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As we sail in times when it"s necessary for us to become more aware of our environment, it seems that solar powered watches" time is just coming up. And when you dig into the solar powered time-tellers, two lines stand out as the most popular: One from Citizen, their famous Eco-Drive, and other from Seiko, their Solar line. When you try to compare watches from Citizen Eco-Drive and Seiko Solar lines, you get a feeling as if you need to compare their parent brands, Citizen and Seiko, as these two sub-brands are their worthy representatives. Deciding which one is more worth your wrist is not only a tough decision; it also has more to do with fear of missing out, since, by now, both brands have hit a high-quality scale when it comes to their timepieces. The first thing that comes to my mind is that this is a super-tough decision, as both Citizen Eco-Drive and Seiko Solar have their piece of charm and deliver similar results in terms of performance. On the other hand, these two companies have somewhat different target groups. But if the coin has to fall on one side, then let"s examine what makes each of them so popular. To start doing it, we have to start from the beginning of the solar watch era, by reminding you that both Citizen and Seiko introduced their solar watches in the 1970"s. Citizen did so in 1976, to be exact, while Seiko did it a year later. The Eco-Drive was Citizen""s 1990"s breakthrough that placed the solar cells behind the dial, which put Citizen on a wide commercial market. On the other side, Seiko Solar line also improved over time, but its exquisite craftsmanship kept it reserved only for direct or sales through authorized dealers. In conclusion, Citizen is more of a commercial watch brand and even if Seiko isn"t particularly a luxury brand, it is still highly respected because of their focus on in-house, devoted production.

Undoubtedly, both Citizen Eco-Drive and Seiko Solar have evolved during the decades. In fact, over time, the solar technology itself has evolved so much that modern solar watches can now be powered by artificial light. Truth to be told, not all light sources will charge the watch the same and sunlight is still a king, but just the idea that your watch will be powered while there is some - or any light is super convenient. Citizen’s Eco-Drive was created with exactly the same idea in mind – to create energy even from the dim light and yet enable the watch to run for months without charging. Today, Eco-Drive employs solar cells behind and around dial (image above), to make charging super-quick. When it comes to Seiko, the story is pretty much the same, except the placing of solar cells. Seiko keeps them under their opaque dial (image below), which makes the watches stand out by their look. Only a minute of charge generates enough power for around an hour, which, together with long power reserve in rest mode, keeps Seiko in line with Citizen in these tracks.

As you may already know, in the past decades, both lines have significantly improved the longevity of batteries that run their watches, as well as their power reserves. When it comes to these two lines of solar powered or, better said, light powered watches, their current models have covered all the weak spots of their predecessors. In fact, they did it so well, that some solar timepieces are now among the most reliable ones, at least when it comes to power reserves. The same goes for accuracy whose fallout cannot really be felt in real life. If you need to go deeper into details, we"ve wrote about it earlier, in this article. But let"s not talk about what these two lines of light powered timepieces have in common, as that means a lot of things - let"s rather mention their differences to see what makes each of them stand out. When it comes to specific characteristics such as look and performances, Citizen"s Eco-Drive is employed in more different collections and models than when it comes to Seiko, so there are definitely more choices in Citizen"s case. On the other hand, most of the Citizen"s Eco-Drive watches rely on the quartz movement, while Seiko Solar line mostly employs automatic movements, but there are exceptions, of course. I think it would be wise to take a look at some of the most prominent models from both lines, to showcase the complexity of the matter.

When it comes to Citizen Eco-Drive Limited Models, Citizen Watch Eco-Drive 100th Anniversary AV0077-82E, Japan Limited Edition of 3000 Pieces is surely worth the mention. Marked with 100th anniversary logo on its back, its price goes from $800.

Citizen Eco-Drive Satellite Wave GPS with satellite-synchronized movement F990 from 2011 is another worthy representative of the line with its super-cool design and so called “time from the sky”. Prices of this piece go over $3500, but mind the fact that even this one is the older model, it is one of the coolest (and historical) Citizen’s watches.

Citizen Eco-Drive Promaster Sky line has a model on the lower price end but surely worth mentioning: Citizen Eco-Drive Promaster JY8078-01L Blue Angels Skyhawk that delivers an excellent-looking timepiece for around $350.

Citizen Eco-Drive Promaster Marine line delivers another affordable diver watch: Citizen Promaster BN0193-17E Rose Gold coated Eco-Drive Diver, which can be found for as low as $200.

Seiko Prospex Black Series Limited Edition Solar SNE493P1 and Seiko Prospex Black Series Limited Edition Solar Chronograph SSC673P1 are 2018 models on the higher price end and can be bought for slightly over $600.

Seiko Prospex Fieldmaster Digital Tuna Solar X LOWERCASE attracts attention with three models: White SBEP011, SBEP003 and SBEP005, whose price ranges from $270 to over $400.

The Seiko Prospex "Street Series" has 3 charming fellas: Solar Diver Navy Blue SNE533, Olive Green SNE535 and Grey SNE537 and their price goes around $450.

Seiko Prospex Arnie Re-Issue holds another 3 worthy solar representatives for around $500: Solar Hybrid Black LCD Watch SNJ025P1, SNJ027P1 and SNJ028P1 With all these facts in mind, I hope you have now realized why the first thing that came to my mind was that it’s almost impossible to decide. If you ask me, none if these watches is not even close to ordinary, but is rather a handsome, accurate and reliable timepiece. To briefly breakdown the financial side of the story, Citizen’s Eco-Drive may be less expensive choice than Seiko Solar in most cases, so Citizen may give you more value for your bucks. But the choice is tricky because Seiko plays on peculiar craftsmanship, so it really comes down to what you appreciate more. In the end, both choices will probably give you a watch that will last you a lifetime, so you cannot lose whatever you choose. So if you find yourself in situation where you must choose between Citizen"s Eco-Drive and Seiko Solar, maybe it"s best to ask yourself one simple question to determine to which target group you belong. What sounds more appealing to you: Saving money by buying more commercial brand or paying more for craftsmanship? There lies your answer.

First let me say I"m not a watch guy, I like watches I think they look cool but frankly I don"t know what makes a good watch good or what makes a cheap watch cheap, I only know that the general consensus is that Seiko is a good "starter watch". That being said this review is from the standpoint of a normal guy who just likes the watch.

This isn"t a "starter watch" a good product is a good product no matter the price! It"s suited for a guy who owns a Rolex or a guy who buys no name watches and just wants something nicer. Honestly after owning this watch a while I would have no problem paying the full retail $180.00 for this and at $60.00 it"s a steal and let me tell you why.

First the size, it"s small! I think the modern style is for watches to be big, I actually own another seiko that"s in the recraft series it"s a good looking watch and looks nice with a suit but it"s big and cumbersome. On the contrary the seiko 5 is much much smaller more like the classic sized watch you would have seen your grandfather wearing. I have very large wrists most watch bands only fit on the last or even second to last hole comfortably and this watch looks perfectly sized for my wrists in no way does it look feminine although this could make a fine large watch for a woman. Take a look a look at the picture below and keep in mind I have large wrists at 7.8 inches. The size makes it possible to go along with life with out your watch getting in the way or digging into the back of your hand.

This watch is classy and has an awsome retro design. I feel it was a mistake for them to place this beautiful timepiece on such a cheap watch band. The included watch band is made with a seat belt material and while I think it would last a while I find it to be ugly and it takes away from what the watch could be. I"m sure it was chosen to go along with the military design of the watch it is also probably a cost cutting method.

I honestly never even wore the included band I changed it the moment it came to my door. I first tried a band from Amazon made by strapsco a very beautiful leather watch band but too small for my wrist. Then I got a cheap Walmart 18mm watch band, it worked but didn"t do the watch justice. I ended up getting a watch band from crown and buckle the watch band was on sale for $30.00ish and is made out of realy soft calf leather, call me cheap but I find even that price high for a watch strap but if your looking for a high quality watch strap I recommend trying crown and buckle.

When choosing the color I asked my wife what color I should get and she said green. Honestly I thought green was the ugliest color and wanted to go with black or maybe even blue but I have this nasty habit of asking my wife"s opinion and doing what I want any way. My wife is a smart beautiful classy lady so I decided I need to listen to her opinion and I did and I"m really happy I did. The green face is less military green in real life its more of a forest green, when paired up with a nice leather band it gives this watch a really unique classic look and as stupid as this sounds it"s the only way I can accurately describe it, it looks very earthy. Having the green color on my wrist I wouldn"t choose any of the other colors.

The dial markings are another treat, where as the seiko and 5 shield are applied the second and hour markings are painted straight on the face. That may sound like it would look cheap but I think it actually gives it a very classic and timeless look. Also the way it"s set up makes telling the time a simple quick look down process. The watch also has loom admittedly, while it"s very bright at first it fades quickly, although it"s faint you can still make out the time in the middle of the night.

When you look at that second hand you are going to be treated by what looks like a sweeping second hand, it"s so cool. And while I don"t think it"s really a sweeping hand it"s close enough for this non expert! Turn over the watch and you have that beautiful exhibition display you can see the mechanism that swings when you move that powers the watch also the watch spring moving like a tiny heart beating it"s really an awsome thing to look at. This watch is also an automatic, that means the power is derived from the moment of your arm winding the watch as you go, I have been told it has a life span of nearly 30 or so hours although mine has yet to die. During the work week I wear a digital watch to work and wear this watch for around 4 hours a day and so far that has been enough to keep it alive. Reseting the watch is a snap. First pull the watch crown all the way out and set the clock to 12.00, then push the crown in one click rotate the crown forward to change it to the correct date and backward for the day, pull out the crown again and set the time. Setting it to 12 initially keeps your watch from turning to the Spanish day of the week in the middle of the day, just a learned helpful tip.

And lastly the overall build of the watch. Although it"s a small watch it has some nice heft to it and in no way feels cheap thanks to that stainless steal bezel. The bezel is a really complementing dull stainless steal although the sides by the strap are a nice polished stainless steal. I also really like how the crown is set at 4:00, it gives this watch a very unique look while keeping the crown from digging into the back of your hand.

This is not my only watch nor is it my most expensive, as I also mentioned it"s not my only seiko or my newest watch but it is my favorite. It"s not just that it"s an all around beautiful watch, honestly seiko nailed it here. But this watch is quality and when it comes down to it money doesn"t always determine how long something is going to last even though that"s what consumerism tells us. This watch is quality the stainless steel body not to mention the same movement that is found in a wide variety of seikos including watches that cost much more comparatively. Although it would have been nice to have a nicer crystal even if it would have cost more and even a nicer band included, the price reflects this and I think it"s an even cheaper price then this watch could be.

Ever since watch winders have been available for sale, consumers who own Seiko Kinetic watches wonder why they cannot use a watch winder for their watches. Automatic movement watches work by motion and spinning of the watch"s inner rotor. The spinning of the rotor then winds the mainspring and powers the watch over time. There is no internal battery so usually the watch will stop running within 1-3 days.

The Seiko Kinetic movement watch is designed differently from traditional automatic movement watches. Seiko developed the first Kinetic watch back in 1988. The movement does have an internal rotor inside that swings, but it’s connected to a piece of quartz and a capacitor. The energy stored inside the capacitor powers the watch. The power stored on the watch can last up to 4 years or longer. Since the power last so long for Kinetic watches, we do not recommend purchasing a watch winder.

Many of our customers who purchase a watch winder for their automatic watches also own Seiko Kinetic watches and will use an unused slot to hold the Seiko Kinetic watch. It makes a nice display but the Kinetic watch will not take a charge from the circular motion of the watch winder. Seiko has produced a device called the Kinetic Energy Supplier that has an internal magnet which will power up your kinetic watches. They are made for technicians and watch dealers only so you won"t find them sold very often. Since Seiko Kinetic watches hold a charge for a long time, we do not see the need for a Kinetic energy supplier for the average person.

It was the quartz crisis (or quartz revolution) that helped put Japanese watch brands like Seiko and Citizen on the map for their affordability and their reliability, but both brands were manufacturing watches long before they began chiseling a chunk out of the watch market. Beyond sharing the same country of origin, Citizen and Seiko have other similarities as well as differences worth appreciating. Here’s an in-depth comparison guide of both watch brands and how they bear up against one another.

Seiko’s history is a rather dramatic one. Founder Kintarō Hattori created clocks between 1881 and 1892 but thereafter began specializing in watchmaking. The watches Seiko created for the general public were unaffordable up until the ’70s when quartz technology became simpler and cheaper to produce, and as a result, the public turned to buying quartz watches en masse.

Citizen’s history is much less dramatic and shorter. The company was co-founded by Swiss and Japanese investors and has spent its 100-year lifespan specializing in developing and refining sustainable watches. The company has focused on solar-powered wristwatches but also created the first atomic watch in 1993 – a watch that receives a signal from one of the atomic clocks. As a result, these watches would lose less than one second every 100 000 years! Like Seiko, Citizen’s brand exposure was helped along by the quartz revolution, many of their wristwatches of which are equipped with a Swiss movement despite their watchmaking facilities remaining in Japan.

Style-wise, both Seiko and Citizen have a large catalog of watches that span from the technically-heavy, higher-priced watch range down to those that sit within the fashion watch price bracket. Whilst Seiko is recognized for creating classic styles, Citizen has been more experimental and adventurous in its approach to watch manufacture, creating innovative timepieces that dare to break the mold. It also specializes more in quartz models as opposed to automatic.

Two technically sophisticated watches from the Promaster collection include the Promaster Land watch and the Pro master Sky watch. The Promaster Land is equipped with an altimeter and an electric compass. Others feature atomic time synchronization. The Promaster Sky watch relies on solar energy and offers countless functions that enable pilots to calculate flight data. It’s also available as a radio watch and is distinguishable by its titanium case which creates a lightweight feel on the wrist.

Citizen has used its satellite technology since 2011. Many watches receive a GPS signal from space, synchronized with atomic timekeeping. Although there are other models made by the manufacturer that relies on satellite technology, Citizen’s Elegant collection which is home to over 200 models is the best place to start searching if you’re looking to buy a Citizen satellite watch, especially if you prefer the look of a standard three-handed dial design with a date feature. The Promaster Echo-Friendly watch ref: JW0126-58E even features a stopwatch with a 1/1000th of a second.

Citizen’s sports collection is the place to find a sturdy and robust wristwatch, especially if you spend a lot of time outdoors or if you’re an individual who takes part in a lot of sport. The models are equipped with 100 meters and are powered by quartz movements. Despite being classified as a sports watch, these timepieces look just as refined as some of the watches from the brand’s Elegant range like this model ref: AW1147-52L.

The Citizen Promaster Diver collection is home to around a dozen rugged diver’s watches for you to choose from. If you prefer your diving watch to offer additional features there are models like the BJ7111-51M which boast a colorful one-way rotating bezel and a GMT function, along with 200-meter water resistance. These Promaster Diver models are popular because of their robust qualities and their affordability, as well as their Eco-Friendly technology, powered by light.

Like collections from Citizen, the Seiko Prospex collection is renowned for its affordability. Its high-tech specifications are purpose-built for professionals. Models like the SLA017 is reminiscent of the first Japanese diving watch in 1965. Newer 40mm diver’s watches from Seiko’s Prospex range are equipped with 200-meter water resistance. They’re also propelled by mechanical calibers from the Grand Seiko range, particularly the Marinemaster Professional 300M. There’s also a range of quartz watches to choose from within the Prospex collection equipped with world timers, solar cells, radio reception, and stopwatch features.

The Seiko 5 is an affordable sports watch with prices that start from around 90 dollars. Sleek and sporty, these timepieces feature simple three-handed dials with day/date displays. The watches, being automatic, are so affordable because so many are made. The movements are considered low maintenance workhorses that guarantee precision without the pricier chronometer certification.

The Seiko Premier watch collection is where you will see traditional watchmaking elements brought through to modern designs. Roman numeral hour tracks are combined with bold 41mm and 43mm cases – some of which feature a two-toned aesthetic. Some models have kinetic movements, however, the majority are powered by quartz. There’s also a desire for these watches on the preowned market, where you can pick up a second-hand Seiko Premier watch for around 300 dollars.

Seiko uses all of its own components without the need from any external suppliers, making each timepiece incredibly good value for money. Watches from the lower-end scale at Seiko cost anything from around 100 dollars upwards but can stretch up to the thousands with watches from the Grand Seiko range. Because Citizen has created an equally large range of watches, the prices between their lower-end and higher-end watches are similar to Seiko (if we take out the Grand Seiko range for comparison reasons). Generally speaking, the more technical the Seiko or Citizen watch is, the higher the price tag.

On the whole Seiko and Citizen share similar recognition within the market. Both have focused on creating watches that are neither too flashy nor too expensive. Whereas Citizen has saturated the market with its solar-powered technology, Seiko relies more on its past to create classic, traditional-looking watches that tie in nicely with their history. If you’re looking for quartz or solar-powered watches as opposed to mechanical – Citizen is your best choice. But when it comes to style, both brands have created a huge range of watches that span from the dynamic and sporty, to the ultra-technical, to the clean and elegant.

We have a lot more guides to navigate your research for the perfect watch. Seiko is one of the most popular brand across its sport and elegan lines. If you are an hard-core Seiko fan you can read our Seiko SKX007 guide- one of the most popular entry diver of all times.

Automatic watches have been a fantastic discovery, especially when you consider when they were invented - the end of the 1700s. But so many people still wonder how reliable they are and how much the relentless work of the winding mechanism affects their performance and longevity.

If you are the (happy) owner of an automatic watch, this article is for you. And if you are not fully satisfied, maybe after reading it you can become one!

First of all, let"s get some clarity.  What does "automatic watch" mean? It actually means "automatic winding watch." So,automatic watchesare mechanical watches that mount an automatic winding system of the mainspring, based on the movements of the wrist. On the other hand, quartz watches typically depend on the energy provided by a small button battery, which makes them work accurately for a period of about a couple of years.

That said, we can tell right away that automatic watches are otherwise similar in every way to mechanical watches. That is, they are similarly built and can last for hundreds of years if regularly maintained.

The golden age of mechanical watch development happened during the 1950s: this means that many vintage automatic watches are sprightly 70-year-old grandpas, and a few of them are even more aged, as they derive directly to the first movements made by Rolex around 1925 and by Felsa around 1942. And yet, these calibers continue to keep time admirably even today.

The above also applies to modern automatic watches, often made on proven mechanics derived from the ETA 2800 series calibers that have literally colonized the horology market since the 1980s. All these timepieces, both vintage and modern, can last forever if they are subjected to periodic maintenance, approximately every five years.

All mechanical watches (and quartz watches as well) to work correctly and maintain their value over time need a series of proper measures that allow you to take care of them. This need of a proper care applies to automatic watches as well.

So, here follows a series of tips which are useful for you to take care of your automatic watches – but can be applied successfully to mechanical watches as well.

The mechanism of automatic watches is perfectly capable of working after a slight shaking movement of the arm: it has been studied for this. It will take only a few tens of seconds for it to start marching, and after that, a normal arm movement will be enough. So, there is no need to shake the arm wildly in the air.

The automatic winding mechanisms often work in parallel to the manual ones, so the winding mainspring can also be loaded manually. There are exceptions, though, so if you choose to wind automatic watches manually, do so gracefully, especially the first time.

Although it may not seem like it, your timepiece comes into contact with many potentially harmful or corrosive agents during the days. So, the next time you wear the watch, before storing it, wipe it gently with a slightly damp cotton cloth, insisting with an old toothbrush in the recesses where dirt could accumulate, especially in the case back and bracelet. For the care of the leather used to make the strap, there are specific products on the market.

Watches are objects that sometimes seem very robust, but in reality, are very sensitive to these elements. Therefore, never spray products containing alcohol or other substances directly on the watch, but put it on only after you have perfumed yourself.

All watches have moving parts that are lubricated with special mineral oils. Over time, these oils tend to dry out, so the internal mechanism of the watch begins to strain too much due to accumulated friction. A service from a watchmaker will help keep your watch thoroughly oiled and in top working order – and maintain its value in time.

Despite technical advances and protective systems, all mechanical watches are composed of small elements mounted on tiny pivots. So a blow or a fall could have caused damage, which may not be entirely obvious. This means that if you find that your watch feels to have something wrong with it or is making a strange noise, plan to have a checkup at the watchmaker at the soonest.

A fogged glass means that water has gotten into the watch. If this happens, it could become a problem, so it"s better to have the watchmaker look at it instead of proceeding with creative DIY tricks. If there is fog or water in the watch, it means that it has found a way to get in, so you need to prevent it from happening again.

Automatic watches, as mentioned, require periodic maintenance to remain in perfect working order, and this is provided by a professional watchmaker. This professional, during the service, disassembles the caliber, cleans every single element of the automatic watch movement by washing it in particular cleaning solutions, reassembles it by oiling and greasing the elements where prescribed.

And finally, to maintain the automatic watch accuracy, he manually adjusts the caliber through its built-in regulator to achieve the highest possible precision in keeping the exact time.

In the case of diver"s watches, he also replaces the sealing gaskets and performs leak tests to ensure that the timepiece remains watertight to the specified depth after service.

If necessary, during these periodic services, you can take the opportunity to have those unsightly scratches that form over time removed from the case and bracelet. Be careful, however, not to abuse of this possibility: the beauty of a watch is also represented by its history and its experience, and continuous polishing eventually removes some of the material of which the case and bracelet are composed.

As a note, we should say that many diver watches used to mount an automatic movement to protect the watch from the possible effects of water getting in through the crown, so you might find several watches of this category. Please remember that the first automatic movement was made in the end of the Twenties to be mounted inside the first waterproof watch, the Rolex Oyster.

When quartz movements started to diffuse themselves at the beginning of the 1970s, eventually they found application in diver watches as well. However, the majority of die-hard divers still prefer automatic watches, since if a leak occurs, they are less subject to become damaged critically, as it could happen with the electronics of the typical quartz watch.

Although automatic watches tend to be simple and robust objects, now refined by dozens of years of continuous improvement, they still need a little attention to continue functioning as they did on day one.

All it takes is a little care, and these fascinating objects will accompany you with their faithful ticking through all the events of your life without missing a beat.

The Davosa-USA.com website is NOT affiliated in any way with Audemars Piguet, Franck Muller USA, Inc. or Richemont Companies, Seiko, or any other brand which is not Davosa Swiss. Rolex is a registered trademark of Rolex USA. Davosa-USA website is not an authorized dealer, reseller, or distributor for Rolex and is in NO WAY affiliated with Rolex SA or Rolex USA or any other brand besides Davosa Swiss.

This question is asked by everyone who owns a battery powered watch and rightly so. Upon purchase of a new watch, the battery should last up to 2 years as a standard benchmark, on older watches we estimate 14-18 months. If your battery doesn’t last this long then find out the reasons why below.

Watches with functions such as; alarms, chronograph/stopwatches, LED displays etc. will drain your battery faster than a standard analogue watch. Be careful not to leave the chronograph running permanently as this can drain the battery up to 40% faster! Water damage, corrosion and the age of your watch will also influence the frequency of battery changes required. The older the watch is the more the lubricants inside degrade and try to slow the movement down. Also remember that you never know how long the "new" watch has been stored with the manufacturer or retailer before purchase, making battery life prediction difficult. More complex watches seen from brands such as Diesel may have up to 5 batteries inside to power the multiple dials and functions. Each one will last a different amount of time, so we would recommend to have all changed in one go.

The obvious answer would be, when your watch has stopped working, though you may want to prevent that from happening in the first place. Many watches will display ‘symptoms’ of low power; this is usually where the second hand will jump or skip a few seconds in one go, you may also notice that your watch is no longer keeping time correctly.

Any of these signs are key indicators that your watch requires a battery replacement. Please be warned not to leave an old battery in a watch for too many years as severe damage can occur inside the watch when acids leaks out.

Depending on the quality of battery used, your replacement should last up to 18 months; the lower the quality of battery brand and the longer the battery has been stored before fitting will greatly affect its life expectancy. Here at Creative Watch Co, we only use the highest quality Swiss Renata batteries with the freshest dates to ensure that you are receiving the best watch battery. We also guarantee the life of your replacement for 12 months from the date of purchase and will replace this for you free of charge if it’s faulty. We offer this as a while you wait service for most brands with prices ranging from £8 to £25 depending on the make of watch, and those with more than one battery the price will increase accordingly. If the battery in your watch lasts less than 12 months, it’s probably time to consider getting the movement serviced.

Lithium Ion batteries are designed to last much longer than a conventional battery. These are often found in watches with glowing backlights or multiple functions; the complex makeup of these cells gives them an impressive life expectancy of 5 years or more.

As with all watches but especially those worn in water i.e. swimming or scuba diving, we would always recommend having your watch pressure/seal tested alongside the battery change. Our horologists use a state of the art Swiss testing machine for this. If your watch seal is damaged, we are able to replace this for you too. A battery and pressure test usually takes 1 hour to complete and starts from £35 (including the price of your battery). This test is worthwhile if you believe that your watch is at risk from moisture damage such as perspiration, and you want your watch to work for as long as its been designed to.

I took a chance on it anyway since it appeared to be in NOS (New Old Stock) condition. Of course, it arrived dead with the module (the electronic “movement”) having been damaged by battery corrosion, a common problem with these old LCDs. Fortunately the module is a single unit that is replaceable, if you can actually find one to replace it with. After some major digging, I was lucky enough to procure the last NOS module from a supply house and endeavored to swap it out myself, hoping that the LCD panel was still good. Armed with a technical manual downloaded from the Internet and a vodka tonic to steel my nerves, I went to work. After much finagling, I was able to perform the surgery without breaking anything. I popped in the battery and voila! It lived! Or rather, I should say it held on for a year before dying again. That was when I reached out to a buddy in the UK who works on Seiko LCDs for a more permanent fix, and he was able to resurrect it.