dial and chrome-lined indices.The Seiko's hands are nothing to write home about (as I said before, I think they're too short), but they're practical, with room for lots of lume, and are nicely legible in daylight and at night. Seiko wins this category.