Citizen Eco-Drive watches

In 1976, Citizen developed a groundbreaking new technology – the first light-powered watch, which they called Eco-Drive. Its unique feature is that battery changes are no longer necessary, and the watches generate power even in dim light.

What is Citizen Eco Drive?

Eco Drive watches absorb and store light through the dial. This eliminates the need for constant battery changes, saving you considerable running costs. Eco Drive technology generates energy even in dim light—not just sunlight; artificial light sources also provide energy. So you never have to worry about your watch stopping.

Over 6 months dark power reserve

A full charge of the Eco-Drive watch is sufficient to keep it running in the dark for more than 6 months. However, retailers recommend never storing the watch in complete darkness for too long, as this could completely drain the battery.

This means that Citizen Eco-Drive watches have a very long lifespan, some models even up to 10 years.

Energy generation at Citizen Eco-Drive in detail

Citizen has developed two different solar cells for its watches:

1. Standard Solar

This solar cell technology is used in most Citizen watches. The solar cell is located directly beneath the dial, efficiently converting incoming light into energy over a large area.

» Buy Citizen Promaster Sea BN0220-16E men's watch in our shop

2. Ring Solar

Here, a ring-shaped solar cell is wrapped around the dial, converting light into energy. This allows for greater flexibility in the design of the dial, as it doesn't have to be transparent to absorb the light.

Save power with Citizen watches

The watches have a built-in battery warning function. If the battery level is too low, the second hand jumps in 2-second intervals. Once the battery is fully charged, the second hand returns to normal operation.

To save power, the hands of an Eco-Drive watch stop moving when it is placed in the dark. This power-saving mode lasts until the watch is exposed to light again. At this point, all hands return to the current time.

Citizen is continuously developing its technology to further optimize the energy consumption of its watch movements.

Checking the power reserve

Eco-Drive watches (Promaster, radio-controlled watches, etc.) are equipped with a function for checking the charge level – the handling varies depending on the model.

» Buy Citizen Men's Radio-Controlled Watch CB5880-54L Eco-Drive in our shop

How long does it take for the watch to fully charge?

As mentioned, the solar cell beneath the dial stores the energy generated by this cell in the built-in battery. This battery is charged by exposing the dial to direct sunlight or an artificial light source. For optimal performance, the following must be ensured:

• the watch must be placed in a place where the dial is exposed to bright light
• The dial should be exposed to bright light for about 5 to 6 hours every month
• The watch must not be stored in a dark room for a long time (risk of deep discharge)
• The watch should not be charged at excessively high temperatures (60 degrees and above), as this may cause malfunctions
• If the watch is covered frequently or for long periods of time, additional charging may be necessary for continuous operation.

The battery cannot be overcharged because the watch automatically stops charging (overcharge protection function).

The time it takes to fully charge the battery varies and depends on several factors, so Citizen doesn't make a general statement. However, the following values ​​are guidelines:

Source: Citizen®

To fully charge the battery, Citizen recommends exposing the watch to direct sunlight; indoor lighting is not sufficient.

» Citizen ladies' and men's watches at My Fine Jewellery