I upgraded to the eco-drive from a watch that recharged by wrist motion. So far I’m a lot happier with the eco-drive. It holds a charge a lot longer, so it’s not a problem to leave it unworn for a day or two. I didn’t like the green military style band on this one, but it was easy to swap for a leather 20mm band. The stock band was a tad small for my wrist. I would expect a lot of men would need to swap it. The numbers look big in the picture, and they’re big on the watch. I like the big numbers, others might not.
May 2008 Update:
I still like this watch as much as the day it arrived! It works perfectly, never runs out of battery and looks good. For those of you who haven’t paid for a decent watch, you might not realize you’re missing out on a good quality glass / crystal face. Mine still is scratch free. The watch looks pretty much brand new, even though I wear it every day.
This is my 2nd Eco-Drive Watch. Eco-Drive is by far my favorite watch brand. My other Eco-Drive is a moon-phase Calibre that I wear to work everyday. I wanted another watch that was less dressy, and was happy when I found this watch at a low price. However, this watch looks very nice, despite its price. Some reviewers don’t like the watchband. I agree that a leather band would make it look more expensive, but this is a military watch and the band is quite appropriate. Although the description calls this a canvas strap, the inside is coated so that it does not absorb sweat. Also, I have small wrists and Eco-Drives are the only watches that I can wear without modifying the strap. It’s VERY easy to set. It is more like a traditional watch; you only need to adjust the main crown. The other two buttons north and south of the crown control the chronograph. Seconds tick by on this watch on the small dial located just above the “6″ on the watch face. The large second hand that you normally associate with the sweep second hand is part of the chronograph. By the way, the chronograph is EXTREMELY easy to operate. One of my favorite features of this watch are the extremely large, easy-to-read numbers on the dial. Only downside is that the three small dials on the face are smaller and more difficult to read, but I think that is an unavoidable consequence of the design. Overall, this is a great watch!!
If you, like me, are considering this watch because it is simple, has a rugged appearance to it, happens to be a Citizen Eco-Drive model, and is reasonably priced, then you may want to know the following.
Pros: This watch is easy to set up and holds time well. It can be dragged across brick surfaces and airplane exteriors without blemishing. It can be taken in the shower and swimming pool without leaking, and the watch band dries before getting a chance to leave wet spots on your trousers while you drive to work. The fit is comfortable and the watch is not heavy or bulky. The chronograph is incredibly easy to use after looking at the instructions once. The hour and minute hands have a nice, subtle glow sufficient for telling time in dark places.
Cons: The chronograph maxes out at 60 minutes and then turns off. And I once turned it off accidentally when the back of my hand pushed against the watch. So be careful if you’re timing anything serious–like a ninja mission.
Notes on fit: I’m 5’9″, 170 pounds, and a fitness nut. This watch JUST fits my wrist. So as other reviewers have said, if your wrists have a little padding, plan on replacing the watch band–which is an industry-standard size and easy to replace.
Notes on the Eco-Drive battery life: I have done nothing beyond my normal routine to keep this watch exposed to light. I don’t avoid wearing long-sleeved shirts or hold my arm out the window while driving home. And so far I have had no issues with the charge. From the time I took this watch out of the box, it has just kept on telling time and taking abuse.
Great value for the money.
- Light powered eco-drive Japanese-quartz movement; charges in natural sunlight or indoor light
- Durable military green nylon strap
- Date calendar feature
- Luminous hands and hour/minute markers; compact brushed stainless steel case with polished bezel
- Water-resistant to 330 feet (100 M)
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citizen of the world
Keep time with military precision while adding a unique edge to your wardrobe with the Citizen Eco-Drive Men’s Chronograph Canvas Watch. Featuring the clean look and the rugged dependability of a stainless steel case and bezel, this timepiece relies on the unique Citizen Eco-Drive movement system, so you never need to replace its battery. Eco-Drive is an advanced, technical system that uses a thin solar panel under the dial to convert light energy from any source into electrical energy used to r See more>>>
