Citizen Eco-Drive - Cool or Pleb?

[LaraOnline]

Hi guys,
I unfortunately bumped an oldish thread (sorry 'bout that), because I am desperate to know:
Are Citizen Eco-Drive cool or pleb?

In my ignorance, I'm feeling the technology is too good to be unacknowledged...
but maybe the company is 'too successful' - too prolific - to ever be 'cool'.

Have I sold my man up the river by buying him a titanium Eco-Drive watch??

 

[LaraOnline]

No-one wants to weigh in lol.
I guess the heading WAS a bit cheeky...deliberately so, to stir comment

For my part, I find the quality, reliability, technology of Citizen impossible to overlook.
I LOVE my own Citizen eco-drive, bought for me early in my marriage as a Christmas gift from my husband!
We walked into the jewellers at 3.30pm on Christmas Eve - and there she was, waiting for me.
I love LOVE this watch, she has never missed a single beat, looks near new despite daily wear no servicing and I feel I am a Citizen eco-drive customer for life.

But hard core watch fans seem rarely even to mention the brand.
Is it JUST the lower price point?
Or is there something in their construction that is 'missing' for a true watch aficionado?

 

[VapidLapid]

I have one with titanium band. I think it is pretty great. The band broke so I dont use it. If I get that fixed I will go back to it. I liked it a lot. A friend of mine has one too and loves it.

 

[Asscherhalo_lover]

My DH has had one that we bought on our honeymoon for almost seven years. It's his daily wear for work. He loves it and it's held up to daily wear beautifully.

 

[Snowdrop13]

Don't know if they're cool or not but I bought one for my husband about 3 years ago. He had a poor track record with "normal" watches- I'd find them lying around with dead batteries and broken leather straps. His titanium version has stood the test of time and stills looks in good shape. Might get one myself, eventually- do they do them with diamonds??

 

[manderz]

When I wear a watch, that's what I wear (read: once a month or so). I'm not terribly worried if people view me as "cool" or whatever, I'm more than happy to pave my own way.

 

[cflutist]

While my main watch now is a 18K Rolex, I also LOVE my Eco-Drive !!!

I embrace technology (retired software engineer and VP Information Technology) and think it is so cool to have a watch that never needs winding, nor having its batteries changed, nor sometimes stops because I haven't moved my wrist around enough.

I still have an old 14K Baume Mercier and it used to cost me $20 every time it needed its battery changed. I said forget that, and bought the Eco-Drive instead. It keeps better time than my Rolex (which tends to run fast) too.

Finally, who cares what others think. I think your hubby would love his Eco Drive from the technology standpoint.

 

[partgypsy]

I don't care if it is cool, pleb or anything in between. I am someone who also does not have a good track record with regular watches, where the batteries die quickly, or even the watch dies. In the past I've gone to get the battery replaced. The service person will theb ask if I wear the watch in the water or shower and I say no, and they show me the battery and interior is all corroded (even when battery replaced the watch is dead). They weren't great watches but typically timex.

My sister gifted me with a eco drive a few years ago. It does have a small scratch on the crystal, but other than has performed flawlessly and no I longer need to deal with expense and waste of batteries (yay!). I also think it looks quite good as well.

 

[lyra]

I no longer wear a watch most of the time. I have 2 eco-drives and a Bulova. Both the eco-drives are reliable and keep time. I put one on and go. The Bulova is almost always dead, that's how seldom I wear watches. It drives me nuts. I wear the eco-drives pretty much only in the summer because they are lightweight and not too "hot and sweaty". I wear the Bulova in the cooler weather. But I'm sick of replacing the battery every year before I can wear it again.

 

[kenny]

I'd vote cool.
I had not heard of Eco-Drive watches ... in fact, I was wondering if it was a new high-MPG car.

I looked it up and it is a solar-powered watch.
http://www.citizenwatch.com/en-us/eco-drive-technologies/eco-drive-how-it-works/

 

[packrat]

I know exactly squat about watches. Citizen watches don't use batteries??

 

[kenny]

I know exactly squat about watches. Citizen watches don't use batteries??

No, but yes.
This line of watches have solar cells that charge a battery.
The system is so effective and efficient that it can reportedly run as much as 6 months in the dark.

There are other watches that run with no batteries.
Long ago Rolex developed a 'self-winding' watch.
It has a weight thingie that spins on a axle when you move your wrist.
The spinning weight winds a spring that provides the potential energy to operate the watch.

Snip from their website:
Self-winding via perpetual rotor
Invented by Rolex in 1931, this ingenious mechanism consists of a half‑moon-shaped oscillating weight rotating freely in both directions on its axle under the impetus of the wearer’s wrist. It keeps the mainspring under continuous tension and thus provides the watch with a constant and stable source of energy.

 

[packrat]

wow-that's so cool! it would probably be cheaper in the long run then to buy a "fancy" (well, it's fancy to me) watch than the cheapy I bought that the batteries are dead. Too bad I can't get a Dr. Seuss watch like that for work. Gotta spring for the batteries for that I guess.

 

[cflutist]

I know exactly squat about watches. Citizen watches don't use batteries??

No, but yes.
This line of watches have solar cells that charge a battery.
The system is so effective and efficient that it can reportedly run as much as 6 months in the dark.

There are other watches that run with no batteries.
Long ago Rolex developed a 'self-winding' watch.
It has a weight thingie that spins on a axil when you move your wrist.
The spinning weight winds a spring that provides the potential energy to operate the watch.

Snip from their website:
Self-winding via perpetual rotor
Invented by Rolex in 1931, this ingenious mechanism consists of a half‑moon-shaped oscillating weight rotating freely in both directions on its axle under the impetus of the wearer’s wrist. It keeps the mainspring under continuous tension and thus provides the watch with a constant and stable source of energy.

That's what so cool about Eco-Drives, they are solar powered and don't need to be opened up to change a battery (helps with the water resistance). The Rolex system doesn't always work if one doesn't move their arm around a LOT. Sometimes mine stops and I have to wind it manually. Hence the "Watch Winders" that I bet Dancing Fire has for his fine watches.

 

[JulieN]

Most people just care about the design/how it looks. I prefer Eco Drive over regular quartz, hate dead batteries.

 

[kenny]

The Rolex system doesn't always work if one doesn't move their arm around a LOT.

I'll bet today we move our arms, and everything else, a LOT less than people did back in 1931.

 

[ksinger]

I don't think it's a matter of cool or not, but technology and styling appeal. My husband says about the Eco Drives, somewhat bluntly, "They look like aliens threw up on them." Which is his way of saying they are generally too darn busy visually for his taste, and is a perennial complaint of his about quite a few modern/lower end watches, although plenty of high end ones have developed the same bloat as the others. And my gawd but some of them have just gotten HUUUUUUGE. I'm surprised some guys can even lift their arms with a 43+ mm face! Really, I just perused the available Eco Drives, and they are awfully busy, and one was gray numbers and hands on a gray face....ummm....actually need to tell the time at a glance much?

Naw, he's in love with durable, purpose sailing watches (he uses them pretty hard when racing), mechanicals (gotta have that window on the back so you can watch the movement: too fun!), minimal complications, and clean, readable faces. So if they ever put one out that appealed to him visually, he might go for it, but clean watches that aren't the size of Big Ben seem to be hard to find today in any brand....(unless of course you're shelling out $$$$ for a classic Lange & Sonhe like DF).

 

[momhappy]

I had a Citizen for a while (as a young adult) and it was fine. DH and I both "upgraded" to brands like Rolex, Brietling, and Cartier.

 

[DNB]

I currently have 4 and DH has 3. I used to have another one but after 15 years it gave up the ghost. I love the fact I don't have to worry about a battery or winding it. I have a plain small face one, a medium face gold with diamonds, a larger face chronograph with diamonds (all three are round faced) and a brand new rectangular two tone with diamonds and roman numerals. I am so not a watch snob. I like the way they look and the way they work. I don't need to spend over a thousand dollars on a watch, ever. To me a watch is functional. My jewelry is where we have spent the money.

 

[VapidLapid]

Because of this thread I dug out my ecodrive watch. With the "skillz" I have developed since joining pricescope I fashioned a pin to repair the band, and Im already wearing it again!

 

[momhappy]

I currently have 4 and DH has 3. I used to have another one but after 15 years it gave up the ghost. I love the fact I don't have to worry about a battery or winding it. I have a plain small face one, a medium face gold with diamonds, a larger face chronograph with diamonds (all three are round faced) and a brand new rectangular two tone with diamonds and roman numerals. I am so not a watch snob. I like the way they look and the way they work. I don't need to spend over a thousand dollars on a watch, ever. To me a watch is functional. My jewelry is where we have spent the money.

I consider a watch to be part of my jewelry collection, which is why we purchase watches that are complimentary (with matching metals, diamonds, etc.).

 

[LaraOnline]

I don't think it's a matter of cool or not, but technology and styling appeal. My husband says about the Eco Drives, somewhat bluntly, "They look like aliens threw up on them." Which is his way of saying they are generally too darn busy visually for his taste, and is a perennial complaint of his about quite a few modern/lower end watches, although plenty of high end ones have developed the same bloat as the others. And my gawd but some of them have just gotten HUUUUUUGE. I'm surprised some guys can even lift their arms with a 43+ mm face! Really, I just perused the available Eco Drives, and they are awfully busy, and one was gray numbers and hands on a gray face....ummm....actually need to tell the time at a glance much?

Naw, he's in love with durable, purpose sailing watches (he uses them pretty hard when racing), mechanicals (gotta have that window on the back so you can watch the movement: too fun!), minimal complications, and clean, readable faces. So if they ever put one out that appealed to him visually, he might go for it, but clean watches that aren't the size of Big Ben seem to be hard to find today in any brand....(unless of course you're shelling out $$$$ for a classic Lange & Sonhe like DF).

I know what you are saying ksinger! But when you start looking, there *are* a few more shall we say 'refined', or even 'elegant' styles amongst those Citizen watches.


My husband is definitely not a jewellery or watch wearer (he hasn't worn a wedding ring since a couple of weeks into our marriage. His only current watch - dead - is, believe it or not, a 1980s Lorus with glow-in-the-dark hands on a white background).
So I decided to go for a fairly lower-not-quite-bottom price range / style for my first attempt at buying him something beautiful.

That way, it's not too disappointing for either of us if he rolls his eyes and chucks it in a drawer (which I obviously hope he does not do).
I've had it engraved, and I'm very excited!
If this works out I may even attempt to replace his lost wedding ring some time!
Praps if he loves it I'll get him The Citizen!!

 

[LaraOnline]

Good on you VapidLapid. I hope your home repair stands up to many many hours of use!

For the sake of reference, here is my own old faithful, must be about eight years old now, I wear it most days.
Of course, it would have looked a lot nicer if I had cleaned it and taken the photo out in natural light.
but you can see the look of it.

Terribly out of fashion, with its little face (15mm across) and gold tone - and so lovely and appropriate for pretty much any occasion!

 

[LaraOnline]

Update: My husband just asked what I was doing.
I said I was learning all about watches.

'Watches?? Do you mean from an historical perspective? No-one wears watches any more!!'

LOL Let's see how his present goes.

 

[tyty333]

Update: My husband just asked what I was doing.
I said I was learning all about watches.

'Watches?? Do you mean from an historical perspective? No-one wears watches any more!!'

LOL Let's see how his present goes.

Oh no! Maybe you should rethink the watch thing?

I still wear a watch . I guess everyone just uses their phone?

 

[momhappy]

Update: My husband just asked what I was doing.
I said I was learning all about watches.

'Watches?? Do you mean from an historical perspective? No-one wears watches any more!!'

LOL Let's see how his present goes.

Most people in my circle of friends wear watches. Some of the men have very nice collections of high-end watches, so I don't think that it's fair to say that no one wears them any more. In fact, here's an interesting article I found:
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-watchs-time-isnt-up-2013-07-01

 

[packrat]

I saw a pretty one on the website w/a turquoise strap. I may be one of the only people who prefers a strap rather than a bracelet style?

 

[JulieN]

Hey Lara, that is a nice design, very Citizen. I hope he likes it!

 

[liaerfbv]

I saw a pretty one on the website w/a turquoise strap. I may be one of the only people who prefers a strap rather than a bracelet style?

You aren't alone! I must have a leather strap. I absolutely hate all metal watches.

 

[packrat]

Oh good, I'm glad someone else does too! I feel like the lone stranger sometimes when I'm looking at watches and there's like one with a strap and 100 bracelet ones. This is the one I like http://www.citizenwatch.com/en-us/watches/watch-detail/?model=EM0253-20A