Citizen has now gone high-tech with a new line of solar powered wristwatches. These new Eco-Drive watches will never need to have the battery replaced. And they come in a wide variety of styles for both men and women.
My brother first introduced me to these cool watches, and after researching them, I just had to have one! I chose the Solar-Tech 180 TITANIUM, (model AP0410-58H). It happens to be a divers watch, and is water-resistant to 200 meters. This quartz watch has a one-way rotating elapsed-time bezel, a screw-down crown, and date. (Although the only time that I have taken a dive is in a hockey game, I wanted a water-resistant watch.)
The main selling feature of these watches is the solar construction. It’s best described by this diagram that I downloaded from the Citizen web site. (See below)
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Sunlight and any artificial light are absorbed through the crystal and dial. CITIZEN uses special filters which allow a wide range of dial colors and styles. A solar cell beneath the dial converts any form of light into electrical energy to ECO-Drive’s revolutionary lithium-ion rechargeable battery stores enough energy to |
Ok, so much for the canned science lesson, now let’s review the features. The lithium-ion battery will probably run this watch forever. My watch, a Solar-Tech 180 is designed to run on a full charge for 180 days, (or 6 months). It takes 3.5 hours to charge fully, in sunlight; and 1 minute to charge for one day’s worth of power.
Although I’m not fond of bracelet watches, this watch, being mostly titanium is extremely lightweight and very durable. The finish on the band is very comfortable. I also like the safety clasp they selected.
There is a fluorescent coating on the dial face for the tick marks and the hands. The marks are easy to see in the dark as well as in daylight. There are 27 different men’s styles and 9 different women’s styles. Out of those styles, there are 9 men’s/women’s matched sets.
I’m a bit surprised that it has taken this long for someone to develop a solar watch. I guess that the Lithium-ion battery has made it possible for them to run longer, and recharge to full capacity better. The older technology rechargeable batteries, (ni-cad), had kind of a “memory”, they needed to be almost fully drained to recharge fully. These lithium-ion batteries recharge better when not fully drained.
If you like gadgets and also like watches, you have to check out the ECO-Drive watches from Citizen. As for where to purchase it, you can check web sites like www.wristwatch.com for price comparisons, but be sure to go to a reputable watch dealer. You will need to have the band professionally adjusted, most people will not have the tools to do it themselves.
Price: $395 (retail)
Pros:
Never needs a battery replaced.
Titanium case and band is extremely lightweight.
Resists water to 200 meters.
Cons:
Need to have the band professionally adjusted.
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Product Information
| Price: | 395.0 |
| Manufacturer: | Citizen |
| Pros: |
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{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
I need to Citizen Eco-Drive Watch Instructions #U706. Thank you
I just bought a Citizen Eco watch myself. Its a Gold toned / diamond dress watch. The look of the watch is amazing and classy. what sold me on it was the fact that it doesnt need a battery, is lightweight , and very comfortable to wear. I highly recommend these watches because of the variety of watches for men and women.
Hi Julie,
I was trying to figure out how old this watch is, and I see I wrote this review in January of 1999. I still wear this watch every day, and believe it or not, I have never replaced the battery since I bought it! That’s 10 years without a battery change!
Hope you are well.
Don
Hi Don!
Your review still gets viewed and commented on as you can see!
Hi Don.
Your comment DOES still get commented on!
Just came across this. Was looking for possibility of getting new battery for mine. It had stopped, but found watch was only discharged! I bought mine in 1994 !! So the technology was quite old when you bought yours!. Mine has worked continuously up until yesterday. Worn every day – except for the last week – and the second hand was `jumping` when I came to wear it, so I am now fully recharging it to see how it goes. I have a feeling it will last me a good few years yet.
Mine is a full titanium, with original glass.Still looks ALMOST as good as new, and I am sure it is the best watch I will ever buy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Regards,
Mike
I have an identical one, other than gold accents on the bracelet and a gold scheme on the dial and hands. Not the best combination for mixed low-light like in a movie theatre, but I love it. It’s worked flawlessly since 1997 and I’m rough on watches. I’ve surfed, dived (5-10 M) and snorkeled to 40 feet without a leak.
I have two ECO drive watches and the second hand was `jumping` so I took it to a jeweler to replace the battery (I was not aware my watch did not require a battery) the jeweler replaced the capacitor with a battery and now neither watch will keep time. Hope I did not completely ruin these watches .
These batteries are not forever. I need replacement. My wath is 9 years old.
There is considerable difference in electrical source/flow in a standard watch battery and the Li-on sort of capacitor used in these watches. You can look the correct one up, using the Caliber (model) number, and quite likely install it yourself ($18-25 retail). (Only need good light, back opener, appropriate screw driver, tweezers & a little lubricant for the seal.) Since a standard battery may have ruined the circuitry, might consider a new jeweler as they should have known. P.S. I am not a jeweler but have replaced these and Seiko Kinetics without difficulty) As for the ‘jumping’ not sure about Citizen but a Seiko kinetic will do that when nearly run down or the “capacitor” is bad. Hope this helps.
Where is this eco made!
Mack
To those of you have had your Eco Drive watches stop working, did you store it for a long time (weeks/months) in a drawer with no light?
I’ve had my Eco Drive watch since 2001 and so far it still works perfectly. I work from home and don’t wear it out in the sun most days, but it does sit on the hutch above my desk soaking in the light from the ceiling fan.
P.S. If you use a Sonicare electric toothbrush, save the old brush heads to clean & polish the crystal & band. Mine really shines after I spend a few minutes polishing it with whitening toothpaste and the Sonicare. (The toothpaste rinses away with no problem.)
I just purchased myself an Eco Drive watch online and I cannot WAIT to receive it in the mail. Glad to hear the glowing reviews and I hope it’s as beautiful as it looks online!
I have an ecodrive watch puchased mid 2005, it now fails to run unless in brightlight. Watch was sent to Citizen for repair and was quoted $250 for the repair…I think in future I will have the normal battery model
I have almost the exact same model that was reviewed. My watch has the gold tone in the links and has a light gold finish in the face, otherwise its the same watch. I have had mine since around late 1997. Over the years this watch has teken quit a bit of abuse, I definately don’t baby it, and the gold plating is starting to wear off the rotating bazel and band links but the watch still runs like the day I bought it. I have bought 2 other watches since but the titanium construction of this watch is very light weight and the matching band makes the watch the most comfortable I have ever ownede, I still wear this one the most.
hey guys n girls,
if you want to charge your eco if they are not working probably, put it under a lamp for a good couple of hours, make sure it sits pretty close to it. a good lamp like a student desk lamp, not a laundroom one, you want the focus to be on the watch. if this doesnt get it kicking, it will need the capacitor changed, make sure its done probably and not changed with an regular battery, this should cost about $70 and most places have to send it away. if this still does not work then it will be the movement, this is quiet expensive to replace ranging around $300. hope this clears up any unanswered questions. p.s the links are easy. jewelers are there to sell you jewellery most of the time they dont even know how to set your watch, take it to an actual watch place and make sure the person knows what there talkin about ie me. cheers
Interestingly, I just got a new EcoDrive watch. The old one still works great, (and I still have not changed the battery.) But I wanted one with gold tones. My brother, who buys old and unique watches and repairs them, told me he had a Citizen Model BL5182-51P sitting in the sun on his windowsill for the past year, and he said I could have it if I wanted it. This is the watch: http://www.princetonwatches.com/shop/BL5182-51P.asp
It’s an amazing watch, with all sorts of functions. But there are a few things I do not like about it, both related to the band. For one, the gold tone finish on the band is already starting to wear off. (Interestingly, the watch is made in Japan, but the band is made in China.) The other thing about the band I don’t like is that the band tends to pinch the hairs on my wrist a lot. I think it is a design flaw because my other watch has a titanium band, and it is also made in China, but it doesn’t pinch at all.
Anyway, these are great watches!
Don
I have an Eco Drive watch that sat at home for a year while i was gone and now i cant get it to charge. any ideas would be greatly appreciated. thanks
I recently purchased an eco-drive and love it so far. It is bracelet style, which I generally don’t like, but this is so light I hardly notice it when wearing it. I tried on a Bulova that looked almost identical and it felt like a lead weight around my wrist.
Glad to hear from others that their’s has run for 10-12 years.
Thanks
just an info for those who did not know..
guys.. the jumping on the hand is normal for the eco drive.In case no power is generated, an Eco-Drive Thermo movement will save power by moving the second hand in ten second increments until the production of thermo electricity is resumed. so there is no need to go to a watch repair shop… even if you stock it in a box for years… the battery will still keep the time in the background even if the dial is not moving… and when you started wearing it again… the watch will automatically adjust the time.
Had the watch for a year now, so far so good. Only complaint is the bezel is quite loose – turns too easily if it rubs against pretty much anything (like when i stick my hand in my pockets).
have owned a ecodrive for ten years now wr200 ,its certainly a far superier watch compared to my tudor automatic made by the rolex co.no more sevicing cleaning etc. like japanese cars the reliability is hard to beat
Eco-Drives are great watches, and Citizen’s five-year warranty is one of the best in the business. Our company specializes in replacing capacitors and doing movement repairs on out of warranty Eco-Drives. The double clicking (two second intervals) is characteristic of low charge, but is also characteristic of a failing capacitor if the watch has had plenty of time to charge. Our capacitor service starts at $59 and movement replacements at $109 with free shipping. We have repaired many Eco-Drives that have had regular silver oxide batteries installed where the capacitor should have been. If you are not like Don and don’t want to do it yourself, give us a try http://www.stewarttime.com.