Citizen’s new Promaster Wave Tracker yacht timers pack serious sailing tech

Citizen has been making specialized yacht timers for decades. It all started with the Sporte Windjack, a quirky digital watch launched in 1985 featuring a timer for competitive yachting. Continuing this proud legacy, the Japanese watchmaker is introducing four new Promaster Wave Tracker models that are packed with modern features.

The JV3000-13E is the most eye-catching of the bunch, featuring a vibrant orange urethane strap and a matching bright bezel. The JV3001-53E features a classic steel bracelet alongside a black dial and bezel, while the JV3002-51E has a gold-tone case, bracelet, and a green-and-black bezel. Then there’s the JV3006-50L, which stands out with a deep blue dial and a blue-and-black bezel on steel.

All four timepieces feature rugged 42.4 mm stainless steel cases and a highly legible hybrid layout. The upper half features a crisp, high-definition MIP (Memory in Pixel) digital display at 12 o’clock, letting you view tide graphs, moon-phase data, and more at a glance. The 6 o’clock position houses an analog mode-selection subdial. In addition, there’s a bidirectional rotating bezel and an inner ring that can be used as a sailing-compass tool, helping sailors determine approximate azimuth angles and points of sail relative to wind direction.

Powering the new Promaster Wave Tracker lineup is the Eco-Drive Caliber U812. On the most basic level, this light-powered movement ensures that you won’t have to worry about a battery replacement for years. But it’s the list of essential features for yacht racing that makes these true regatta timers. To that end, you get a specialized RACE mode that automatically launches a stopwatch after the countdown timer ends, a tide graph covering 203 global locations, sunrise and sunset times, moon phases, and a 1/100-second chronograph. The intricate dials also incorporate highly luminous hands and indices protected by anti-reflective sapphire glass, ensuring maximum legibility above and below the waves, backed by robust water resistance of 200 meters.

Pricing & Availability

Pricing starts at $750 / ¥126,500 for the orange-strapped JV3000-13E. The silver JV3001-53E and the blue-dial JV3006-50L will cost $830 / ¥137,500, while the gold JV3002-51E tops the lineup at $930 / ¥154,000. The entire lineup is scheduled to hit shelves in the U.S. and Japan this June.

Specifications

• Movement: Citizen Eco-Drive Caliber U812 (solar-powered)
• Accuracy: ±15 seconds per month
• Power reserve: Approx. 3 years with power-save mode enabled
• Case size: 42.4 mm
• Thickness: 13.9 mm
• Case material: Stainless steel
• Bracelet/strap options: Stainless steel bracelet or orange rubber strap, depending on model
• Crystal: Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
• Water resistance: 200 meters (20 ATM)
• Magnetic resistance: Type 1 magnetic resistance
• Display: High-definition MIP (Memory in Pixel) display
• Bezel: Bidirectional rotating bezel with sailing-compass functionality
• Yacht race timer / regatta timer
• Tide graph for 203 global locations
• Sunrise and sunset display
• Moon phase tracking
• 1/100th-second chronograph (up to 24 hours)
• Perpetual calendar
• World time
• Alarm timer
• Local time and daylight saving time support
• 12/24-hour display switching
• Charge level indicator
• Power-save mode
• LED light
• Dial details: Luminous hands and indices, recycled dial components