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The Best Solar Chronographs
If you’re in the market for a solar powered chronograph, look no further thanthese options.
7. Citizen Avion Eco-Drive
Silver stainless steel watches are great, but they’re also ubiquitous. Even alittle color is jarring to most watch wearers, and that’s really unfortunate.When used tastefully, a little color can do a lot of good, and this is thecase with the Citizen Avion.Check current price on AmazonThis watch features a stunning rose-gold 45mm case contrasted with a rich bluedial – a winning combination. The watch features Eco-Drive, a chronographcomplication and luminous hands. It also features 10 meters of waterresistance and a mineral crystal face.It takes cues from aviation watches with its spacing on the dial and overallpresence. It’s also probably one of the better-looking watches on this list.It features a large legible dial with clear white numerals that make the watcheven more stylish, all for roughly $200.
The Best Solar Watches for Men in 2021
Now that you know how solar watches work and the important factors to keep inmind, you’re ready to check out some watches.As a disclaimer, this list is extremely Citizen, Seiko, and Casio heavy. Infact, this list could be entirely Citizen watches, as the company’s Eco-Drivesolar tech really is the benchmark in the solar watch industry.Seiko Solar and Casio’s Tough Solar are able to stay relevant, but they can’tmatch Citizen’s solar-powered watch selection and technology.
4. Citizen BL5250-02L Titanium Eco-Drive
One of the best Citizen watches is unfortunately discontinued. Long before the‘watch boom’ that resulted from blogs and forums, Citizen quietly released oneof their best watches nearly a decade ago. The BL5250 is a 43mm quartz watchwith a ton of features.Check current price on AmazonThe watch has a titanium case which makes it both lightweight and extremelydurable. It features Eco-Drive technology, a chronograph and an alarmfunction.However, the reason this watch is so well-regarded in the watch community isthat it also offers a perpetual calendar complication at the 4 o’clock crownposition. Citizen packed a lot of great tech into one simple and stylishpackage.The watch has a clean black dial and a tasteful leather band. It retailed forsub-$200 but can now be found under $400 on the secondary market. If you arein love with this model but simply can’t find it, the BL5558-58L is a greatalternative.
Are Citizen Watches Good?
When shopping for watches, we recommend buyers make sure they are getting theabsolute best value for the money. While a lot of watch brands will focuspurely on aesthetic, Citizen sought to combine style with substance.You cannot really talk about how good Citizen watches are without talkingabout Eco-Drive. It is not just a fancy name. It is a game-changing technologythat other brands simply cannot replicate or even compete with.Eco-Drive uses a titanium (read: lightweight) lithium-ion (read: powerful)battery that can be continuously recharged. As a result, some watches can workfor months without being recharged again.Not only is this technology super powerful, but it’s also great for theenvironment. Citizen estimates that the technology may have eliminated thedisposal of over 10 million watch batteries.Source: PexelsAnother great thing about Citizen watches is the fact that, even though theyare one of the world’s largest watchmakers, they are still an ‘under-the-radar’ choice.When people think value, they often mention Seiko. When people think oftactical cool, they often think of Casio. But in the world of watches, peoplerarely think of Citizen.For example, when people think of the best running shoes, they list Brooks,Saucony and Mizuno. They rarely list Nike despite it being one of the largestshoe brands in the world.We love that Citizen is sort of a best-kept secret. While some people writeoff the brand as common or boring, true watch enthusiasts appreciate Citizenfor making some of the best watches on the market.Lastly, Citizen does each watch category really well. From field watches todive watches, Citizen has amazing pieces in each category at affordableprices.
Citizen Promaster Skyhawk A-T JY8078-01L
Citizen’s Skyhawk is another shining example of how well the brand knows theaviation watch market. A bit larger than the Nighthawk, it measures 45.5mmacross, which is pushing it for smaller wrists. But, with that size comes tonsof features.Check current priceThe Skyhawk has a function for almost anything. It has a slide rule, achronograph feature, dual time zones, alarms, a perpetual calendar, and abacklight.It keeps atomic time in 43 different cities, and it features Citizen’sstandard six-month Eco-Drive power reserve. It’s water-resistant up to 200M.Best of all, it features a sapphire crystal.
How Solar Watches Work
When solar watches first came out, they were pretty mystifying. In today’sworld or renewable energy, there’s a bit less secrecy surrounding them. Still,it’s better to understand how they work before deciding if one of thesewatches will work for you.Contrary to popular belief, there isn’t much of a difference between a quartz-powered movement and a solar movement. They both have batteries and quartzcrystals; they just go about their energy supply a little differently.Solar-powered watches have photovoltaic cells behind their dials. These cellstake light energy from the sun or an artificial light source and transform itinto electrical energy.That energy then charges the battery, which powers a quartz crystal, just likea standard battery-powered watch.There are a few differences, though. For one, you’re not supposed to changeyour own battery in a solar-powered watch. The watch should go back to themanufacturer should the battery stop taking charges.Also, the power reserves are very different as a solar watch can last up to 12months, while a standard battery can last for several years.Solar-powered watches also tend to be a bit larger. Their faces and dials arebigger as they need to allow plenty of light through to the photovoltaiccells. Plus, there are a few extra parts in there.”
