Citizen solar watch

This one recently died at 24 years of age.

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I applaud anyone who wears any watch these days! Eco Drive is nice technology, I gave one of my old Citizen Corsa ED to my FIL and 2 years ago when it was 13 years old, I had to put in a new capacitor. The replacement of the capacitor was easy-peasy, not really anything more than a normal battery change.
On my second Apple Watch, V7. Functionality is awesome. For example, there’s a Hockey Tracker app that will show me average speed, peak speed, and heart rate, per shift. Ditto ski tracking, hiking, running, etc.

The only thing I don’t like about it is battery life, which is only about 18 hours of active use. Battery health is down to 84% and a battery replacement is now $100.

Debating whether to get an Ultra 2 - roughly double the battery life - or the much less expensive Series 10. The Garmins seem to have equal or better functionality and much longer battery life, but the user interface must have been designed by Germans.

Meanwhile, as an off day watch I’m using a Timex Expedition Scout ($42), a quartz watch accurate to a couple seconds a day over the week I’ve had it. My old Seiko isn’t luminous anymore. Debating about sending it in.

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On my second Apple Watch, V7. Functionality is awesome. For example, there’s a Hockey Tracker app that will show me average speed, peak speed, and heart rate, per shift. Ditto ski tracking, hiking, running, etc.

The only thing I don’t like about it is battery life, which is only about 18 hours of active use. Battery health is down to 84% and a battery replacement is now $100.

Debating whether to get an Ultra 2 - roughly double the battery life - or the much less expensive Series 10. The Garmins seem to have equal or better functionality and much longer battery life, but the user interface must have been designed by Germans.

Meanwhile, as an off day watch I’m using a Timex Expedition Scout ($42), a quartz watch accurate to a couple seconds a day over the week I’ve had it. My old Seiko isn’t luminous anymore. Debating about sending it in.

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You might want to check out Casio G-Shock solar powered watches.
https://www.casio.com/us/watches/gshock/product.DW-H5600MB-1A4/
 
On my second Apple Watch, V7. Functionality is awesome. For example, there’s a Hockey Tracker app that will show me average speed, peak speed, and heart rate, per shift. Ditto ski tracking, hiking, running, etc.

The only thing I don’t like about it is battery life, which is only about 18 hours of active use. Battery health is down to 84% and a battery replacement is now $100.

Debating whether to get an Ultra 2 - roughly double the battery life - or the much less expensive Series 10. The Garmins seem to have equal or better functionality and much longer battery life, but the user interface must have been designed by Germans.

The U2 is good at many things, including the battery life, though other fitness watches still rule in that respect.

The size of its screen was another, but now that the S10 has grown larger, that gap has shrunk, though it still lacks the Modular Ultra face, which packs a lot of info. And I've found I prefer the perfectly flat screen over the radiused shape of the others, which distorts the edges of the screen from oblique angles. That's a feature on some old style watches due to the shape of their crystals, but with an electronic watch I feel it's more of a bug.

But, the U2 is a watch that demands purpose and commitment to wear, being larger, heavier, and thicker; you notice its presence. It's titanium, but not a lightweight. And with a 49mm L2L, which grows ever larger with the lug adapters needed to fit standard straps, it's not ideal for a lot of wrist sizes.

Perhaps because I jumped straight from an S3, it sometimes feels like a burden, so I don't wear it constantly. If I had to do it over, I'd probably opt for the S10, which fits better with the way I wear them. With an active lifestyle, a U2 would be more worthwhile.
 
Citizen comes up on American Express Offers sometimes around the holidays. usually like Spend $500 get $200 back or something.

I would just wait for one of those to pop up. They seem to happen almost every year.
 
The U2 is good at many things, including the battery life, though other fitness watches still rule in that respect.

The size of its screen was another, but now that the S10 has grown larger, that gap has shrunk, though it still lacks the Modular Ultra face, which packs a lot of info. And I've found I prefer the perfectly flat screen over the radiused shape of the others, which distorts the edges of the screen from oblique angles. That's a feature on some old style watches due to the shape of their crystals, but with an electronic watch I feel it's more of a bug.

But, the U2 is a watch that demands purpose and commitment to wear, being larger, heavier, and thicker; you notice its presence. It's titanium, but not a lightweight. And with a 49mm L2L, which grows ever larger with the lug adapters needed to fit standard straps, it's not ideal for a lot of wrist sizes.

Perhaps because I jumped straight from an S3, it sometimes feels like a burden, so I don't wear it constantly. If I had to do it over, I'd probably opt for the S10, which fits better with the way I wear them. With an active lifestyle, a U2 would be more worthwhile.
As the 7 still has all the features I need, at this point probably going to keep it and get a new battery installed. Apparently that’s now. $99 up from $79.
 
As the 7 still has all the features I need, at this point probably going to keep it and get a new battery installed. Apparently that’s now. $99 up from $79.

The AW is one of those products, like iPads, that they don't individually repair. The fee basically pays for an exchange for a refurbished unit.

But, they're a stickler about the <80% battery health qualification, and will refuse service otherwise.
 
I have a Casio Solar watch I bought years ago and it still works great.
So does mine. I put a screen protector on it meant for smart watches. Mostly what happens is people bang up and chip the crystal and it makes the watch look bad. Those batteries can last 25 years before you need to replace it.

This one is nicer than the two F-91Ws that came before it. I bought one of them at Hills Department Store in 1991 and wore it all the time and even took showers wearing it sometimes and it didn't give out until 2008. Which wasn't bad for a watch that cost me about $4. It was a $10 watch by the time I needed another one I think, and now they're up to like $18.

I have a Pro-Trek now.
 
Meanwhile, as an off day watch I’m using a Timex Expedition Scout ($42), a quartz watch accurate to a couple seconds a day over the week I’ve had it.
I have a couple of 20 year old $25 Timex Expedition watches. I’ve changed a couple of bands and batteries over the years and the Timex motto is spot on!
 
I made my decision and ordered this Citizen Eco-Drive. It's similar to my old watch. I don't think that I really need a WR200 watch. This one is WR100.
https://www.jomashop.com/citizen-pe...co-drive-blue-dial-mens-watch-cb0270-87l.html
I open the link and my brain looks at the cities around the bezel for odd reason. We use SAP software at work, many transaction screens show on GMT which like that dial is currently -5 hours. That will change to -4 hours March 9, 2025. What would I do with the watch? :eek: :ROFLMAO: .

My son sent my Seiko Kinetic to be fixed, they said parts no longer available and are sending it back. They first quoted $212 to repair it, he said OK. Then they the called and sorry, can't do it. :cry:
 
I open the link and my brain looks at the cities around the bezel for odd reason. We use SAP software at work, many transaction screens show on GMT which like that dial is currently -5 hours. That will change to -4 hours March 9, 2025. What would I do with the watch? :eek: :ROFLMAO: .

My son sent my Seiko Kinetic to be fixed, they said parts no longer available and are sending it back. They first quoted $212 to repair it, he said OK. Then they the called and sorry, can't do it. :cry:
I don't really worry about the GMT or DST.

I didn't think it would be beneficial to send in a 24 year old watch for repair.
I had a Seiko Kinetic before the Citizen. It was around 7 years old when it quit. I also didn't send it in for repair.
I figured there wouldn't be any parts available to repair it. If there happened to be parts available, the repair and shipping cost would come close to the price of a new watch.
 
I don't really worry about the GMT or DST.

I didn't think it would be beneficial to send in a 24 year old watch for repair.
I had a Seiko Kinetic before the Citizen. It was around 7 years old when it quit. I also didn't send it in for repair.
I figured there wouldn't be any parts available to repair it. If there happened to be parts available, the repair and shipping cost would come close to the price of a new watch.
That was what I told my son but he liked it and wanted to fix it. They didn’t charge him since they couldn’t fix it.
 
After looking at various models and talking to the guy at REI, bought the Garmin Fenix 8 Amoled Sapphire. Had a bunch of credits with the coop so it was just over half price.

The guy’s original suggestion was one of the running models, but skiing, hiking and sailing made the Fenix a better choice. Should have learned most of the features by Memorial Day…..

https://www.rei.com/product/245469/garmin-fenix-8-amoled-sapphire
 
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