There are few developments in the watch market that are considered revolutionary. The Citizen Eco-Drive technology is one of them. The special solar cell technology for watches is as innovative as it is environmentally friendly. Because the Eco-Drive technology enables the drive of wristwatches by light alone. The greatest thing about it: all artificial light sources provide Eco-Drive watches with light as well as the sun. Battery changes are not necessary anymore. This saves time and money – and protects the environment. Thanks to ever smaller solar cells, no compromises are needed even in design. Elegant ladies' watch, chic men's watch or sporty chronograph: Eco-Drive drives all watches!
It is unquestionably due not only to the energy crisis of that time, but rather to the innovative nature of the technology that Citizen was already able to set standards in wristwatch drive technology with the precursor models of its Eco-Drive watches in the 1970s. "Better starts now": as if the development engineers of the company had already been inspired by Citizen's forward-looking brand promise in their research work, they should indeed be able to revolutionize the world of watches from then on and for entire generations with the Eco-Drive technology.
The first watch that consistently and exclusively relied on light as the source of energy for its drive and was presented by Citizen to the public in 1976 may well be called a milestone in the history of watchmaking. This first light-driven analogue watch named "Crystron Solar Cell" had as its centrepiece a round solar cell, which was integrated directly into the dial. The research department of Citizen had technically improved the at that time usual, much too big and, above all, very fragile solar cells. The result: the first environmentally friendly version of a quartz watch.
The previously necessary and frequent, at the same time expensive and annoying battery changes became superfluous by the use of Eco-Drive technology. Over the last four decades, Citizen has continued to optimize its environmentally friendly watch technology. For example, the more recent wristwatch models being equipped with it do not only convince with their ever slimmer, flatter and therefore more elegant design because of the reduced size of the installed solar cells. What also fascinates about them is their ever-increasing accuracy and enormous power reserve of several months or even years in phases without light.
Citizen wristwatches with Eco-Drive technology were always and are still ground-breaking due to their innovative technology. The pioneering feature of these women's and men's watches to this day is the high degree of sustainability and environmental friendliness of the progressive drive with light energy. Citizen was even awarded the "Eco Mark Award" in the gold category by the Japan Environment Association (JEA) for its outstanding environmental commitment.
"Better starts now" – from now on also for you?