Latest Review
May 28, 2025 
A few weeks ago, I set out on a road trip along one of my favorite stretches of the world: the California coast. It was more than just a drive down Highway 1—it was a journey to see the coastline in a new way, through the lenses of two amazing Fujifilm medium format cameras and a special Citizen Promaster that quietly echoed the whole vibe.
Right after the Windup Watch Fair in San Francisco, I (and my BFF) hit the road and headed south down Highway 1, taking in some of the dreamiest towns California has to offer. Monterey, Piedras Blancas, Big Sur, Morro Strand, SLO, Pismo Beach, Solvang, Santa Barbara… It’s wild how the vibe shifts even though you’re basically hugging the same coast the whole time. Like, how is this all the same state? This feels like sorcery somehow.
But before we go full travel diary, let me talk about the gear. Because yes, this trip had a theme: film & time.
Cameras, Film, and a Blue Dial That Hit Just Right
I brought two cameras with me: the Fujifilm GFX 50R for digital, and the Fuji GA645zi for film. Both medium format. Both are kind of chunky, and kind of slow, but super satisfying to shoot with. Think “deliberate” in a good way. The 50R kind of feels like the modern love child of the GA645zi, and shooting them side by side made my photographer’s heart very happy. I also brought two boxes of Fujifilm’s Pro 400 filmstock. Sadly Fuji decided in 2022 to stop making film and these are getting harder to come by but I wanted to stay true to Fuji colors as much as possible and see just how close I could get the digital files to match the film.
Now, the watch. I wore a combo of the new Citizen Promaster Dive E365 and Citizen ATTESA from the new Unite with Blue series. And listen—if you told me this thing was a tiny ocean trapped under sapphire, I’d believe you. The dial uses this wild pigment-free structural color tech from Fujifilm (yes, the same Fujifilm). Instead of paint, it bounces light in layers, like butterfly wings or beetle shells. Trippy, right? With the golden rays I was getting hit with, Eco-Drive was the perfect fit for the trip. For those that may not know, these watches never need a battery change. And while they charge wonderfully under that California sun, they can charge under any light (including the little dusty desk lamp I have at home). This powerful tech, in the case of the diver, can keep the watch running for an entire year on one full charge. Perfect for that nomad traveler lifestyle I kind of yearn for.
This Promaster Diver is not just a looker either. 300m water resistance, Eco-Drive (again…goodbye battery changes), a chunky but surprisingly wearable 46mm case, and a bio-based BENEBiOL polyurethane strap that didn’t feel thick or weird on my 6.5-inch wrist. Oh, and it matched literally every ocean view I came across. A true MVP of this trip. It really made me think of color a lot as I was on this road trip of mine. Seeing so many colors and layers of the oceans, the sealife, the wildlife, the forestry. I love the idea that a camera or a watch can make you see the world a little differently, as cheesy as I know that sounds.
Stop 1: Monterey – AKA “Nature Is Flexing”
Getting to Monterey felt like stepping into a postcard. After some twisty, slightly barfy highway driving out of San Francisco (if you know, you know), we dipped into lush greenery and sparkling clear blue water. I loaded up some Fujifilm Pro 400H and went to town. Portraits, landscapes, random seals doing weird seal stuff. I used the Pro Neg simulation on the GFX 50R to try and match the look—and y’know what? It was so, so close. I’m anxious to hear if you all can tell which shots were on film and which ones were on digital.
On the wrist is the ATTESA Unite with Blue model today. With its Super Titanium™ case and worldtime bezel, I thought it would be a good wear for our first day on the road. We hit the Monterey Bay Aquarium, which is absolutely awesome and not my first time there. And fun fact for my fellow movie nerds—it actually inspired elements of the Marine Life Institute in Pixar’s ‘Finding Dory.’ It’s easy to see why once you’re in there. There’s a massive kelp forest tank that looks like it’s meant for animation. They have a huge jellyfish section of the aquarium and I could’ve spent hours there just nerding out over all the different species. An absolute must is looking at the sea otters, but don’t fret if they aren’t out, you can spot them all around Monterey from the shoreline.
After wandering out of the aquarium, we made a quiet detour to the rocky edge of Point Cabrillo, where harbor seals sunned themselves like seasoned locals in front of the Hopkins Marine Station. You wouldn’t know it from the sleepy shoreline, but this is the oldest marine research lab on the West Coast—founded in 1892 and now part of Stanford’s sprawling scientific legacy.
This stretch of coast is both protected and fragile—a refuge for black oystercatchers, tide pools, and the seals themselves. The station isn’t open to the public, which keeps the area untouched for research and the species that call it home. Still, being safe from humans doesn’t mean being safe from predators. Locals call this part of Monterey Bay “Shark Park,” thanks to the frequent visits from Great Whites who patrol the bay as well as Orcas. It’s truly heartwarming to see the mamma seals teaching their pups to swim here.
We then walked over to Lovers Point and I loved the way light played off the water here. Golden. Dreamy. Made me stare at the Citizen ATTESA on my wrist a little too long. That dial caught light like the ocean surface that afternoon. Looking out at the water, we were surrounded by seals, sea lions, and sea otters. Literally just in our view from the cliffside. I was obsessed.
Stop 2: Elephant Seals & Piedras Blancas – Loud, Weird, and Wonderful
Our first venture on day two was meant to be Big Sur but of course, Highway 1 was closed once again. But that meant that we could go see the elephant seals. So we re-routed down to Cambria. On my wrist the Promaster Dive E365 Unite with Blue today. A big watch for a big day. Before we even made it to the beach, we stopped at the Friends of the Elephant Seal Visitor Center in San Simeon, and I have to say—it was incredibly insightful. It’s a nonprofit that’s all about educating people about elephant seals and the local marine life. The volunteers there are super knowledgeable and clearly passionate. I learned a ton about how these massive-sized seals differ from your average seals and sea lions. Like, I didn’t know they undergo this thing called ‘molt,’ where they shed their entire outer coat and skin in giant patches. Similar to my Corgi/Beagle mix at home for sure.
They even had skeletons showing the size difference between males and females—let’s just say, the males are massive and a little intimidating. They also emphasized how important this rookery is for the elephant seals, especially during molting and birthing seasons. It really added some major background to what we were about to see shortly up the coast.
We left the visitor center and headed up highway one until we landed at the Elephant Seal Vista Point near San Simeon—a straight-up party of molting sea sausages (quite literally). It was spring molt season, which means hundreds of seals just hanging out, shedding skin, yelling at each other, flopping around like overcooked noodles. It was beautiful chaos.
I used both film and digital here, switching back and forth like a caffeinated wildlife doc crew. I was trying not to miss some of these character seals. The GFX’s 100–200mm lens was clutch for tight shots of play-fighting pups and grumpy moms. Even though we weren’t super close, because I was shooting medium format film, I was able to crop in quite a bit even in my film shots for some great portraits of these water elephants. Honestly, I could’ve stayed all day and watched them. For reference, you can watch them at home if you want via their live stream online!
This area was certainly one of the stops on this trip that the Unite with Blue message really hit me. Protecting these wild places matters. The people here care. And I love that Citizen does too—and that this new Citizen Unite with Blue collection isn’t just about looking pretty but making an actual impact. In fact, in the nearly 50 years that Eco-Drive has been around, more than 100 million batteries have been prevented from stacking up in landfills, the equivalent of more than 3,600 Mount Everest summits. Definitely food for thought for the rest of our drive that day.
Stop 3: Big Sur – She’s Beauty and She’s Grace
After dragging my feet to leave the elephant seal viewing vista, we continued up Highway 1 to experience the breathtaking Big Sur. We stopped frequently along the drive as the views were absolutely spectacular. The sky and seas were both the most vibrant blues imaginable. I kept thinking “I’ve got to come camping out here soon.”
One particularly memorable stop was at the Ragged Point Inn gas station. While refueling, I wandered down a small path behind the restrooms and discovered a stellar vista point overlooking a massive cliff-sided beach. We stayed there for quite some time, and I changed film several times in this spot. The light was extraordinary—clear and bright over the water while ominous fog shrouded the eastern mountains, creating a captivating play of light and shadow.
In Big Sur, everything feels sculpted by wind. I found myself slowing down considerably here, taking fewer photographs, but each one felt earned and meaningful. This landscape demanded a more deliberate approach. Looking down at the Promaster Dive—The dial doesn’t just look blue. It reacts like water. Just like the sea, always shifting. It was very cool to see the inspiration for these dials right in front of my eyes.
Stop 4: Morro Strand – Surreal, Moody, and Windy as Heck
Quick Stop: Morro Strand. We decided to stop here before landing in San Luis Obispo for the night. But quickly the clouds rolled in, the wind picked up, and suddenly the whole beach felt like a black-and-white movie. There were surfers doing their thing (absolute warriors), and we lasted just long enough to get a few shots before the chill set in.
Still, the mood? Immaculate. The kind of spot where you start thinking in monochrome even if you’re shooting color. Even in that hazy monochromatic beach, that dial of the new Citizen Promaster Unite with Blue still stood out and brightened my wardrobe, which included my favorite waxed trucker jacket. What’s really cool is the dial’s vibrant, almost liquid, color isn’t from traditional pigment, but, as introduced earlier, from structural color ink developed by Fujifilm, the same tech behind the film I was loading into my camera this whole trip. Instead of relying on dyes, this ink uses microscopic structures to bounce and bend light, creating a blue that shifts and glows depending on the angle—like the ocean, or the curve of a wave just before it breaks. It’s the same science that gives film photography its magic: depth, tone, and color born from light itself. Wearing that watch while shooting coastal California on Fujifilm felt like a quiet kind of harmony. I was so glad I was able to snag some rolls of Fuji’s film stock too as they quietly stopped making film last year.
Stop 5: San Luis Obispo – Oysters & Clear Skies
We booked it to San Luis Obispo for dinner, and like magic, the clouds lifted the moment we hit town. It was almost as if the city was welcoming us with open arms. We grabbed some tasty oysters at Lure Fish House, which was adorable and also very, very delicious. The sunset here? Soft and clean. One of those end-of-day rewards that makes you forget you almost got windburned an hour earlier. We rested well for the night in this quaint little Spanish town.
Stop 6: Pismo Beach – Chill Mornings and Surf Town Vibes
Day three kicked off with breakfast on the Pismo Beach pier. The light here was gentle, waves were calm, and the whole town just felt… cool. Like even at 8 AM, you could feel that it was a surf town with chill vibes.
I caught a few shots of the early risers catching waves while I ate my egg bagel and coffee. No better way to start the day. I loved the big red Pismo sign on the pier. I’m very jealous I don’t get to eat breakfast there every day. I shot mostly digital here as I was starting to preserve some of my film for Santa Barbara.
Stop 7: Solvang – What Is This Place?!
Solvang. Y’all. This town is like Denmark and Disneyland had a baby. And if you’re a movie buff like me, you’ll recognize it instantly—it was a pretty major filming location for the movie ‘Sideways.’ As soon as I rolled in, I had one of those movie déjà vu moments like, wait, I’ve seen this wine bar before… because I had. It was on the TV screen in my mind. We weren’t planning to stop long but I was wrong. We spent HOURS there. Shooting everything. Every building, every window, every flower box. We grabbed a quick lunch at a Danish pub that had a very adorable house-Bassett Hound. I snapped my film as quickly as I could to catch him. He was upset his bartender dad stepped away.
I swapped out the Promaster for the Citizen ATTESA just for a bit. The polished Super Titanium™ case and crisp dial looked right at home in this pastel-perfect little dream world. At just over 40mm, it wore wonderfully on my 6.5-inch wrist. I’ve never owned a Perpetual Calendar too but I feel like the Eco-Drive technology here really takes away all the concerns with the upkeep of a mechanical Perpetual. A kind of set-it-and-forget-it kind of watch, especially since with Atomic Timekeeping functionality, the watch precisely self-adjusts to time or calendar when traveling overseas by receiving local time signals in four different regions. I went back to the Promaster soon enough though. As we hit the coastal highway again, the ocean was calling.
Stop 8: Santa Barbara – Ending on a High Note
Santa Barbara was our final destination and she did not disappoint. We hit Campus Point Beach near UCSB (jealous of the students, not gonna lie), and it was beautiful but also sobering. This is one of my favorite secret spots in SB. Sadly this time though, while wandering the beach and nearby trails, we counted at least eight dead seals washed up along the shore. Locals told us it’s part of a concerning trend tied to a growing toxin in the water—domoic acid. Heal the Bay has suggested that recent California fires might be accelerating this outbreak, though there’s no hard proof linking the two just yet.
Still, standing there and taking in that scene, it was impossible not to think about the role we play. About how even a watch—yeah, a watch—can be part of the solution. The Citizen Unite with Blue Promaster on my wrist, with its recycled materials, structural color dial, and sustainable strap, suddenly felt more like a statement than an accessory. It’s design that cares. And quite frankly I’m starting to care more and more too.
We ended the day by watching the sun dip from the pier at Stearns Wharf. A must if you’re in Santa Barbara for the day. One of my favorite things about Santa Barbara is the sunset and how it plays with water. Gold melting into green. Sailboats bobbing. Palm trees glowing. I think I burned through two rolls of film just on that pier.
I kept staring at my watch—not to check the time, but to watch the dial shift with the light. It looked exactly like the sea in front of me. Layers, depth, color that don’t sit still. I was starting to get anxious already about seeing how the film shots would look. But to take my mind off it, we were off to eat dinner at Arigato Sushi, my fave sushi spot in Santa Barbara for sure. Their torro is to die for.
Shooting Recap – Film, Digital, and All the Feels
This trip re-lit something in me. Shooting film again felt like catching up with an old friend. Slow, sure. And Medium Format with only 16 exposures so even more slow…but that slow forces you to see more.
The digital GFX gave me range and security—especially with wildlife. But the film? That gave me soul. Rolling and hearing that spool of film wind up was music to my ears. Hoping you nailed the shot. It’s romantic…and stressful… and addictive all at once. I loved switching between them. It made me think about light, movement, and intention. And the Promaster? It made me pause and appreciate what I was seeing.
Final Thoughts – More Than a Road Trip
This wasn’t just a drive down the coast. It was a reset. A reminder to slow down. To pay attention. To let color and light and silence lead you to your next shot or move. A nod to the “Sea of Silence” theme of the new Unite with Blue collection.
The Citizen Promaster E365 Unite with Blue didn’t just survive the trip—it helped shape it. The way it played with light reminded me of what both cameras were trying to do in their own way—capture light, bend it, respect it. Shooting film again on the GA645zi brought me back to that intentionality. Every shot counted. Every roll had weight. I hadn’t shot film seriously since 2020, so I knew I was rusty—but that’s part of what made it special.
That’s also why I brought the GFX 50R. I wanted a backup, yes, but also something with range—especially for wildlife. The 100–200mm lens gave me reach, the sensor gave me those creamy details, and the simulations let me get as close as possible to my film vibe without sacrificing flexibility. Both cameras felt like siblings—one older, slower, nostalgic; the other newer, sharper, more adaptable.
It made me appreciate both mediums more. And somehow, it made me appreciate the watch more too. Just like with film photography, the Promaster isn’t about speed. It’s about presence AND patience. It’s a quiet companion that shows up in the details—the shadows in the dial, the way it shifts in the sun, and the fact that it’s designed not to leave a footprint.
Whether I was standing over cliffs in Big Sur, crouching by the seals at Piedras Blancas, or watching the golden light fade off Santa Barbara’s pier, this trip reminded me to slow down. To see—not just shoot. To feel—not just record. That’s what this watch, and these cameras, helped unlock. The dial, the mission, the little details all reminded me that good design doesn’t just look good. It does good.
So yeah, if you’re thinking about shooting film again? Do it. If you’re wondering whether watches can have meaning? They can. This Citizen Unite with Blue collection features five unique models that all feature that Fuji structural color dial with shades of deep blue inspired by the calm, glittering blue sea. These unique dials were made possible thanks to Eco-Drive technology that utilizes light as a form of clean energy to measure the passage of time. Find out more here.
Watch Kat’s Vlog where she chats about some of her favorite photos from the trip below!
