The Citizen BM8475-00X is Green and runs off PV!
 

http://www.bluedial.com/images/Items/BM8475-00X.jpg

So, you never have to replace the battery!! Supposedly, it could last about 10 years..
They say the PV is under the surface of the watch face. Which happens to be
pretty dang large.. The right size for an older nearsighted retiree.. :cool:

Lot's of good reviews at:
Amazon.com: Citizen Men's BM8475-00X Eco-Drive Military Black Plated Steel Canvas Strap Watch: Military: Watches


My wrist are a little larger than this guy's.. At 6.75" around..
Citizen Eco-Drive Military Watch BM8475 - YouTube


What do you guys think? Should I go Solar?? (I see one on Ebay for $100)..
Since I'll be 66 this month, this could be the last watch that I ever have to buy.. :D

But shouldn't retirees (and not only) avoid direct sunlight?
Plus there are parts of the world (like here) where there can be almost no sunlight for weeks at a time (a few years ago we had a total of 3 hours of sunshine during all of January).
Unless it runs off of room lighting.

You must be thinking of retired Vampires.. ;)
 

If the second hand starts clicking up 2 seconds at a jump, it's time for direct sunlight.
In 4 hours, it's fully recharged (for another 6 months of total darkness)..
Otherwise, it will stay charged if used or left sitting in normal room light.
I think this watch would be just fine for use in Norway or Nome. :)

AND, No more filling the city dump with tiny little batteries that sweet little
mice could accidentally ingest and become giant killer RoboRats! :eek:

Anyways, I've been reading the reviews and I just might be clicking on this one... :thumbup:

I don't have a regular watch anymore..
My work watch is too big for things that I do now..
Timex Data-Link (USB type).
http://cdn.pocketnow.com/html/portal...ooked%20up.jpg

It's great for work, since it's like a little PDA.. But, I don't work much these days..

Too big for me..
 

After watching the video again, it just seemed a tad too big..
(Case diameter: 42.00 Case Thickness: 11.00)
I changed my mind and went for a different Eco-Drive model..
Amazon.com: Citizen Men's BM8180-03E Eco-Drive Canvas Strap Watch: Citizen: Watches

Has all the same features, but it's bit smaller. It might even look better too.
http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/1931/89942377.jpg
Case diameter: 37.00mm Case Thickness: 9.00mm

And, the cost isn't too bad either.. :cool:

Hi,
Looks good.

Question: does the date feature handle months of 30 and 31 days automatically? Or, do you have to manually advance the date number on short months?

Gary

Manual.. And not too easy, per the reviews..

"The date and day need to be set before noon or the date and day won't change properly;
after all, the watch cannot tell whether it is morning or afternoon!
And the date requires adjusting at the end of the month for 30-day months."

Seems like the date/month gismo might have caused a lot of 1 star reviews.
The reviews go back to 2005.. I hope the factory worked out the bugs by now..

my eco drive is coming up on 8 years. still works although I think the battery or whatever it stores it's charge in is getting tired. It used to go weeks in a drawer without an issue. Now more then 2 or 3 days and it's dead. I'll get it freshened up. If I was buying again I'd have no issue with the eco drive if I can get a tough enough model. Mine is a pretty dressy titanium and I did break the guts in it early on dropping it 8 feet onto a concrete floor.

oh and mine handles 30 vs 31 day months not a problem but setting it isn't obvious. I need to break out the manual to remember how to do it. Something about pointing to the correct year somehow so it knows. If I remember correctly it still gets leap years wrong though. The feature is called perpetual calendar.

mine looks a lot like this one
http://www.citizenwatch.com/COC/Engl...ber=BM7080-54E

21:00
 

It looks like you just need to make sure not to do it after 21:00 hours..


Setting the calendar
1. Pull the crown out to the 1st click (calendar setting position).
2. Set the desired date by turning the crown counterclockwise.
3. Set the desired day of the week by turning the crown clockwise.
• In the case of date display models, turning the crown clockwise will result in
the loose play of the crown.
4. After you have set the calendar, be sure to press the crown back to its
normal position.
• Do not adjust the calendar when the watch is reading as below. Otherwise
the calendar may not change correctly.
* Date display models ..... between 9:00 pm and 1:00 am
* Date, day of the week display models ..... between 9:00 pm and 4:00 am


Since your watch is about 8 years old, I wonder if they made any improvements to the titanium battery?

I read somewhere, that some models had a capacitor, instead of a battery,
and there was a problem with leakage, as they aged.
I assume it was in reference to voltage leakage (and not a fluid),
which causes a cap to self-discharge..

Humm, I'll be 74 in another eight years.. Not sure if I'll be needing a watch much after that..
(If I make it that long)! :eek:

At last!
 

The dealer tested the watch, found a problem, and decided not to ship it.. Back-ordered me.. :(

Today, the BM8180-03E came back into stock at Amazon main,
so I canceled my Discount Watch Store order and placed a new order with Amazon.
Should be here in about a week.. Can't wait!! I love the look of this watch..


Here's a pic with a replacement band..
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b8...Citizen180.jpg

That face is very Cool looking eh?? :cool:

I've been using this Kenneth Cole watch and it just doesn't seem right for me.. Too dressy.. ;)

How about a pic with the watch on your wrist for size reference?