Citizen Eco-Drive Promaster Diver 300m Stainless Steel and Titanium (Model No : BJ8044)

I have always been an avid admirer of diver watches and when I chanced upon an associate's Citizen Eco-Drive Promaster Diver 300m aka EcoZilla (so-called Godzilla because of its huge footprint at 51mm), I was quite smitten and offered to buy it from him. However, he declined as he had bought it in Japan and had not seen this watch at the watch shops around KL; so he was hanging on to it. I started searching about this humoungous watch and found out that there were 2 mechanisms :

1) EcoZilla - powered by solar and could hold charge for 6 months at full charge, and available in Stainless Steel and Titanium variants;

2) AutoZilla - powered by automatic movement and available in Titanium variant only.

I went to a couple of shops that I frequented and asked if they could bring in this model for me. As it had to be ordered from Japan and was rather rare, the prices that were quoted was also rather high for Japanese watches at RM2,730 onwards.

I wasn't prepared to pay so high prices so I started scouting online authorised dealers and finally struck a deal with an American reseller looking to clear its last 2 pieces of EcoZilla in Stainless Steel and Titanium. Monies changed hands (so to speak) and thereafter, it was just looking out each day if the courier under insurance would arrive in good nick.

And when they finally arrived, what glorious watches the EcoZilla proved to be. They were huge, that's for sure; and solidly-built and designed. Both looked exactly the same sans for the "Titanium" wording on the bezel and rear case of the Titanium EcoZilla.

Amongst my Japanese watches, these would give a run for the Swiss watches' monies. I prefer the Stainless Steel one for its additional weight; and when another fellow watch collector offered me RM2,800 for the Titanium variant, I decided to let it go and that meant that my Stainless Steel piece was significantly-subsidised.

I wanted to get Suppa adapters to modify the strap to accomodate my favourite Nato straps, but the adapters were hard to track. The adapters with titanium bracelet was available, but were rather expensive and had to be courier from the States again.

So in its original condition it would stay- this behemoth monster, and it truly was a piece that attracted attention.

I have also acquired an Aviation-based watch that I should write about; but it looks like I was still largely-intriqued about Diver-based watches so I shall put that off until I spend more time with the largish Aviation watch. In the meantime, Diver watches rule!