My parents just found an old Citizen Eco Drive from 2006. Had totally forgot about the tech and went to a watch maker to get a new battery. He laughed, keep it under light for a night and BOOM after years and years in total darkness in the box, the watch just started and is keeping time smoothly. Great technology
I accidently left my eco-drive in closet when leaving for military duties. I was dead when found, so it took a long time to revive. However, I made a mistake trying to revive by keeping it in my car under sun in hot summer day. IT WAS BOILING HOT. I don't know how the battery did not die from over heating, but it works great again. I was amazed how strong and well made Citizen watches are. What a build quality.
I could have sworn mine was lost... Found it in my daughter's drawer a year later... Pulled it out, was in the light for maybe 20 seconds hit the button and it started ticking right away.
I have my citizen Eco-Drive watch now 20 years this past July and it's still running just like new. It is a great watch. Before the citizen I had a Rolex and I couldn't wait to sell it. It kept terrible time either running too fast or too slow. The Rolex cost a fortune to get it serviced which is required every 5 to 10 years by a certified jeweler.
I very accidentally left my Ecodrive in my winter residence. It had fallen under the bed in a room with blackout curtains AND storm shutters up ! When I came back eight months later and found it, it was still showing the correct time ! Great watch .
Bought my calibre 8700 around 1996 and 25 years later it still operates at about a second a month variance. No maintenance and never touched. A brilliant investment and the only complaint I have is I would love a newer model but just can’t justify it. Never worried about when it’s being charged or where it is ...incredible really.
I hate to be grim like Kathi Jordan but she's right. On jomashop a new eco-drive wont run you too much. My grandfather was always very frugal until the day he died and yes there's value in that, but we always thought it was a shame he didn't spend some fruits of his labor on himself because you aren't going to take a cent with you when you leave this earth.
Select one that has features your current one doesnt have. Or if for no other reason, buy a new one out of appreciation for the manufacturer and your happiness with the old one.
Stick with the older model and have a jeweler spice it up. That way you maintain function and sentimentality while at the same time rewarding the piece (and your wise choice) with an upgraded look.
I rediscovered one of my eco drives that had been in an old watch case completely dark for over 10 years. I put it in the direct sunlight for 2 days without the crown pulled out and it is working great.
I had a great idea when I bought my 100m citizen Eco-Drive day/date military about 10 years ago. I placed it 50mm above a 40 W bulb for half an hour to charge it up and burned my fingers on it when I thought it had had enough! It’s since been submerged about 50 times since then to a depth of up to 10 m and it’s still going well. A couple of years back, I bought a 200m citizen eco-Drive divers, just in case I ever need to experience 20 bars pressure on my head! Excellent timepieces! Then, in a fit of drunken madness, I bought the 200m military, and rarely using it, left it in my sock draw. It was still keeping perfect time after three months in the dark (which is more than I do!)
I have an Eco-Drive C605 Solar and it seems dead to the world. How does one replace the capacitor? The back of my watch looks sealed and non-removable.
Which one is your favorite? I just bought the camo faced nighthawk as an everyday time piece. My first Citizen. I also like the Tsuki-yomi, with the moon face.
they are amazing watches. my wife bought me an eco drive dress watch for a wedding gift in 2004. i wore it on our honeymoon then stashed it in a dark jewelry box never to see light again until this year(2018) i charged it fully and its been working perfect. great product!
@@GuitarSal66 What model is it? It may require you to do an all-reset before it will run properly. Another option would be to send it in to a Citizen service/repair shop closest to you and have them look at it.
I bought my first Citizen Eco-Drive watch back in April 2010, which I still wear today. Great watch, it looks good, water resistant to 100 metres (I have swam it several times, no issues).
Just for the record a 100 meter water resistant watch does NOT mean you can swim with it .you should . only be washing your hands or a splash or two from being in the rain .. . .
@@adep6189 Then why does citizen specifically say that you can? It even says you can snorkel with some of them. 100m/330feet water resistant always says good for swimming
Awkward Seal this is late but different depths of water resistance indicate how much exposure that’s regularly acceptable, for an actual daily swim watch I think 200m wr is recommended
Yeah. I moved and basically lost an Eco-Drive in a box in the basement for two years. It was dead when I found it and took almost a week to start up again. But it did start. Be patient. Don't throw it away.
Just got mine going again.... 3 days in the window California sunshine to turn on. Sat in the box a few years, thought it was dead and almost got new parts.
Did anyone have the high accuracy The Citizen that recovered because mine didn’t after many many hours in sun and under led. A citizen authorized repair wouldn’t even accept it for evaluation.
Thank you!!! This beautiful watch has been on a dark shelf for several years. Didn’t work. I pulled out the crown and left it in the sun all day. Works great, again.
I've had my Eco-Drive stop because it was stored in the dark (guns safe), a blast from my EDC flashlight started it back up & a day on the window sill was all it needed to get it back to keeping perfect time. Now I just put it on the sill if I don't wear it for a week or so. They are great watches, thinking of picking up another one.
How long do eco drive watches usually last like is it worth buying multiple if your worried you have one that will mess up or do they last a long time I currently have 3.
I have a noob question for eco drive. So i had this eco drive for 7years (my first watch & start of my watch collection lol) haven’t had any maintenance done to it but does it need some type of special maintenance like i have to take it to citizen? Or any trustable watch repair stores can work on it? Or it doesn’t even need maintenance? I’d appreciated if you could give me some knowledge on this if it happens to catch your eyes. Thanks !
Any store that advertises that they sell Citizen would be good start. The first Eco Drive I owned last from 2000 - 2017, I kept the watch charged, from sunlight; removing the watch before washing my hands, and so on. In 2017, I believe water from a leaking garden hose nozzle entered the case back of the Citizen, the second hand would jump back & forth, (between 30 second and 33 second mark), minute and hour hand did not advance. I did some research, learned that gasket would need replacing, and I decided to purchase another Eco Drive and call it a day. :)
So at the beginning of lockdown in 2020 I stopped wearing my then 11 year of eco drive because the crystal had a tiny leak from a small fracture. Also I wanted to be sure I was washing my hands properly. It was only this week I thought about wearing a watch again. The eco drive had been on my desk for 3 year but had stopped working a while ago. I noticed the crystal was dirty so went to the bathroom to wipe it clean. Lo and behold as the sun hit the panel the seconds hand starts moving again. I took to our veranda for better sun exposure to recharge and then at night it is left in the hallway facing a dim light. I haven’t been game enough to test the power reserve yet. I want to get the 36hour cloudy exposure first then see about getting the glass replaced by a watchmaker. But I was damn surprised it worked without much effort.
Good info. That's exactly what happened to my Calibre 2100. It would charge up but not hold well after that. So I got the capacitor replaced and that solved the problem. Now I keep it under a light that's on much of the day.
Thanks for the video, very informative. I have several solar powered watches and was not able to figure out the best way to keep them charged. Turns out as you said, the best way it to keep them near a natural light source which is not only more powerful than any LED but also literally free of any cost.
I've since moved on to more expensive watches (several of them on my channel), but my Citizens will always have my heart. Honestly, dollar-for-dollar, there's not a better watch on the planet. I've had one of them for 10 years and it hasn't needed any kind of service. Powered by the sun and it gets the radio signal for perfect time. My other one, which I've had for almost 3 years, is the same but it's a Satellite Citizen and gets the time anywhere in the world (doesn't need to be within so many hundred miles of a radio transmitter) and tells me what time zone I'm in. Simply fantastic watches and worth every penny and more.
That's a great video, and information Citizen doesn't really give you. I just got my Eco-Drive chronograph today and will follow these steps. Thanks bro
@@TimesTicking my mistake was not read the novela of instructions that came with my watch. Recently my second hand kept stopping but the chronograph was still able to function, because I was wearing it only at night or to the shop's for an hour's daylight a couple times a week I assumed it wasn't the power cell. I had dropped in while cleaning the night before, and was worried that the movement was damaged. I thought about how little I actually changed it so I put it in the sun for a few hours, and bam it was back in action. These are great watches for the money and the power cell technology is amazing. I'm really happy with my purchase and I've only ever had citizens. My most expensive watch was the Citizen Ana-Digi Temp 8982 it cost around $800AUD in 90'. I've still got it because it was once my dad's. Thanks for the video
This is why when I put mine away, I always put it in the cylindrical case with the lid off, on a table near one of my window-lit rooms. It’s a silver PCAT, and I really do love it, since it’s the most expensive watch I’ve ever bought, and quite a comfortable one at that.
My eco-drive 300. I learnt the hard way. Once my jeweler educated me on the particulars. I has been a constant valuable and enjoyable timepiece in my collection. Back to an education... It is one of many reasons I follow your ‘web show.’ Forgive me if I describe your show incorrectly. I grew up in a time far removed from these new computer gizno(s).
@@raymondfrye5017 I'm not sure, but I can only assume the "Batteries" are actually capacitors. Which in general offer higher power density and quicker charge times than a standard Lithium Ion battery.
I have six Citizen Eco-Drive watches, and I didn't use them for years; i.e. I left them in darkness for a long time. I put them in my window for a few hours, and they ran fine again. Now that they're fully charged, I put them in my window once or twice a month to maintain the charge. I also wear them every so often, which also helps maintain their charge.
Around 10-11 years ago I purchased a titanium model with sapphire crystal Eco-Drive which works perfectly. My concern is if after that long period I should replace the capacitor preventively before it went out of production although it runs flawesly up to this moment. If that specific battery or capacitor turns obsolete your watch will be unuseful. I'm quite sure modern Eco-Drives use different capacitors with bigger capacity or different chemical composition.
Thank you, that was helpful. I was about to take the battery out of my watch. It was a present and I did not know what eco drive was supposed to work like
Thank you so much for the tutorial video something did not know of my Eco- Citizen Watch So therefore we must live and learn thank you again for your time and your service on RUclips God bless
I keep my unused (not in rotation) Seiko Solar and Citizen Eco-Drive watches hanging towards the north so receiving a constant but not direct, strong sunlight. I guess it is the best way to keep it running and keeping a correct time. When I use them they receive a strong sunlight for many hours considering Spain is usually very sunny.
I left my eco drive out on my concrete balcony on a spring day. When I went out to get it a few hours later, the concrete and the watch were piping hot. I didn't expect that and thought I had ruined it. The watch was fine though and is still running 2 years later. They couldn't have designed it for heat tolerance since its meant for a human wrist, but it somehow survived being fried like an egg. Impressive.
I've bought 4 Ecodrive watches since the very first one. The capacitors DO wear out. It did last 15+ years before it was replaced but it was $120! Ouch. Regular watch battery replacement was $15 at same jeweler.
Was just about to send my citizen back to Jomashop because the Chronograph had stopped working. Ironically the watch was still keeping time, but the small seconds hand was only counting every two seconds. Watched this video, stuck the watch under a bright light for 60 seconds, and guess what, IT WORKS. Thank you for the extremely helpful video!!!
Second hand jumping in sequence of "every 2 seconds" is the clear indication of low charge. This is a purposeful design by Citizen as an early indicator. Should be in your owner's manual or ANY Eco-drive manual you can find on the internert.
Very informative. I purchased a citizen Ecco drive used for 30 bucks. It was excellent condition. Have had to replace the battery twice. Had I known about how they actually work, could have saved some money. Thanks for the info. 👏👍
at least you didn't stretch the video for 10 minutes like others do. i thought they didnt use capacitors anymore, but rechargeable batteries these days
Yep, Citizen uses capacitors and I know that Casio does too. The thing that sucks is that the cheapest capacitor I could find for my Casio was $36. So they are not cheap like watch batteries are. People claim that you could use a standard watch battery, but that might damage the charging circuit. Plus, you NEVER touch the capacitor with your fingers.
Its actually a rechargeable eco-drive cell ( a rechargeable cell battery w/ a tab soldered onto it, the right shape and length to make contact with the lead from the solar panel dial)
They call it a solar capacitor now rather than a rechargeable battery so that the advertisements can say that you'll NEVER need to replace any battery. Though decades later you'll still have a "solar capacitor" to replace once it stops holding a solar recharge.
You can't go wrong, they're lovely watches and they will literally last you a life time. Gone are the days when you have to replace a battery every 6 to 8 months lol. Good luck with your quest for an eco drive, I hope you find the perfect one for yourself
@@Adam-ro3lu Thank you very much. I take your recommendation seriously. I’m looking for quality and durability in the construction of the watch, as well as and great value for money.
I’ve had a Calibre 8700 for about 11 years. It still keeps accurate time. I love this watch. It was definitely worth the money. I would recommend it to anyone who wants a great watch
I have one also. I've had mine since 2004. Still works perfectly and is always at full charge even though I dont wear it as often because I have a couple newer models.
If you own a Citizen Skyhawk. I would try a master reset and then check to see if all the hands are in their proper orientation ("0" positions). No matter how accurate the atomic time is. If your hands aren't calibrated....the watch will be inaccurate. I'd send it in to Citizen if the problem of inaccurate time becomes persistent.
I was about to give up on my 2004 Skyhawk: it was in a wall display case with little light exposure for years, dead as a rock when checking it recently, summer of 2020. It literally took SEVERAL DAYS of full sunlight exposure on a window sill to wake it up again. In the beginning nothing happened, the LCD panel stayed gray, no motion of the hands. After two or three days the LCD came to life, the hands moved to the zero position, time for a complete setup. It recovered nicely and is running with its three power bars since then (the fourth bar seems not to exist anyways), now it is placed on my sunny work desk. I wonder what type of battery or capacitor they used in this ancient model? Pricy gold caps will never die, but typical metal ion cells will be damaged when discharged to rock bottom voltages over long periods of time.
It should charge to 4 bars, me be mine took half a week under halogen light to reach it; if I remember correctly.. three black charge areas, and red for low make up the 4 positions/bars
at the risk of jinxing myself here, have had a Promaster Carbon for about 12-13 years and it's always sat on a window ledge when not being worn. has worked great, kept accurate time, and just been a pleasure to own
Thanks for the reset tip! Got my defunct Skyhawk back in action after years of being in a box. Thought it was totally dead since I couldn't get it to charge. Did what you said (pulling the crown out to time set position and putting it in sunlight) and boom! Saved me a trip to the watch repair shop. :)
First of all thank you for explaining. I made all the mistakes you said not too. My watch works only when it's exposed to light. I have tried charging for 8 hrs in direct sunlight. It's still giving same behavior. I have nighthawk eco-drive. Any suggestions?
I love it.. I have it in my collection for more than 20 years.. It happened more than twice I left it enclosed in my luggage for years until it looks dead, but after repeated recharging it works normal.. Now I'm using it after I brought it from a dark store for more than 7 years... And it works beautifully
Are you sure you're talking about capacitors and not batteries? The failure mode you're describing is common with rechargeable batteries, lithium ion in particular. Capacitors do not suffer from being overly discharged.
Cristi Neagu I agree. Even modern super caps don’t hold a charge for that long! I would suspect the 6-8 month battery life is more due to internal resistance than actual current draw 🙃 just because of the size of the battery they must use (
I have a 2004 Ecodrive. Still works but stopped several times this winter due to misuse. Kept under a sleeve to long and regularly and very little sun. Now I charge it every night with a bright LED for a few weeks to give it a full charge and we'll see
Thank you for this - it’s 100% true. I bought the titanium caliber 2100 in 1998 (wore it on vacation to Germany with my lovely wife) and then in 2006 I bought the same watch in white face and the same in black face. I purchased a Rolex GMT Master II and an Omega Seamaster and wore those for the past 20+ years and totally forgot about my caliber 2100’s. I opened the watch chest on bedside dresser recently (they were stored in for over 20 years under glass with indirect sunlight) and to my surprise, they still work and keep 100% charge and now I wear them regularly out of respect!!!!! I just ordered the Promaster Diver in blue and the PCATin blue. My titanium is 26 years old, my two stainless are over 18 years old and they are perfection like they were just purchased - these are lifetime watches!!!!
Thanks for the video. My father has an ecodrive and seems like it does need a need capacitor or a new movement. Is there a reliable repair shop in New Jersey or New York someone can recommend? My dad is very fond of his watch.
I have a J810 I bought but the seconds hand is bent. Is it a hard task to do? Can I buy a replacement seconds hand for it. Also the face is 180 degrees off. Can the face be rotated?
I just found my old "watch storage / display box" with 3 of my old ecoDrives in it - the oldest from around mid 2006! I had smashed the crystal on that one 4WHeeling many years ago & was too worried about it getting wet to wear it. I randomly found some old forms I was sending to Citizen for them to replace the crystal on it and thought "No doubt I'm gonna need a 'solar cell' because I'm an idiot and left them up on a dark shelf in a display box" but then Plot Twist: 2 Of them I had the foresight to pull out the crown & they're tickin right along! I was really smart 10+ years ago. idk wtf happened.
Great advice for the eco drive watches. I think many people don’t give their solar watches enough light. Also, I’d like to mention that the Eco drive uses a special lithium ion battery that they call an energy cell, but its still a rechargeable battery not a capacitor.
Good news ! I had a couple of Seiko Kinetics with capacitors that eventually failed. I changed them out for what was sold as genuine Seiko replacements but after a few months failed so I guess they were not the real deal. I have about 30 watches in my collected so keeping the kinetics charged was difficult without investing in top quality watch winder. The cheap one I have didn’t seem to do the job for the Kinetics
@@marcdaniels9079 I have a Seiko Kinetic that I bought in 2005. It had run very good for almost 18 years until about 6 months ago when it started going slower and not keeping good time. I went to my local jeweler and he said it would cost $240 to replace the capacitor??? WOW! I only paid $122 in 2005. So, it's in the old junk drawer. I'm not complaining because it doesn't owe me anything. I now have 2 Citizen Eco Drives that I bought in the last 2 years. They are beautiful watches and hope they last as long as my Seiko.
I received and ECO Drive watch as a graduation gift in 2004. The watch still performs flawlessly. The downside, after nearly 20 years of daily use, the band broke. Citizen no longer makes a replacement band for that model watch.
My 1st Citizen watch brought back in 2010 still running just fine. Couple of times I let it get too low on power. Just sat it out in direct sunlight for a day.
Newsflash! Solar powered watches need light to run! Not that remarkable really - if the watch has run out of power, give it some light and it will recharge. There's nothing wrong with it.
I bought a citizen eco drive chronograph decades ago, around the 90's. It been on my wrist virtually non stop since. Never failed, or serviced. Still going strong...!!
I came back here to say a big 'thank you' for making and sharing this video which I came across for the very first time, last week. I was about to pull the trigger on a new watch to replace my beloved old but trusty GN4S which had stopped working since more than a year. I'm so glad that I didn't throw it in bin because, after watching this video, I took out the watch and decided to leave it on my kitchen window for the day, following the instruction given in this video. By evening, I picked up the watch to have a look and, what a surprise ! So, my trusty old watch is back and marching strong !! Thank you, once again. I feel like I've just bought a watch and saved money in the process. How high can you get on such a feeling ?!!!
Thx. Similarly to driving cars rather than letting them sit..1 question. On Amazon,I read" details about wAtch "what if it says "first available in 2011,2014 ect??" Is that bad ?been in a warehouse somewhere,or ???
I made the mistake of storing my Blue Angels Skyhawk in my collection case. It took me 3 days to properly recalibrate the damn thing....lol.....love the watch but it always sees the sun light on a daily basis.
I bought an eco drive in 2018 and it has stopped working in 2024. I have worn it 24/7 except while showering. I bought it in Texas and moved to NJ in 2021. I'm not sure whether the sunny days in Texas vs cloudy days NJ was a factor. I have always worn my watches with the dial facing inwards on my wrist and I have changed the habit now. No, my watch doesn't charge on indoor lights, only on exposure to sunlight. I have mostly LED bulbs in my home, they don't seem to charge my watch. Wanted to share the info with the prospective buyers. I spend at least a couple of of hours outdoors everyday except on totally rainy days or snowy days.
My H145 stopped working and behaving erratically and I never sat in the dark for 6 months. I believe the place I purchased it from kept it stored in the box too long. I've owned it for close to 8 years now and havent worn it for 2 years. I just bought a capacitor on ebay. Cant wait to recieve it so I can wear it again. I have been wearing my citizen eco nighthawk black watch.
I have had my ecodrive for 8 years, no battery replacement,only time I have ever made adjustments are for daylight savings, etc.. and for months that have less or more than 30 days in it. Whenever I am doing dishes I placed on sill . That's maintained it ever since.
My parents just found an old Citizen Eco Drive from 2006. Had totally forgot about the tech and went to a watch maker to get a new battery. He laughed, keep it under light for a night and BOOM after years and years in total darkness in the box, the watch just started and is keeping time smoothly. Great technology
@Kasper Peterson "BOOM" 👍
My eco drive has been chugging along for almost 20 years, never have replaced the capacitor. Amazing product
Both are really good@@arashdeepsingh4944
I accidently left my eco-drive in closet when leaving for military duties. I was dead when found, so it took a long time to revive. However, I made a mistake trying to revive by keeping it in my car under sun in hot summer day. IT WAS BOILING HOT. I don't know how the battery did not die from over heating, but it works great again. I was amazed how strong and well made Citizen watches are. What a build quality.
Citizen uses a capacitor instead of a battery so that's probably why. Its also why it takes so bloody long to recover it if left in the dark.
@@loganholmberg2295Actually they have battery. It's Panasonic MT920F probably inside or similar. And it can be changed as any other.
I left mine in a car for a couple of years and it still works great to this day.
I've been wearing my Eco-Drive Titanium WR200 daily for about 10 years and never had an issue with it.
Do you charge it? Or just wearing it during normal days walking in sunlight sufficient for running it everyday?
These Eco-Drives literally refuse to die :D
I could have sworn mine was lost... Found it in my daughter's drawer a year later... Pulled it out, was in the light for maybe 20 seconds hit the button and it started ticking right away.
@@istvantoth7431 FACTS
Mine was great till COVID-19...then started misbehaving ... hope this solution helps today... in 5 to 8 hours🤞
I have my citizen Eco-Drive watch now 20 years this past July and it's still running just like new. It is a great watch. Before the citizen I had a Rolex and I couldn't wait to sell it. It kept terrible time either running too fast or too slow. The Rolex cost a fortune to get it serviced which is required every 5 to 10 years by a certified jeweler.
Would you take your Mercedes 500 SL to a Jiffy Lube?
I very accidentally left my Ecodrive in my winter residence. It had fallen under the bed in a room with blackout curtains AND storm shutters up ! When I came back eight months later and found it, it was still showing the correct time ! Great watch .
@wingmanjim6 Awesome, thanks for sharing!
Bought my calibre 8700 around 1996 and 25 years later it still operates at about a second a month variance. No maintenance and never touched. A brilliant investment and the only complaint I have is I would love a newer model but just can’t justify it. Never worried about when it’s being charged or where it is ...incredible really.
You did just justified it go and get that watch man
Here you go. ruclips.net/video/9yul7uJGSO4/видео.html
I hate to be grim like Kathi Jordan but she's right. On jomashop a new eco-drive wont run you too much. My grandfather was always very frugal until the day he died and yes there's value in that, but we always thought it was a shame he didn't spend some fruits of his labor on himself because you aren't going to take a cent with you when you leave this earth.
Select one that has features your current one doesnt have. Or if for no other reason, buy a new one out of appreciation for the manufacturer and your happiness with the old one.
Stick with the older model and have a jeweler spice it up. That way you maintain function and sentimentality while at the same time rewarding the piece (and your wise choice) with an upgraded look.
I rediscovered one of my eco drives that had been in an old watch case completely dark for over 10 years. I put it in the direct sunlight for 2 days without the crown pulled out and it is working great.
Nice!
No proof, no truth !
Same with mine after 4 years of storage
Yeah me too, only 6 years though.
U quite literally, "won a watch", with that one.
Bought my eco drive in 2000 ......... it still working fine 2019 and it only loses a second a month!
@ Rob Bierd Great to read!
Rob Bierd mine stopped working I bought yr 2010 .
I looove my eco drive watches
I had a great idea when I bought my 100m citizen Eco-Drive day/date military about 10 years ago. I placed it 50mm above a 40 W bulb for half an hour to charge it up and burned my fingers on it when I thought it had had enough! It’s since been submerged about 50 times since then to a depth of up to 10 m and it’s still going well. A couple of years back, I bought a 200m citizen eco-Drive divers, just in case I ever need to experience 20 bars pressure on my head! Excellent timepieces! Then, in a fit of drunken madness, I bought the 200m military, and rarely using it, left it in my sock draw. It was still keeping perfect time after three months in the dark (which is more than I do!)
I have an Eco-Drive C605 Solar and it seems dead to the world. How does one replace the capacitor? The back of my watch looks sealed and non-removable.
I have several eco drive watches....had them for years....they are still living, and ticking!!!!! GR8 PRODUCT...THANK YOU CITIZEN!!!!!😊
Which one is your favorite? I just bought the camo faced nighthawk as an everyday time piece. My first Citizen. I also like the Tsuki-yomi, with the moon face.
Thanks! My eco drive was in total darkness for a year and I followed your guidance and got it going again! Much appreciated!
I have been wearing my eco drive watch since March 2009, still working well and keeps good time
they are amazing watches. my wife bought me an eco drive dress watch for a wedding gift in 2004. i wore it on our honeymoon then stashed it in a dark jewelry box never to see light again until this year(2018) i charged it fully and its been working perfect. great product!
True, you will never go wrong with a Citizen Eco-Drive. I have 15 Eco-Drives and I love them all.
My watch stopped working because we had a crappy summer. Now I charge it every day and I can’t set the time . Any advice?
Mine was a wedding gift in 2006. Currently in closet cause I'm rocking Seiko 5 today.
@@GuitarSal66 What model is it? It may require you to do an all-reset before it will run properly. Another option would be to send it in to a Citizen service/repair shop closest to you and have them look at it.
You wear a watch once every 4 years pfft?
I bought my first Citizen Eco-Drive watch back in April 2010, which I still wear today. Great watch, it looks good, water resistant to 100 metres (I have swam it several times, no issues).
@ Master Yoda Great to read! Thanks for watching too, btw. :)
Just for the record a 100 meter water resistant watch does NOT mean you can swim with it .you should . only be washing your hands or a splash or two from being in the rain .. . .
@@adep6189 Then why does citizen specifically say that you can? It even says you can snorkel with some of them. 100m/330feet water resistant always says good for swimming
Awkward Seal this is late but different depths of water resistance indicate how much exposure that’s regularly acceptable, for an actual daily swim watch I think 200m wr is recommended
Master yoda... i didn’t know the Jedi order permitted such luxuries
Yeah. I moved and basically lost an Eco-Drive in a box in the basement for two years. It was dead when I found it and took almost a week to start up again. But it did start. Be patient. Don't throw it away.
I had almost the same thing happen, a few days on the window sill and it hasn’t missed a beat.
Just got mine going again.... 3 days in the window California sunshine to turn on. Sat in the box a few years, thought it was dead and almost got new parts.
Did anyone have the high accuracy The Citizen that recovered because mine didn’t after many many hours in sun and under led. A citizen authorized repair wouldn’t even accept it for evaluation.
I store mine in a watch box that has a glass top so that they can get light at all times. Absolutely love these. I’ve had mine for over 6 years.
👍 Thats a great idea for solar type watches. Getting a watch box with glass or see through top.!!
I do the same.....
Just got my watch today and mum said "Hey you should get one of those clear watch box's" 😀👌
I bought my first eco-drive in 2009. It is running perfect till now -- Nov 2020. Great guys. Great watch. Great workmanship.
I got one in 2006 and it still works perfect
They are great
Got mine in 2006 and its my daily driver 5 days a week.
Any service or complaints till now Mr Raju ?
Put mine in my gun safe for two years and now can’t get it running. Answers?
Thank you!!! This beautiful watch has been on a dark shelf for several years. Didn’t work. I pulled out the crown and left it in the sun all day. Works great, again.
You’re an excellent speaker. Good job bro. I’m happy to subscribe.
@Pure Krav Maga Original Combat Method Thanks so much! :)
Thanks for this video. I just purchased my first Eco-Drive two weeks ago. I like it.
@SL04SpeedBump Thanks for watching!!!
I've had my Eco-Drive stop because it was stored in the dark (guns safe), a blast from my EDC flashlight started it back up & a day on the window sill was all it needed to get it back to keeping perfect time. Now I just put it on the sill if I don't wear it for a week or so. They are great watches, thinking of picking up another one.
Citizen Eco-drive watches are hard to beat!
How long do eco drive watches usually last like is it worth buying multiple if your worried you have one that will mess up or do they last a long time I currently have 3.
I bought my Navihawk UTC Eco-Drive Chronograph Men's Watch JY8030-83E four years ago and it is working like a charm
I have a noob question for eco drive. So i had this eco drive for 7years (my first watch & start of my watch collection lol) haven’t had any maintenance done to it but does it need some type of special maintenance like i have to take it to citizen? Or any trustable watch repair stores can work on it? Or it doesn’t even need maintenance? I’d appreciated if you could give me some knowledge on this if it happens to catch your eyes. Thanks !
Any store that advertises that they sell Citizen would be good start.
The first Eco Drive I owned last from 2000 - 2017, I kept the watch charged, from sunlight; removing the watch before washing my hands, and so on. In 2017, I believe water from a leaking garden hose nozzle entered the case back of the Citizen, the second hand would jump back & forth, (between 30 second and 33 second mark), minute and hour hand did not advance. I did some research, learned that gasket would need replacing, and I decided to purchase another Eco Drive and call it a day. :)
Thank you for this, just bought my first Eco-Drive.
@Original Livedog Congrats on your purchase! ✔
So at the beginning of lockdown in 2020 I stopped wearing my then 11 year of eco drive because the crystal had a tiny leak from a small fracture. Also I wanted to be sure I was washing my hands properly.
It was only this week I thought about wearing a watch again. The eco drive had been on my desk for 3 year but had stopped working a while ago. I noticed the crystal was dirty so went to the bathroom to wipe it clean. Lo and behold as the sun hit the panel the seconds hand starts moving again. I took to our veranda for better sun exposure to recharge and then at night it is left in the hallway facing a dim light. I haven’t been game enough to test the power reserve yet. I want to get the 36hour cloudy exposure first then see about getting the glass replaced by a watchmaker. But I was damn surprised it worked without much effort.
Good info. That's exactly what happened to my Calibre 2100. It would charge up but not hold well after that. So I got the capacitor replaced and that solved the problem. Now I keep it under a light that's on much of the day.
@Philip Janes Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the video, very informative. I have several solar powered watches and was not able to figure out the best way to keep them charged. Turns out as you said, the best way it to keep them near a natural light source which is not only more powerful than any LED but also literally free of any cost.
@Abdulla Khaled You're welcome. Thanks for watching!
You didn’t figure out the best way to keep them watch charged is by the sun? 🤷♂️
Keep them in any sort of light and it will stay charged
I've since moved on to more expensive watches (several of them on my channel), but my Citizens will always have my heart. Honestly, dollar-for-dollar, there's not a better watch on the planet. I've had one of them for 10 years and it hasn't needed any kind of service. Powered by the sun and it gets the radio signal for perfect time. My other one, which I've had for almost 3 years, is the same but it's a Satellite Citizen and gets the time anywhere in the world (doesn't need to be within so many hundred miles of a radio transmitter) and tells me what time zone I'm in. Simply fantastic watches and worth every penny and more.
Citizen is good but Seiko is best. I love both
Tan Vu I have to give the nod to citizen! But I’ll value your opinion since you own and love both!
Tan Vu that’s funny I think seiko is good but citizen is best and I love both I even own a seiko chrono lol
Did you delete your channel?
That's a great video, and information Citizen doesn't really give you. I just got my Eco-Drive chronograph today and will follow these steps. Thanks bro
Glad it was helpful!
@@TimesTicking my mistake was not read the novela of instructions that came with my watch. Recently my second hand kept stopping but the chronograph was still able to function, because I was wearing it only at night or to the shop's for an hour's daylight a couple times a week I assumed it wasn't the power cell. I had dropped in while cleaning the night before, and was worried that the movement was damaged. I thought about how little I actually changed it so I put it in the sun for a few hours, and bam it was back in action. These are great watches for the money and the power cell technology is amazing. I'm really happy with my purchase and I've only ever had citizens. My most expensive watch was the Citizen Ana-Digi Temp 8982 it cost around $800AUD in 90'. I've still got it because it was once my dad's. Thanks for the video
It’s 2021 had it since 2007 stored it the entire time, just got new bands still works perfectly
I had to replace a capacitor because of this. It still worked but it wouldn't hold a charge through a weekend if stored
My high school gf bought me one in 04. Still works.
This is why when I put mine away, I always put it in the cylindrical case with the lid off, on a table near one of my window-lit rooms. It’s a silver PCAT, and I really do love it, since it’s the most expensive watch I’ve ever bought, and quite a comfortable one at that.
Left my Eco-Drive in a draw for 2 years! Left it out in daylight for a day and did a factory reset and it's still going strong over a decade later :)
@Dean Allan Perfect! ✔
Nice ride 👌
My eco-drive 300. I learnt the hard way. Once my jeweler educated me on the particulars. I has been a constant valuable and enjoyable timepiece in my collection. Back to an education... It is one of many reasons I follow your ‘web show.’ Forgive me if I describe your show incorrectly. I grew up in a time far removed from these new computer gizno(s).
I’ve had mine since 2009 with no problems
You still have a couple of years id say about 5 more, then you should replace the battery capacitor
@@MultiTHUNDER00...replace the battery capacitor?... Please explain.
@@raymondfrye5017 I'm not sure, but I can only assume the "Batteries" are actually capacitors. Which in general offer higher power density and quicker charge times than a standard Lithium Ion battery.
I have six Citizen Eco-Drive watches, and I didn't use them for years; i.e. I left them in darkness for a long time. I put them in my window for a few hours, and they ran fine again. Now that they're fully charged, I put them in my window once or twice a month to maintain the charge. I also wear them every so often, which also helps maintain their charge.
Well, I guess I'm excluded. We never see the sun in Denmark😂
A Led Light bulb would provide a good charge for that
Around 10-11 years ago I purchased a titanium model with sapphire crystal Eco-Drive which works perfectly. My concern is if after that long period I should replace the capacitor preventively before it went out of production although it runs flawesly up to this moment. If that specific battery or capacitor turns obsolete your watch will be unuseful. I'm quite sure modern Eco-Drives use different capacitors with bigger capacity or different chemical composition.
@Sage Oldmann sometimes you get attached to a watch
What was your experience with titanium in terms of scratch resistance?? I mean how does it looks
Thank you, that was helpful. I was about to take the battery out of my watch. It was a present and I did not know what eco drive was supposed to work like
@Sebastian Frank Glad we could help! Take care.
Had my first eco drive 15 years now it is in top condition works as good same day I bought it an bought my 2nd one 2 months ago
Beautiful
i bought a citizen ar1135-15e for 4 months and i did'n know about these information. Thank you so much !
@Đạo Lê You're welcome! Thanks for watching.
Had no clue this was a thing. Looking at getting one of these and this is helpful. Thanks!!
You're welcome! Thanks for watching :)
Thanks for this video! It helped to resurrect my 20+ year Eco Drive that I thought was damaged. I did the 130 hours charge and now it’s working fine
Thank you so much for the tutorial video something did not know of my Eco- Citizen Watch So therefore we must live and learn thank you again for your time and your service on RUclips God bless
I keep my unused (not in rotation) Seiko Solar and Citizen Eco-Drive watches hanging towards the north so receiving a constant but not direct, strong sunlight. I guess it is the best way to keep it running and keeping a correct time. When I use them they receive a strong sunlight for many hours considering Spain is usually very sunny.
Citizen Eco-drive is like 90's Toyota, Honda, Nissan. They just refuse to die.
I left my eco drive out on my concrete balcony on a spring day. When I went out to get it a few hours later, the concrete and the watch were piping hot. I didn't expect that and thought I had ruined it. The watch was fine though and is still running 2 years later. They couldn't have designed it for heat tolerance since its meant for a human wrist, but it somehow survived being fried like an egg. Impressive.
@MakerInMotion Cool story! Thanks for sharing 👍
I've bought 4 Ecodrive watches since the very first one. The capacitors DO wear out. It did last 15+ years before it was replaced but it was $120! Ouch. Regular watch battery replacement was $15 at same jeweler.
Was just about to send my citizen back to Jomashop because the Chronograph had stopped working. Ironically the watch was still keeping time, but the small seconds hand was only counting every two seconds. Watched this video, stuck the watch under a bright light for 60 seconds, and guess what, IT WORKS. Thank you for the extremely helpful video!!!
@ Matthew Borys Great to read this helped you! Thanks for watching. 🙂🙂 Take care.
Second hand jumping in sequence of "every 2 seconds" is the clear indication of low charge. This is a purposeful design by Citizen as an early indicator. Should be in your owner's manual or ANY Eco-drive manual you can find on the internert.
Very informative. I purchased a citizen Ecco drive used for 30 bucks. It was excellent condition. Have had to replace the battery twice. Had I known about how they actually work, could have saved some money. Thanks for the info. 👏👍
@ARod-br2ui "Thanks for the info." You're welcome, thanks for watching!!!
at least you didn't stretch the video for 10 minutes like others do. i thought they didnt use capacitors anymore, but rechargeable batteries these days
They still use capacitors for their watches
Yep, Citizen uses capacitors and I know that Casio does too. The thing that sucks is that the cheapest capacitor I could find for my Casio was $36. So they are not cheap like watch batteries are. People claim that you could use a standard watch battery, but that might damage the charging circuit. Plus, you NEVER touch the capacitor with your fingers.
Its actually a rechargeable eco-drive cell ( a rechargeable cell battery w/ a tab soldered onto it, the right shape and length to make contact with the lead from the solar panel dial)
I thought the 10 min rule is in order to get paid by youtube?
They call it a solar capacitor now rather than a rechargeable battery so that the advertisements can say that you'll NEVER need to replace any battery. Though decades later you'll still have a "solar capacitor" to replace once it stops holding a solar recharge.
Thanks for the information. I’m considering buying an eco drive watch and am in the process of researching all that I can about them. Good to know.
You can't go wrong, they're lovely watches and they will literally last you a life time. Gone are the days when you have to replace a battery every 6 to 8 months lol. Good luck with your quest for an eco drive, I hope you find the perfect one for yourself
@@Adam-ro3lu Thank you very much. I take your recommendation seriously. I’m looking for quality and durability in the construction of the watch, as well as and great value for money.
Glad it was helpful!
I’ve had a Calibre 8700 for about 11 years. It still keeps accurate time. I love this watch. It was definitely worth the money. I would recommend it to anyone who wants a great watch
@ Michael McCormick Great to hear! Thanks for watching :)
I have one also. I've had mine since 2004. Still works perfectly and is always at full charge even though I dont wear it as often because I have a couple newer models.
Very informative and well presented..Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
If you own a Citizen Skyhawk. I would try a master reset and then check to see if all the hands are in their proper orientation ("0" positions). No matter how accurate the atomic time is. If your hands aren't calibrated....the watch will be inaccurate. I'd send it in to Citizen if the problem of inaccurate time becomes persistent.
Just bought one on a black friday spontaneous purchase. Nothing like seeing 99% positive reviews about the longevity of this watch. Excited to wear
Which one? I think I got the same one lol. It was too good of a deal to pass on.
I was about to give up on my 2004 Skyhawk: it was in a wall display case with little light exposure for years, dead as a rock when checking it recently, summer of 2020.
It literally took SEVERAL DAYS of full sunlight exposure on a window sill to wake it up again.
In the beginning nothing happened, the LCD panel stayed gray, no motion of the hands.
After two or three days the LCD came to life, the hands moved to the zero position, time for a complete setup. It recovered nicely and is running with its three power bars since then (the fourth bar seems not to exist anyways), now it is placed on my sunny work desk.
I wonder what type of battery or capacitor they used in this ancient model? Pricy gold caps will never die, but typical metal ion cells will be damaged when discharged to rock bottom voltages over long periods of time.
It should charge to 4 bars, me be mine took half a week under halogen light to reach it; if I remember correctly.. three black charge areas, and red for low make up the 4 positions/bars
at the risk of jinxing myself here, have had a Promaster Carbon for about 12-13 years and it's always sat on a window ledge when not being worn. has worked great, kept accurate time, and just been a pleasure to own
Bought my first eco drive watch in 1997 still going strong 💪
wow, which brand??
@@kreativeliquidator233 citizen
Just bought my 1st Citizen EcoDrive. I'm very pleased.
Thanks for the reset tip! Got my defunct Skyhawk back in action after years of being in a box. Thought it was totally dead since I couldn't get it to charge. Did what you said (pulling the crown out to time set position and putting it in sunlight) and boom! Saved me a trip to the watch repair shop. :)
@2WhiteAndNerdy Sweet! Thanks for sharing :)
This is where im at today, fingers crossed
What is the time se position? Is it you pull it once or all the way to the back?
First of all thank you for explaining. I made all the mistakes you said not too. My watch works only when it's exposed to light. I have tried charging for 8 hrs in direct sunlight. It's still giving same behavior. I have nighthawk eco-drive. Any suggestions?
I love it.. I have it in my collection for more than 20 years.. It happened more than twice I left it enclosed in my luggage for years until it looks dead, but after repeated recharging it works normal.. Now I'm using it after I brought it from a dark store for more than 7 years... And it works beautifully
This man 's advice is 100% spot on. BRAVO.
@738polarbear Thanks very much! 😊
Are you sure you're talking about capacitors and not batteries? The failure mode you're describing is common with rechargeable batteries, lithium ion in particular. Capacitors do not suffer from being overly discharged.
Cristi Neagu I agree. Even modern super caps don’t hold a charge for that long! I would suspect the 6-8 month battery life is more due to internal resistance than actual current draw 🙃 just because of the size of the battery they must use (
Thank you so much
@eyermolochis6707 Thanks for your support!!
They come packed in cases who knows how long they are stored before they are sold.
🤯🤯🤯
mine came fully charged with correct time and date settings.
Thank you
@7777PEACEMAKER Thank you for watching!!!
Got mine in the early 90’s and still works like new
@latino Grande Good to hear, wow!
Awesome information thanks
My son's bought me one at less 15 years ago still going strong use it a golf course I work part time as the starter nobody doubts my start times
PERFECT
exactly what is needed and no BS
No problems with my ECO-Drive. Bought in 2006 in St.Thomas Virgin Islands.
I have a 2004 Ecodrive. Still works but stopped several times this winter due to misuse. Kept under a sleeve to long and regularly and very little sun.
Now I charge it every night with a bright LED for a few weeks to give it a full charge and we'll see
Thank you for this - it’s 100% true. I bought the titanium caliber 2100 in 1998 (wore it on vacation to Germany with my lovely wife) and then in 2006 I bought the same watch in white face and the same in black face. I purchased a Rolex GMT Master II and an Omega Seamaster and wore those for the past 20+ years and totally forgot about my caliber 2100’s. I opened the watch chest on bedside dresser recently (they were stored in for over 20 years under glass with indirect sunlight) and to my surprise, they still work and keep 100% charge and now I wear them regularly out of respect!!!!! I just ordered the Promaster Diver in blue and the PCATin blue. My titanium is 26 years old, my two stainless are over 18 years old and they are perfection like they were just purchased - these are lifetime watches!!!!
I’m from the future it’s 2069 and my eco drive is still rocking and rolling 😂
Is 2069 as wild as 1969???
SPACEMANNNNN
Thanks for the video. My father has an ecodrive and seems like it does need a need capacitor or a new movement. Is there a reliable repair shop in New Jersey or New York someone can recommend? My dad is very fond of his watch.
Great info on my favorite watches!
I have a J810 I bought but the seconds hand is bent. Is it a hard task to do? Can I buy a replacement seconds hand for it. Also the face is 180 degrees off. Can the face be rotated?
@mgomez5606 Sorry to hear about your Citizen! If you need assistance, send it over www.timesticking.com/citizen-watch-repair Take care.
I just found my old "watch storage / display box" with 3 of my old ecoDrives in it - the oldest from around mid 2006! I had smashed the crystal on that one 4WHeeling many years ago & was too worried about it getting wet to wear it. I randomly found some old forms I was sending to Citizen for them to replace the crystal on it and thought "No doubt I'm gonna need a 'solar cell' because I'm an idiot and left them up on a dark shelf in a display box" but then Plot Twist: 2 Of them I had the foresight to pull out the crown & they're tickin right along! I was really smart 10+ years ago. idk wtf happened.
It is critical to keep the acumulador always in high
Great advice for the eco drive watches. I think many people don’t give their solar watches enough light. Also, I’d like to mention that the Eco drive uses a special lithium ion battery that they call an energy cell, but its still a rechargeable battery not a capacitor.
This ^^^ I received mine as a gift my only regret was not having the manual because it does have special needs. Otherwise its been great to me
@@MrDizzyRoc All manuals on line - model number should be on the back.
Good news ! I had a couple of Seiko Kinetics with capacitors that eventually failed. I changed them out for what was sold as genuine Seiko replacements but after a few months failed so I guess they were not the real deal. I have about 30 watches in my collected so keeping the kinetics charged was difficult without investing in top quality watch winder. The cheap one I have didn’t seem to do the job for the Kinetics
@@marcdaniels9079 I have a Seiko Kinetic that I bought in 2005. It had run very good for almost 18 years until about 6 months ago when it started going slower and not keeping good time. I went to my local jeweler and he said it would cost $240 to replace the capacitor??? WOW! I only paid $122 in 2005. So, it's in the old junk drawer. I'm not complaining because it doesn't owe me anything. I now have 2 Citizen Eco Drives that I bought in the last 2 years. They are beautiful watches and hope they last as long as my Seiko.
I received and ECO Drive watch as a graduation gift in 2004. The watch still performs flawlessly. The downside, after nearly 20 years of daily use, the band broke. Citizen no longer makes a replacement band for that model watch.
@pizzamann95 Send it over, we'll fix the band for you. To get started visit www.timesticking.com/citizen-watch-repair , if interested. Take care.
Thank for the BREIF video! No "sorry I haven't posted in a while, been busy on xx project"!
My 1st Citizen watch brought back in 2010 still running just fine. Couple of times I let it get too low on power. Just sat it out in direct sunlight for a day.
Newsflash! Solar powered watches need light to run! Not that remarkable really - if the watch has run out of power, give it some light and it will recharge. There's nothing wrong with it.
I bought a citizen eco drive chronograph decades ago, around the 90's. It been on my wrist virtually non stop since. Never failed, or serviced. Still going strong...!!
I came back here to say a big 'thank you' for making and sharing this video which I came across for the very first time, last week.
I was about to pull the trigger on a new watch to replace my beloved old but trusty GN4S which had stopped working since more than a year. I'm so glad that I didn't throw it in bin because, after watching this video, I took out the watch and decided to leave it on my kitchen window for the day, following the instruction given in this video.
By evening, I picked up the watch to have a look and, what a surprise ! So, my trusty old watch is back and marching strong !!
Thank you, once again. I feel like I've just bought a watch and saved money in the process. How high can you get on such a feeling ?!!!
@SonnyXL Bright So great!! Thank you for sharing. We appreciate your kind words, thank you. :)
In what position did you pulled out the crown? How many times...1 or 2?
Thx. Similarly to driving cars rather than letting them sit..1 question. On Amazon,I read" details about wAtch "what if it says "first available in 2011,2014 ect??" Is that bad ?been in a warehouse somewhere,or ???
I've had both of my Skyhawks for 9yrs now and they are some of the best watches I've ever owned👍👍
@ Luis H. Great to read! Thanks for watching :)
I made the mistake of storing my Blue Angels Skyhawk in my collection case. It took me 3 days to properly recalibrate the damn thing....lol.....love the watch but it always sees the sun light on a daily basis.
I bought an eco drive in 2018 and it has stopped working in 2024. I have worn it 24/7 except while showering. I bought it in Texas and moved to NJ in 2021. I'm not sure whether the sunny days in Texas vs cloudy days NJ was a factor. I have always worn my watches with the dial facing inwards on my wrist and I have changed the habit now. No, my watch doesn't charge on indoor lights, only on exposure to sunlight. I have mostly LED bulbs in my home, they don't seem to charge my watch. Wanted to share the info with the prospective buyers. I spend at least a couple of of hours outdoors everyday except on totally rainy days or snowy days.
I bought mine in 1998 and today I am still wearing it. It never got service with other words never opened.
@ Rainer Wever Nice!!
wow, what model do you have?
wow! 20 year without service? That´s incredible !
Mines been 9 years no service left in dark drawer for 2 years still works perfectly fine
Thank you so much I thought my eco drive was dead and put it away seen then and put it in the sun all all day now it is back alive
Thank you again
@Owen Platz Great to read, take care!
My H145 stopped working and behaving erratically and I never sat in the dark for 6 months. I believe the place I purchased it from kept it stored in the box too long. I've owned it for close to 8 years now and havent worn it for 2 years. I just bought a capacitor on ebay. Cant wait to recieve it so I can wear it again. I have been wearing my citizen eco nighthawk black watch.
Thank you.I'm searching for information on why my Tsuno's chronograph function isn't working.Any advice?
I have had my ecodrive for 8 years, no battery replacement,only time I have ever made adjustments are for daylight savings, etc.. and for months that have less or more than 30 days in it.
Whenever I am doing dishes I placed on sill . That's maintained it ever since.
Thanks for your advice.
Just got mine, it's amazing
@Alecxace Nice !! :)
Thanks for this. Mine is dead and wasn’t sure what to do.
@xeonzero1 You're welcome!
Own two Nighthawks...never a problem charging with either one, after eight years of service.