I purchased this watch just a few days ago, so I won't be able to speak about it's longevity or timekeeping, but I will tell you a bit about the watch which in turn may aid your buying decision. (I am holding back the 5th star until I have some months of use with the watch).First, this is a very solid, somewhat heavy pro diver's watch (but not as heavy as Seiko's classic dive watches, such as the "Orange Monster" #SKX781). This watch was made with scuba and skin divers in mind. But surfers, swimmers, water skiiers and other sports and outdoor enthusiasts would like it too. While it is rated for 300 meter depths, it is not meant for helium dives. Of course, like me, you may not be a diver but still want a sturdy, good looking, solid watch that you can use in wet or dirty conditions, requires a minimum of maintenance, and will take some punishment along the way. While it is too early to say definitively, so far I am impressed with the weight, feel and solid construction.
It is a handsome watch, with alternating grey and black "waves" on the dial, which when viewed in the light, is really gorgeous.The hands and dial are easy to read, and they glow quite well in the dark, especially if exposed directly to a light source just before the lights go out. The date feature is nice, though the window and type size seems a tad small to me. The sides of the one way rotating bezel are highly polished steel, and very good looking. By the way, it's absolutely silent.
The wide rubber strap is comfortable and attractive -- but take note:the band that comes with this watch is extra long -- made to go over a wet suit, or other article of clothing, like a long sleeve cotton pullover shirt, for example(The band is nearly 11 inches, end to end. By comparison, a typical man's dress watch band might be 6.5 to 7.5 inches). You can certainly wear the watch on your bare wrist, but if you have an average size wrist, chances are good you will see the end of the strap facing up at you when it is closed around your wrist. Not a big deal, but non-divers may not like this.
Due to the design of this watch, only the Citizen brand rubber strap that comes with this model will fit the watch.No other brand will fit.So if you do buy this watch, and plan to keep it, do yourself a favor and buy an extra strap or two for future use. Rubber does eventually wear out and break, so eventually you will need a spare.
I am not as enamored (yet) of the Eco-Drive light powered system that needs no batteries, only for the reason that you do need to put some thought into how you will keep the watch charged.For example, to fully charge it you will need to expose it to sunlight for many hours or to incandescent light (bulb) for even more. Now of course you can place it under a lamp (not less than 20" from the lamp to the watch dial) and leave it to charge. Or you can place it near a window* that gets sun for most of the day. But however you do it,you will need to keep this in mind. The good news is that, fully charged, this watch can go up to 6 months -- in the dark -- without an additional charge!And of course, if you are out playing tennis or golf outdoors, or even just out for a walk,it's automatically recharging itself.(If you keep the watch covered with your sleeve however, it is my understanding that you are not recharging)
I will provide updates when I better understand what exactly is needed. One more thing -- the capacitor, or energy storing "battery" in this watch NEVER needs replacement. It is simply a temporary storage device, holding the electrical energy that you direct into it via the light sources mentioned above. Furthermore, you need never open the watch to replace a battery, thus the watch stays factory sealed, providing much better protection from moisture, dust and other foreign contaminants.
I suppose the primary benefit of Eco-Drive is fewer batteries into the landfills (a good thing); on the other hand, putting in a battery every 2 to 4 years was never an inconvenience for me.
Overall, a handsome, eye catching watch that many men would love to own, especially as a weekend watch, a watch to wear if you make a living outdoors, or just knocking around the house on Saturday. This is a "guy" watch, which looks especially great when you're wearing short sleeves.I would not say that it would pair well with a tuxedo, but hey, you could always start a new trend.
Psssst. Ladies, don't tell the guys, but this model is available in a women's size too. You can also get it with an orange band instead of black.
Hope this has been helpful. Feel free to ask questions and I will try to answer.UPDATE (March 8, 2010):I've lived with the watch for several months now, and I have adjusted to the concept of a solar powered watch. There's really nothing to it.Just leave it out on a table or near a window that you know gets good sun. (A couple of times over several months should do it.)The watch does the rest.I am very happy with it and would recommend it highly.
*Don't put it on a car dashboard in the sun. The owners manual warns that this could wreck the watch.
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Product Description:
Perfect for professional divers and avid swimmers alike, the Citizen Men's Eco-Drive Strap Diver Watch is both attractive and highly functional. This super water resistant watch withstands water depths up to 984 feet (300 M), so you can keep track of time on your deep-sea expeditions. Clear visual elements of the watch face include oversized, crisp white dot hour markers, large hour-and-minute hands, and an easy-to-read date window perched at the three o'clock. Continuing on the easily visible theme, the large bezel has a deep black background and a crisp white foreground of Arabic second indexes at 20, 30, 40, and 50 seconds, as well as stick second markers along the first quarter. This solar-powered Eco-Drive watch never needs a battery and remains charged for months at a time, even in the dark. The background of the watch face is a handsome black-and-gray waving pattern that complements the striated shape of the strong black rubber band. Other rugged features include a stainless steel case and bezel, fine mineral dial-window protection, and reliable Japanese-quartz movement. A handy buckle securely fastens the band of this must-have diver's timepiece.
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