Are you looking for the best solar watch? Then you’ve definitely found the right Solar Watch Source! Solar watches are one of the handiest tools around.
We will review different solar watches and compare them to find out which one is the best. We will also provide some tips on how to choose a solar watch that suits your needs.
Why trust us? Just ask our many loyal readers who know that we review a wide range of products every year. They trust our buying advice and our unbiased and honest reviews. Read our review article to see how our research will pick out the best solar watch.
Table of Contents
What Is a Solar Watch?
A solar watch is a watch that has the ability to run without using the battery. It has to be charged regularly by carrying your solar panel with you while you’re on the move.
The solar panel inside a solar watch charges the battery and when you’re in a location with good sunlight, the solar watch starts to charge the battery. You then just have to switch it on and leave it running.
You will not need to charge the battery, as it will continuously be charging itself. If you’re charging it directly with the sun, it will stop charging the battery if it is not under direct sunlight for a long time. The solar watch should always be used in the daytime. Your battery should not be fully charged if you don’t want to drain the battery.
COMPARISON CHART
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | |
|---|---|---|
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Casio G-SHOCK G- STEEL
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CITIZEN CHANDLER
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Casio GW-9400-1CR Solar Watch
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Seiko SNE329 Solar Watch
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Seiko Prospex PADI Solar Watch
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Specification
| Display Type: | Analog-Digital |
| Clasp: | Buckle |
| Case material: | Stainless Steel |
| Case diameter: | 5.9 centimeters |
| Case Thickness: | 16.1 millimeters |
| Band Material: | Plastic/Resin |
| Band length: | Men’s Standard |
| Band width: | 26.8 millimeters |
| Bezel material: | Stainless Steel |
| Item weight: | 3.84 Ounces |
| Warranty: | 3 Year Warranty |
Features
- Shock resistant
- Solar powered
- 5 Daily Alarms
- 200M Water Resistant
- Full Auto LED Light
The Casio G-SHOCK G-STEEL Solar Watch is perfect for everyday use and it looks stylish too! Our opinion is that Casio made the G-SHOCK G-STEEL lighter and thinner to make it more fashionable than the GW-7500.
WHAT WE LIKE
The watch has a Casio solar-powered battery that is charged by the sun. It also benefits from a solar charge indicator, which shows the amount of remaining battery power.
The watch is also water resistant to 200m, and a low-temperature indicator alerts you to the change in temperature. A time-keeping system calculates the time from sunrise and sunset. The watch is also equipped with a stopwatch and an alarm.
PROS
- Fantastic Styling
- Extremely legible
- Feels very comfortable on the wrist
- Water resistant to 200 meters
CONS
- The metal scratches easier than you would think, but this is still one rugged watch
- We wish is was waterproof instead of water resistant
Specification
| Display Type: | Analog |
| Clasp: | Buckle |
| Case material: | Stainless Steel |
| Case diameter: | 37.2 millimeters |
| Case Thickness: | 9.5 millimeters |
| Band Material: | Nylon |
| Band length: | 7.5 inches |
| Band width: | 18 millimeters |
| Bezel material: | Stainless Steel |
| Item weight: | 7.2 Ounces |
| Warranty: | 5 Year Warranty |
Features
- Special features:
- Day-Date
- Luminous hands
- Arabic numerals
- Stainless Steel
- Water resistant
The Citizen Eco-Drive GarrisonQuartz Unisex Watch is a classic design with a great, modern look. With a stainless steel case and a resin band, this watch has a sophisticated look and feel. The watch face is a black, round face with numerals and a second hand. The band fits most wrists, and the watch band has a buckle clasp.
WHAT WE LIKE
The Eco-Drive GarrisonQuartz functions primarily as a solar watch but it uses a battery when not in direct sunlight that has a quartz movement. This watch is made from alloy and has a stainless steel bracelet.
This watch comes in several different color options and has a leather band. The Eco-Drive makes up for the battery life of the watch by using the sun to provide power. It can be charged by the sun for 2 weeks. This watch is about the same size as a silver dollar and is very lightweight. It is water resistant. This watch uses solar power and can be charge.
PROS
- Converts any type of light into electricity whether artificial or not
- Tough display
- Very clear analog display
CONS
- While we love the military style band, others may be turned off by it
- The numbers are not luminous which is a bit surprising
- The watch looks small at only 37.2 millimeters
Specification
| Display Type: | Digital |
| Clasp: | Buckle |
| Case material: | Stainless Steel |
| Case diameter: | 5.3 centimeters |
| Case Thickness: | 17 millimeters |
| Band Material: | Plastic |
| Band length: | Men’s Standard |
| Band width: | 22 millimeters |
| Bezel material: | Resin |
| Item weight: | 3.84 Ounces |
| Warranty: | 3 Year Warranty |
Features
- G shock
The Casio GW-9400-1CR Solar Watch reminds us of those 1980s style “uber” digital watches. The GW-9400-1CR is a unisex watch with a thin-walled mineral glass (with UV protection) crystal and a mineral leather strap.
WHAT WE LIKE
The face is made of steel, and has an ultra-thin 1.5mm black PVD coating applied on it. The face is built-in with a few cool features. It comes with a moonphase dial that can rotate to show the month, a calendar with a day and date display and two indices.
And it also has three additional indices below the date and the moon phase indicators. The other feature is the temperature sensor. You can set the temperature to a pre-set temperature.
We did find that the compass had problems when we were near the microwave but it recovered once we stepped away from it.
PROS
- Performs LOTS of functions
- Extremely durable design
- Very easy to read
CONS
- The watch’s design can be polarizing to sat the least
- Compass may experience inaccuracies due to microwave, wifi, etc.
Specification
| Display Type: | Analog |
| Clasp: | Buckle |
| Case material: | Stainless Steel |
| Case diameter: | 43 millimeters |
| Case Thickness: | 10.7 millimeters |
| Band Material: | Nylon |
| Band length: | Men’s Standard |
| Band width: | 25 millimeters |
| Bezel material: | Stainless Steel |
| Item weight: | 7.2 Ounces |
| Warranty: | 3 Year Warranty |
The Seiko SNE329 Solar Watch is certainly a stunner, with its solar activity indicator, glow-in-the-dark seconds hand, and bright blue OLED face. Its bluer, rose-colored hour indicator glows a subtle blue while the eight-day power indicator flashes red.
WHAT WE LIKE
It’s smart, fast and easy to read, and has a no-lag hand. On the wrist, the Seiko SNE329 does not make any excuses, the watch sits fairly close to the wrist bone but still a bit more comfortable than a lot of the best men’s watches.
The whole watch runs one CR2 battery if needed, but the solar function is stellar..
PROS
- Very large and readable display
- Japanese Quartz Movement is extremely accurate
- Nylon band is very comfortable
CONS
- Some quality issues concerning the second hand not aligning correctly with the seconds markers
- Seems to lose its charge over time after maybe a year
- Water resistant to only 100 meters
Specification
| Display Type: | Analog |
| Clasp: | Buckle |
| Case material: | Stainless Steel |
| Case diameter: | 37.2 millimeters |
| Case Thickness: | 9.5 millimeters |
| Band Material: | Nylon |
| Band length: | 7.5 inches |
| Band width: | 18 millimeters |
| Bezel material: | Stainless Steel |
| Item weight: | 6 Ounces |
| Warranty: | 3 Year Warranty |
The Seiko Prospex PADI Solar Watch is a fashion-forward watch that offers a unique blend of style and utility. The watch is powered by a solar cell that will charge a built-in battery in about ten hours of sunlight.
A silver-tone chapter ring and two white hands are on the dial. The watch comes with a durable stainless steel wristband with an adjustable clasp.
WHAT WE LIKE
The Seiko Prospex PADI is a solar dive watch that features a 200 meter water resistance, a silicone rubber strap, a unidirectional bezel, and a material called “ocean wave crystal”.
We were able to confirm that some of the watch hands do not line up correctly with the seconds markers. We had heard about these quality issues before from other customers. Be sure to check the watch out carefully before the return period ends.
PROS
- Converts any type of light into electricity whether artificial or not
- Tough display
- Very clear analog display
CONS
- While we love the military style band, others may be turned off by it
- The numbers are not luminous which is a bit surprising
- The watch looks small at only 37.2 millimeters
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a solar watch better than an automatic?
Is a solar watch better than an automatic? That depends on how and where you use your watch. All automatic watches use motion in order to wind the mainspring. But once the movement stops then the watch will eventually run down.
On the other hand a solar watch with a battery is much more reliable. They just need light in order to function, which is plentiful in most settings. Some can stay charged with only artificial light.
In the end, for most everyday uses we find the solar watch is superior to automatic watches.
What Are the Advantages of a Solar Watch?
What Are the Advantages of a Solar Watch?
- Solar watches are an excellent way to keep time as they are highly accurate.
- They have a backup battery but do not necessarily need them to function
- The best solar watches display the amount of solar power you have and how long your electricity has lasted since the beginning of the day
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed our review article about the best solar watch. Our top pick for this competition goes to the Casio G-SHOCK G-STEEL. It has everything you’ll want or need in a solar watch and more than enough power to get you through your day.
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