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For many people, it feels like things that their parents took for granted are becoming out of reach. Whether it’s buying a home amidst record housing costs or just taking a short vacation under the threat of soaring jet fuel prices, so many things are beginning to feel unattainable. Surprisingly, the opposite seems to be true lately of shopping for luxury watches. In fact, it may be easier now to get a luxury timepiece than at any time in history.
In part, that’s thanks to competition from the Japanese market. Once the sole purview of Swiss watchmakers, luxury watches are now available from some of the most respected Japanese brands, and they’re on par with comparable Swiss watchmakers. Some of the Japanese innovations in timekeeping even exceed what’s currently being done by the Swiss. Case in point, Citizen sells watches with one of the most innovative movement designs in history, and you can get your hands on one for a very reasonable price.
Mechanical vs. quartz watches
Before buying a luxury watch, it’s important to understand the differences between the two main types of internal movements. There are mechanical watches and quartz watches. Mechanical movements are powered by a mainspring. The mainspring is either hand-wound manually by spinning the crown, or it can be wound with the use of a rotor that spins throughout the day through the motion of your wrist. This is called an automatic mechanical watch. This is the traditional style of timepiece sold by luxury Swiss brands for their craftsmanship and attention to detail.
Quartz watches, on the other hand, tend to be more affordable but more technologically advanced. These watches utilize a battery to power the hands. An electronic signal passes through a small quartz crystal, which regulates the signal and results in the seconds hand clicking over once every second. One benefit that most quartz watches have over mechanical watches is that they’re more accurate overall. The quartz watch was invented in Japan, so as you might imagine, they’ve improved it quite a bit over the years. This brings us to the Citizen Eco-Drive line of watches.
What is an Eco-Drive movement?
Citizen’s Eco-Drive watches occupy a unique space in the world of watchmaking. While they are in fact quartz-regulated timepieces, they’re anything but your typical affordable quartz watch. Eco-Drive is a proprietary technology that was developed by Citizen in-house. In essence, these watches are fully solar-powered. They have small solar panels embedded underneath the dial, making them completely invisible to the naked eye.
The panels collect energy from the sun that is then utilized to power the handset, after passing through the aforementioned quartz regulating crystal. This technology comes with a few main benefits. For starters, it’s highly accurate, just like its other quartz counterparts. However, unlike most other quartz watches, you won’t need to change its battery every couple of years. Eco-Drive watches have a rechargeable internal battery that holds the charge from the solar panels. However, because it’s constantly recharging, the battery is intended to last for the life of the watch. That’s a major improvement over most standard quartz watches.
Citizen Weekender Eco-Drive Watch
Citizen Zenshin Eco-Drive Watch
Citizen Blue Dial Eco-Drive Watch
Citizen Brycen Eco-Drive Chronograph
Citizen Eco-Drive watches
Now that you understand exactly what an Eco-Drive movement is and how it works, we recommend you consider looking at a few of Citizen’s most popular watches to see which one may be right for you. The beauty of a heritage brand like Citizen is that they’ve perfected so many different looks and styles that there’s something for everyone’s tastes and a watch for every occasion. From ultra-dressy models to rugged sports pieces, Citizen Eco-Drive watches can be with you through every step of the way, no matter how formal or casual an event may be.
More quartz watches
If you don’t see anything that tickles your fancy in the Citizen Eco-Drive realm, there are still plenty of other quartz watches from which to choose. Many brands have quartz offerings to fit every budget and trim level. You can even find some from high-end luxury Swiss brands now and then, so don’t limit yourself to just Japanese brands like Citizen, Seiko, and Casio. Find what you like and take the leap.
Casio Vintage-Style Digital Watch
Timex Expedition Quartz Watch
George Silver Tone Quartz Watch
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