Eco-Drive is a brand owned by Citizen Watches. As the name implies Eco-drive watches get power from light. Eco-Drive wrist watches doesn't need a battery because these watches take light as the source for power. Eco-Drive watches were introduced in the market in 1995 by the Citizen Watch company.
The history of solar powered watches can be traced back to 1972. The twenty four years between 1972 to 1995 can be called period of solar watches. This span of 24 years has witnessed many historic collectible watches eg the Synchronar, Nepro and the Sicura LCD. This all changed after advent of the Citizen Eco-Drive brand watches in 1995. This noticeably changed our perceptions about light powered watches.
What exactly Citizen's Eco-Drive Watches are? The Eco-Drive technology is geared with a titanium lithium battery, which gets charged by amorphous silicon made solar cell, which is found behind the dial of the watch. This special battery type doesn't get affected during charging / discharging cycles and is sturdy enough for a long life cycle. The Citizen watch company claims that even after 20 years of use, the secondary battery keeps a power storage capacity of 80% ( Source : Citizen Europe, laboratory tests ). When the watch is exposed to the light whether daylight or any type of light, the light passes through the dial of the watch and reaches to the solar cell beneath dial, charging the battery of the wrist-watch.
Having mentioned that, often typical office light is not enough for these watches to get a completely charged battery. It is recommended and advised to use natural outdoor light to achieve the full charge. However the office or home light conditions are good enough to keep these watches ceaselessly charged.
Typically common eco-drive models can operate up to thirty days to 4 years without further charge needed dependent on the electronic movement and the model of the watch. Some of the models keep the internal quartz movement still running even if the watch is kept in dark for long time. Though hands of the watch stops when kept in dark for too much time, but since the internal quartz movement is still running, the hands will move to the existing time and resume functioning as before when the watch is exposed to the light again.
Another revolution with the citizen eco-drive has been the arrival of eco-drive thermal watches. The eco-drive thermal watches takes temperature difference as power source. Interesting isn't it? Now how does it work? Well, these watches take the energy source from the temperature difference between the arms where it is wore and the encircling environment. Woeehhh, but how? Well this very special Eco-Drive thermal wrist-watches use the exclusive technology to generate thermo electricity to charge the secondary power cell or battery within the watch. The wearer's arm temperature is always higher than the surrounding temperature except in the sun or could be in the tropic regions. But what's best, even those times when you're out in the blazing sun or on a holiday to tropical region, this amazing eco-drive thermal watch will save power via it's power saving features till the production and generation of thermo electricity is recommenced.
So yes, you may use both light and thermo electricity to power a watch. Eco-Drive watches have been quite a hit with the in-built features and groovy technology.
While talking about Citizen Watches particularly Citizen Eco-Drive and Thermal Watches, citizen also introduced Citizen Eco-Duo Watches. Now what's Eco-Duo watches? Well as the name Eco-Duo tells, these watches used both i.e. Mechanical power and the solar powered cell to power the electronic movement of the watch. Because of this dual energy source, these watches can also be called as cross-breed Eco-Drive movement watches. But this models from citizen didn't attract customers due to high pricing ( Were available for a grand and higher ).
Eco-Drive watches are definitely interesting and technologically advanced time-keeping gear. But in the modern days the watches are becoming more of jewelry and not for their time-keeping values. Thus I'm not sure as how many consumers are truly buying eco-drive watches for the ecological benefits of light powered watches suggesting less waste and lower energy requirements and time keeping.
Eco-Drive technology also provides fuel to the idea of expendable watches. But as mentioned above with watches being thought about as jewel and a showpiece, unsure how far the progress with dispensable watches will go?
Author Resource:
I am an environmentally friendly watch wearer. I really love Citizen Eco-Drive Watches . These watches are environmentally friendly and Eco-Drive Watches really are beautiful. Citizen Watches did an amazing job on this line of eco-drive watches.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/rss.jpg "XML Feed For RSS")