Watches lovers

[edpalmer42]

Well, the PRI on my Eco-drive (pictured earlier in this thread) is very non-linear.  When it steps from Zone 3 (highest charge) to Zone 2, you're probably at the 50% level and things get even more compressed further down.  But I don't think that detracts from the feature's usefulness at all.  There's no inherent value in having a linear scale for this application.  Just having a 4-step indicator is very useful.

Indeed. It's just not what Seiko intended.

Personally I think a linear indication is much better. I wouldn't want my car's petrol gauge to be seriously non-linear.

I completely agree.  In that application, you need to know how many liters remain in the tank and how many kilometers until the next petrol station.  But for a solar-powered watch, you can 'fill the tank' anytime, anywhere.  All you need it a bright light.  I've read that Citizen did a particularly good job with their Eco-drive system and it's capable of maintaining the charge level with indoor light whereas other brands require sunlight.  That makes it even easier.  A non-linear indicator is more than adequate for such an application.

[SteveThackery]

I've read that Citizen did a particularly good job with their Eco-drive system and it's capable of maintaining the charge level with indoor light whereas other brands require sunlight.  That makes it even easier.  A non-linear indicator is more than adequate for such an application.

It's fine, we can disagree on that. The Citizen energy harvesting is brilliant, we agree on that, though. I'm lukewarm towards Seiko's Kinetic, but perhaps only because I've been stung already.

[Gyro]

Non of my Eco-Drives have ever had a PRI. I know Seiko used to include them in their Kinetics due to their poor charging but I don't see a need on the Citizen. Mine (and my wife's small face one) have never gone into the power saving alternate second advance mode, let alone lost time. This is in the rainy UK where the watch spends half it's time under a shirt cuff in the winter. It seems like a redundant feature, and the button a potential case seal failure point.

If either of our watches is going to be unworn for a long period of time (weeks or more due to wearing a smart watch), they just get left on the window sill, but that almost never happens, I tend to wear mine year round.

[Miti]

What about Seiko spring drive? It is the best of both worlds, good energy harvesting of an automatic, mechanical watch with quartz accuracy. Too expensive for us, los cheapos? I was looking long and hard on Kijiji but without success.

Edit: My search filter is set to under $200

[SteveThackery]

What about Seiko spring drive? It is the best of both worlds, good energy harvesting of an automatic, mechanical watch with quartz accuracy. Too expensive for us, los cheapos? I was looking long and hard on Kijiji but without success.

Glorious, magnificent, and I'm REALLY hoping you'll buy me one.

Edit: My search filter is set to under $200

 . Excellent! If, by any miracle, you do happen to hit a Springdrive for under $200, please let me know.

[Miti]

Edit: My search filter is set to under $200

 . Excellent! If, by any miracle, you do happen to hit a Springdrive for under $200, please let me know.

  It’s not impossible… defective, angry wife…

[SteveThackery]

Non of my Eco-Drives have ever had a PRI. I know Seiko used to include them in their Kinetics due to their poor charging but I don't see a need on the Citizen. Mine (and my wife's small face one) have never gone into the power saving alternate second advance mode, let alone lost time. This is in the rainy UK where the watch spends half it's time under a shirt cuff in the winter. It seems like a redundant feature, and the button a potential case seal failure point.

If either of our watches is going to be unworn for a long period of time (weeks or more due to wearing a smart watch), they just get left on the window sill, but that almost never happens, I tend to wear mine year round.

Also, if you can live with the looks, Casio do a range of "perfect" watches. I'm wearing one now: it is solar powered, radio-controlled, water resistant to 10 bar, shows analogue and digital time plus date, an alarm, and has a six-band radio which means it will sync to the right time automatically in most parts of the populated world. Oh, and it illuminates at night if I press a button. There's some chronograph nonsense in there but I don't understand that stuff anyway.  As with @Gyro's Eco-Drives, my Casio never get any special consideration to keep them charged up - mine is on my wrist or on my bedside table.

Apart from the looks (which I appreciate are a matter of taste) these watches really are superb. And *very* competitively priced). If they would only do them as dress watches they'd be getting even more of my money.

[Miti]

Non of my Eco-Drives have ever had a PRI. I know Seiko used to include them in their Kinetics due to their poor charging but I don't see a need on the Citizen. Mine (and my wife's small face one) have never gone into the power saving alternate second advance mode, let alone lost time. This is in the rainy UK where the watch spends half it's time under a shirt cuff in the winter. It seems like a redundant feature, and the button a potential case seal failure point.

If either of our watches is going to be unworn for a long period of time (weeks or more due to wearing a smart watch), they just get left on the window sill, but that almost never happens, I tend to wear mine year round.

Also, if you can live with the looks, Casio do a range of "perfect" watches. I'm wearing one now: it is solar powered, radio-controlled, water resistant to 10 bar, shows analogue and digital time plus date, an alarm, and has a six-band radio which means it will sync to the right time automatically in most parts of the populated world. Oh, and it illuminates at night if I press a button. There's some chronograph nonsense in there but I don't understand that stuff anyway.  As with @Gyro's Eco-Drives, my Casio never get any special consideration to keep them charged up - mine is on my wrist or on my bedside table.

Apart from the looks (which I appreciate are a matter of taste) these watches really are superb. And *very* competitively priced). If they would only do them as dress watches they'd be getting even more of my money.

Picture, please!

[SteveThackery]

Here we go...

[SteveThackery]

They do a model similar to this for less money, without that dial on the left and a simpler LCD. I actually prefer it but I've lent it to a mate.

[themadhippy]

it is solar powered, radio-controlled, water resistant to 10 bar, shows analogue and digital time plus date, an alarm, and has a six-band radio

Do the hands  automatically adjust or is it only the digital diplay?

[Miti]

Here we go...

That’s a good looking watch!

[SteveThackery]

Scratched, but you can see what I mean.

[edpalmer42]

FYI, I'm assuming that the crystal on your Casio is mineral glass, but if you happen to have a scratched Acrylic crystal don't buy a tiny tube of Polywatch.  Instead, go to your favorite auto supply store and buy a big bottle of Meguiar's PlastX for a similar price.  A few minutes with a soft cloth is all it takes to remove small scratches.  Using it on larger scratches will soften the edges of the scratch and make it less noticeable.

[Miti]

Scratched, but you can see what I mean.

You won't believe it but look what's for sale on Kijiji for $100. I don't really like brown but I've asked the seller if the price is negotiable. Damn, Steve...

[themadhippy]

.  Instead, go to your favorite auto supply store and buy a big bottle of Meguiar's PlastX for a similar price

or wander into the bathroom and grab the toothpaste

[SteveThackery]

Thanks, @edpalmer42, but just to say I've been a watch repairer for 45 years, and I've polished a few crystals in my time!😃

[SteveThackery]

Hey, buddy. I can't remember how much mine cost, but it has a very dark grey colour to the dial - like graphite, maybe.  It is finely machined to give a subtle starburst effect if you move it around in the light.

What spoils both of them for me is the chapter ring.  I'm wondering if I can machine off the digits.....

[SteveThackery]

it is solar powered, radio-controlled, water resistant to 10 bar, shows analogue and digital time plus date, an alarm, and has a six-band radio

Do the hands  automatically adjust or is it only the digital diplay?

Hands adjust as well.

Just to be clear, the watch knows roughly in the world where it is because of which radio receiver the time signal is coming in on, but various cities choose to have their own offset (almost always in full hours) so you do need to tell the watch which city (or equivalent offset) you are in.  At that point the hands and digits move to local time. You can tell it in advance, I think.

The only technically feasible way to improve upon this system is to incorporate a GPS receiver, which is more demanding on power, but can give you local time anywhere on the globe. Maybe next year's model? 

[EEVblog]

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