Tap the image to enlarge
Citizen NB6044-54L Blue Angels Promaster Air GMT Watch - Limited Edition - W38478
Ref. NB6044-54L
Sits in Citizen’s upper tier here — more premium than three quarters of the Citizen watches we list, which start at £139.
Price range £139 to £1,145 across 96 Citizen watches in stock.The Blue Angels collaboration has long been Citizen's opportunity to push further than its Eco-Drive catalogue typically goes, and this limited run of 1,800 pieces marks a notable departure: it is the first mechanical watch in the line, built around a true GMT movement rather than the solar quartz that dominates Promaster Air. That decision demanded a different calibre, and the 9054 — produced by Citizen's own movement division in Japan — is a proper flyer GMT, meaning the local hour hand advances and retreats in one-hour jumps independently of the GMT hand, without disturbing the running seconds or requiring a stop-set. At 44.5mm with a 12.7mm profile, this is a watch that means to be noticed, but the proportions are honest to what it does: the fixed 24-hour bezel in Blue Angels blue and the yellow slide-rule ring operated by the secondary crown are working tools, not ornament, and the yellow GMT hand against the sunray blue dial reads instantly at a glance regardless of the light. Nothing about the layout is subtle, and nothing is meant to be. The bracelet's three-fold clasp with dual push-button releases and a fold-over safety catch is more security than most wearers will ever need, which is precisely in keeping with a watch built around the habits of naval aviators. The 50-hour power reserve means a weekend off the wrist does not cost a Monday morning reset.
- Reference
- NB6044-54L
- Brand
- Citizen
- Collection
- Promaster
- Case size
- 44.5mm
- Case thickness
- 12.7mm
- Lug width
- 22mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Blue
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Solar
- Calibre
- 9054
- Functions
- GMT, Date, Solar powered
- Water resistance
- 200m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Clasp
- Three-fold clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- F.Hinds
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 50 hours
Learn more about Citizen
The Shokosha Watch Research Institute began in Tokyo in 1918, and the Citizen name was given to its first pocket watch in 1924 by the then mayor of Tokyo, Shinpei Goto, who wanted a watch that would be available to ordinary citizens rather than only the wealthy. The company formally took the name in 1930.
That founding intention has held. Citizen is the largest watch manufacturer in the world by volume and is fully vertically integrated, making its own movements, cases, and electronic components.
Its most significant technology is Eco-Drive, introduced in 1976 and refined over decades. A photovoltaic cell beneath the dial converts any light — including indoor light — into stored energy, so the watch never needs a battery change. Citizen has sold well over a hundred million Eco-Drive watches, and the environmental argument is substantial: hundreds of millions of cells not discarded.
The company also produced the first analogue quartz watch with a titanium case in 1970, the first professional dive watch with an electronic depth sensor, and the Caliber 0100, an Eco-Drive movement accurate to within one second a year — the most accurate independent watch movement ever put into production.
Citizen owns Bulova, Frederique Constant, Alpina, and the movement manufacturer Miyota, whose calibres power a large share of the affordable mechanical watch market worldwide.
- 1918
- The Shokosha Watch Research Institute is founded.
- 1924
- The Citizen name is given to its first pocket watch.
- 1976
- Eco-Drive light-powered technology is introduced.
- 2018
- The Caliber 0100 achieves accuracy of one second a year.
Also in 7 collections
This watch appears in the Citizen Promaster range (11), Back in Stock (4,361), Stainless Steel Watches (2,892), Blue Dial Watches (814), Watches 44mm and Over (785), Sports Watches (708) and Dive Watches (495).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
A watch built to be worn hard and got wet.
Strengths
- 200m water resistance, rated for actual diving
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- Second time zone for travelling
- One of Citizen's more premium watches
Worth knowing
- 44.5mm sits at the larger end
Citizen NB6044-54L Blue Angels Promaster alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | NB6044-54L | GMW-BZ5000BD-1ER | 010-02582-21 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £895 | £619 | £900 |
| Case size | 44.5mm | 43.6mm | 47mm |
| Water resistance | 200m | 200m | 100m |
| Movement | Solar | Solar | Solar |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet | Silicone strap |
| Power reserve | 50 hours | — | — |
| This watch |
|
|
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Yes. At 200m it is rated for swimming, snorkelling and recreational diving.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
No. It charges from light, and the cell behind that is designed to last a decade or more.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedWhat size strap does it take?
22mm. Any strap of that width will fit, and on most modern watches quick-release bars make the swap a two-minute job with no tools.
Cheapest place to buy
F.Hinds is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference, so there is nothing to compare it against today.
More Citizen watches like the NB6044-54L Blue Angels Promaster
In stock, and close on style and price
