The Citizen Sapphire Eco-Drive Watch Review: Geek Cred in a Not So “Dumb Watch”

Gear Diary is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Click here to learn More.

The Citizen Sapphire Eco-Drive Watch Review: Geek Cred in a Not So "Dumb Watch" Listen to this article

It’s easy to forget that with so many smartwatches available, there are still plenty of people who simply want to wear a watch that looks good and tells the time. But finding that watch doesn’t mean you need to give up your geeky edge; the Citizen Eco-Drive Watch line manages to roll true greek-credibility into a beautiful not so “dumb-watch”.

08-citizen-sapphire-ecodrive-watch-007

Citizen recently offered me my choice of several Eco-Drive watch styles to review. I chose from the Sapphire line; they offer a 44mm mens watch, and I went with the 28mm ladies version. I have to admit that although I had heard of Eco-Drive watches in the past (Kev owns one of their titanium models), I didn’t know much about them, much less what made them “Eco”. I was about to get an education, though.

ThermoWorks Thermapen Mk4

My first hint that this wasn’t simply a quartz watch came when I opened the outer box. The flap inside had a diagram briefly explaining that Eco-Drive watches convert “any light into energy.” The energy is then stored in a power cell, and that power cell is enough to keep the watch working for at least 6 months, even if the watch is stored in the dark.

Let’s take a look at the ladies Sapphire Eco-Drive watch, and then we’ll dig more into what being an Eco-Drive watch actually entails.

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Thanks for your support!


About the Author

Judie Lipsett Stanford
Editor in Chief of Gear Diary, Secular Humanist, techie, foodie, hoarder of Kindle eBooks, lover of live music, and collector of passport stamps.