CITIZEN PROMASTER
Eco-Drive Aqualand 200m Team KUROSHIO collaboration limited edition model
Solar-powered Eco-Drive (±15 seconds per month), stainless steel case (46.1mm diameter), 200m water resistance, depth gauge, maximum depth display, water detection, sudden ascent warning, 70,000 yen (excluding tax), limited to 1,000 pieces
Over $700 million in prize money! Research teams from 22 countries compete in ocean areas up to 4,000 meters deep
Team KUROSHIO is an eight-party collaborative research team (Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, Kyushu Institute of Technology, National Institute of Maritime, Port and Aviation Technology, Mitsui E&S Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., Nippon Marine Enterprises, Inc., KDDI Research, Inc., and Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.) that is participating in the Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE, a competition to test ultra-wide, high-speed seafloor mapping technology.
In this competition, participants are challenged to create a wide-area 3D map of the seafloor and photograph targets using only an autonomous underwater robot system in waters 4,000 meters deep, without a support vessel. They are required to survey a vast area of more than 250 km² within 24 hours, and then create a bathymetric map and seafloor images of 10 specified locations within 48 hours. 32 teams from 22 countries will compete for accuracy and speed.
This competition spans three years and has three major hurdles, with Team KUROSHIO being the only Japanese team to pass the first hurdle. They also cleared the second hurdle, "Round 1 of Field Tests," which began in November 2017, and are now preparing for the final hurdle, "Round 2 of Field Tests," which will be held this year. The total prize money for this competition is $7 million.
As a prime sponsor, Citizen supports Team KUROSHIO's activities, and as an official supplier (under contract as "Promaster"), it provides diver's watches, including the Eco-Drive Professional Diver 1000m.
This special edition model not only features a dark blue and orange color scheme inspired by Team Kuroshio, but also a collaboration-engraved case back and a limited edition presentation box. The dial features a simple, easy-to-read index design and hand shape for excellent visibility. While meeting ISO and JIS standards, the clean design is also fashionable, making it suitable for both sporty everyday use in town and business settings. The luminous paint used on the hands and indexes is color-coded to indicate the time (green) and the depth (blue), making it easy to distinguish even underwater. Blue was chosen for the depth indicator due to its high visibility underwater.
