Best Citizen Eco Drive Watches for Men Under $100
I don’t know about you, but I have this terrible little habit when it comes to watches. When the little battery runs out, I just don’t seem to be able to take the time or spend the money to take it to a jeweler for a battery replacement, I have a few fairly nice watches that just lie in my watch graveyard awaiting their rebirth. I’ve made a concerted effort to change this lazy behavior of mine, but to no avail. I decided I was interested in a solar powered watch. I did quite a lot of research and finally decided the solution was to purchase a Citizen eco drive watch, to bypass the need for battery replacement. Let me tell you, I love my watch and this was one of the best purchases I’ve made! I’ve since gone on to buy them for friends and family who’ve also loved theirs.
What are Eco Drive Watches and How Do They Work?
The eco-drive technology is the brainchild of Citizen watches. I’m not going to get into a long science lesson here, so I’ll give you the short and sweet version as per the Citizen website.
The Citizen eco drive watch is solar powered, so unless there is a total eclipse of the sun, your watch should stay powered forever. I live in a relatively sunless area and my watch has never skipped a beat. I’ve never had to do this, but the watch can be charged under a flourescent lamp or even a standard light bulb.
If you suddenly find yourself stranded in a completely dark cave, you watch ‘s secondary power source, the ion battery will kick in and keep the watch running for month to years, depending upon the model you have. Bottom line, the rechargeable lithium ion battery will probably run for the rest of your life, even if you live to a ripe old age. Its main power source is the sun, which is a a pretty reliable energy source, would you say? Your ion battery isn’t going to be doing a lot of powering on its own, in other words…
Best Men’s Citizen Eco Drive Dress Watches
Best Dress Watches Under $100
Citizen Men's BM8240-03E Eco-Drive Black Leather Watch or Citizen Men's BM8242-08E Eco-Drive Gold-Tone Leather Watch
These two watches are the same, they just differ in terms of style. I purchased this watch for my husband soon after I got my first Citizen eco drive watch. I actually purchased his at Macy's and I spent way too much money. Amazon prices for these watches are fantastic as compared to department stores and the Citizen's website itself. In fact, this same watch is $150 on the Citizen site.
This watch has been wonderful, going strong for four years now and has never once skipped a beat and still looks brand new. It has a simple, masculine style that goes with everything. He wears it everyday, to work, on the weekends, etc... It has an alligator patterned leather band with buckle closure. The bezel is made of stainless steel with an analog display. The calendar shows the day and date, and the watch moves by Japanese-quartz. It is water resistant up to 99 feet, or 30 M.
Almost Identical Watches in Slightly Different Styles
Best Value Citizen Eco Drive Casual/Sporty Watch Under $100
Citizen Men's BM8180-03E Eco-Drive Canvas Strap Watch
My husband is a hiker and mountain climber, so he was looking for a sporty watch to accompany him on his adventures. Since he loves his Citizen eco drive dress watch so much, he knew he'd only consider another Citizen watch. This particular watch fit the bill perfectly.
It has a stainless steel bezel and crystal face. Even though my husband has been hard on this watch, there is no scratch to be found on the crystal. The hand illuminate in the dark with large hour and minute markers. The calendar shows both the day and the date.
The band has that cool military look and is a khaki/green color. It's a canvas strap lined with leather. They now have an almost identical version of this watch in black!
Bear in mind, if you aren't too keen on the band, you can always replace it with a different Citizen watch band.
More Eco Drive Watches: Under $120
More About Citizens Watches
- Citizen Watch Bands: Sizes, Types and How to Choose One
A few years ago I discovered Citizens watches and am now a die hard fan. I cannot say enough good things about their eco drive technology since I seem to be one of those unfortunate souls who never seems to...