Solar and Kinetic Watches

ACCESSORIES · GLOBAL

Solar and Kinetic Watches

How they work, battery life, what they need and whether they suit you

Watches that never need a battery change solve a small but persistent annoyance, and they work in ways worth understanding.

How solar movements work

A photovoltaic cell under the dial charges a rechargeable cell, which runs a standard quartz movement. Any light works, including indoor light, though daylight charges far faster.

A full charge typically runs for months in darkness, and many have a power reserve indicator or a warning where the second hand jumps in intervals.

Kinetic and automatic quartz

A rotor spun by wrist movement generates electricity to charge a cell. These need wearing regularly, and a watch left in a drawer for months will stop.

The rechargeable cell is not permanent

It lasts far longer than a disposable battery — commonly ten to twenty years — and it does eventually degrade and need replacing. Solar is low maintenance rather than no maintenance.

Do not leave a solar watch permanently in a dark drawer, since a fully depleted cell is harder on it.

Accuracy

These are quartz movements, so they keep time to seconds a month, which is far better than any mechanical watch. Radio-controlled and satellite models set themselves from a time signal.

Who they suit

Anyone who dislikes battery changes, anyone who wears one watch daily, and anyone travelling where a battery change would be inconvenient.

Someone who rotates several watches suits kinetic less well, since those need wearing.

Water resistance

Ratings are tested under static pressure. 30 metres means splashes only; 100 metres is the realistic minimum for swimming. Never operate the crown underwater.

Straps and sizing

A watch should sit firmly without pressing, with room to slide a finger underneath. Quick-release spring bars let you change straps in seconds and completely change how a watch looks.

Case diameter and lug-to-lug distance decide whether a watch suits your wrist, and lug-to-lug matters most on a smaller wrist.

As a gift

A solar watch suits someone who would never get round to a battery change. Keep the receipt and the papers together with the box.

Solar and travel

A solar watch charges from daylight through a window, so leaving it on a sill rather than in a drawer keeps it topped up. Radio-controlled models reset themselves across time zones automatically.

Check whether the model supports the time signal in the countries you visit, since signal coverage differs considerably by region.

Buying sensibly

Check the warranty on the movement and whether the rechargeable cell is serviceable by a local jeweller or only by the manufacturer. That determines what happens in ten years.

Previous models at reduced prices frequently do everything the current one does.

Care

Have any battery or seal work done by someone who reseals the case properly, and keep the watch away from strong magnets and extreme heat.

WHERE TO BUY

Ready to shop Accurist? Use the link below to visit the official store.

→ Shop Accurist — official site

Visit this site