Real life sucks. Just when one thing seems sorted another knocks you sideways instead. Gah. Slowly g...
Real life sucks. Just when one thing seems sorted another knocks you sideways instead. Gah. Slowly getting back to grips on here but can they please stop changing things?
Member since:25.06.2003
Reviews:257
Members who trust:60
My 'friend' decided i needed a special present this year for christmas and bought me the Citizen Ecodrive Charm bracelet watch. It's one which has been advertised quite alot in womensmagazines, and it is very pretty and a bit different. The bracelet is a basic silver coloured bracelet, attatched are five small handbag charms, one is plain silver colour, the other four have stones in different design 'handbags', the colours are pink, blue, yellow and clear. The watch itself is a slightly larger handbag shapewith clear 'diamonds' around the face and a blue pearly looking face. Its pretty and sparkles nicely which keeps him as amused as it does me, but then again hes amused by some very simple things - british money for one. The second of these watches that I own is also the silver coloured version but this time has shell shaped charms on it. The watch face on this is circular and has a white pearlescent background, it is just as pretty as the other!
The whole item is quite heavy for a bracelet although as watches go its quite light, so best of both worlds I guess would be the best description. Its certainly unusual, I've worn it out afew times and a lot of people have commented on it at first thinking its a bracelet then in most cases with some surprise when they find its a watch as well. On my bracelet I've added afew charms of my own as I broke a charm bracelet not long ago and hadn't had it mended yet so mine also has a few fish and seahorses mixed in with the handbags (Plus the pink charm from my new phone), which to be honest makes it feel overloaded and noisy, but the charms are all detachable - including the watch - so you can add or remove anything you want, making it fully customisable (how many watches can you say that about?), With also having the second one the charms arent as overloaded as they were and I have got more used to mixing and matching them.
The idea of the ecodrive is that the watches dont need batteries because they are solar powered, and that during normal use the watch with charge itself up as your using it so should not stop, but as I work in a club and dont tend to be up and about during daylight hours at the moment this is a claim I'll be testing to its limits. Citizen claim they should last around 10 years before the solar battery needs replacing. In the 18 months since I got the first of my ecodrive watches it hasn't once slowed or stopped despite spending fairly long periods put away in its box, I guess the claims that it remains charged for a long time is accurate.
My only real problem is the watch doesn't have a water resistance rating on it that I can find, the instruction leaflet says there should be a letter on the watch which corresponds to a table printed but I cant find it, which is bugging me slightly as I'm a bar person and if I wear it to work I dont want to waterlog it when I'm washing my hands and arms (anyone else end up with sticky wrists and forearms when working behind a bar?), also I am heavily involved with a diving school and I run the risk of a dunking even when I am not dressed for it.
I intend to wear the watch on special occasions rather than as an everyday item of jewellery, as my old watches are all still working just fine but I suspect as they die off this will be worn more and more often. The watch has an rrp of about £169 although I'm sure there will be sales on over the festive period which will make it cheaper. The second watch also cost around £169 which for a watch seems expensive but then it won't cost you anything in batteries and is a beautiful and well made piece, none of the charms on either of mine have lost gems, they have picked up scratchs like any other jewellery but no more than any other jewellery.
Also avaliable are the first watch (with the handbags) in gold although to me the gold isnt as effective as the silver and so far as I am aware the shell charm bracelet is only avaliable in silver.
Pictures of Citizen Eco-Drive Watch
My first EcoDrive - Handbags
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
(+) Arguably the best looking mens watch ever. Large clear display, Solar powered,Enough functions to keep you informed/amused forever. (-) Not G-Shock nor Atomic clock (via radio signal) contolled. You certainly need instuctions here as well.
Champagne dial. Gold plated stainless steel bracelet and case with protected crown. Fold ... more
over clasp with push button. Date. Luminous hands and hour markers. Eco drive - powered by light. Water resistant to 50 metres. Gift boxed. Manufacturer's 5 year g...
Postage & Packaging: £4.95 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
(CITIZEN) Ladies Eco-Drive Watch (EW8364-57H)Regular exposure to light, Eco-Drive ... more
continuously recharges itself for a lifetime of use. Eco-Drive's revolutionary lithium-ion rechargeable battery stores enough energy to power the watch for an astonishing...
Postage & Packaging: £3.95 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
(CITIZEN) Ladies Eco-Drive Bangle Watch (EW9222-56DW)Regular exposure to light the ... more
Eco-Drive will continuously recharge itself for a lifetime of use. Eco-Drive's revolutionary lithium-ion rechargeable battery stores enough energy to power the watch for...
Postage & Packaging: £4.87 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Advantages: Arguably the best looking mens watch ever. Large clear display, Solar powered,Enough functions to keep you informed/amused forever. Disadvantages: Not G-Shock nor Atomic clock (via radio signal) contolled. You certainly need instuctions here as well.
Advantages: Quality, reputation, solid, diving potential, the tests they go through. Disadvantages: Automatics are a nightmare, too expensive, can do a lot better, you wonder if yours was ever tested.
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