5% off every watch with code LWM5. See terms

Free UK delivery · Free worldwide tracked shipping
LWMLondon Watch Market
Basket
Pre-Owned & Vintage Timepieces
Powered by light, from a window or a lamp

Vintage solar watches.

A solar watch takes its power from light and then behaves like any other quartz watch: nothing to wind, no battery hatch to open, accuracy measured in seconds a month. It is the closest a watch gets to asking nothing of its owner. This is a small collection, led by Citizen Eco-Drive with Casio Tough Solar and Seiko solar pieces alongside it, and every one is charged and run before it is listed.

14
In our collection
9
Available now
14 days
Returns window

Other movements

44 watches

Automatic watches

Shop collection

96 watches

Hand-wound watches

Shop collection

720 watches

Quartz watches

Shop collection

20 watches

Kinetic watches

Shop collection

See all collections in one place →

Browse a different way

How a solar watch actually charges

Under the dial sits a photovoltaic cell. The dial is made to let light through, which is why solar watches so often have a slightly textured or translucent surface, and the current the cell produces is stored in a rechargeable cell that runs the quartz movement. Nothing about the timekeeping is unusual. The only difference from a battery watch is where the energy comes from and the fact that you never open the case to renew it.

Any light works, not just daylight. Direct sun charges fastest by a wide margin, a bright window takes longer, and indoor lighting slower still, but all three put energy in. A watch worn on an average day, sleeve up and sleeve down, generally stays comfortably topped up without you thinking about it.

What a flat solar watch is telling you

The question worth asking is how well it holds a charge. A solar watch stored in a drawer for years will arrive completely flat, and a few hours in daylight normally brings it straight back. If it charges but stops again within days, the rechargeable cell has aged, and that cell is a replaceable part rather than a reason to write the watch off.

We charge every solar piece and run it to see that it keeps time and keeps going, and we note anything we find in the listing. Look at the dial too: because the light has to reach the cell beneath it, dial condition matters more on these than on a conventional quartz watch, and we photograph it closely.

Citizen, Seiko and Casio

Citizen made light-powered watches from the 1970s and, from the mid-1990s, gathered the whole idea under one name, Eco-Drive, then pushed it across most of the range. That commitment is why Eco-Drive became shorthand for solar watches generally, and why Citizen is the single strongest name among the vintage solar pieces you find today, this collection included. Seiko took both roads at once, developing solar alongside its Kinetic programme, and its solar watches turn up in dress, dive and everyday lines.

Casio's Tough Solar is the same principle aimed at a different problem. A digital watch with an alarm, a backlight and a stopwatch eats power in a way a plain analogue movement never does, so solar charging suited Casio's feature-heavy pieces better than almost anyone's. It also meant the case need not be opened for a battery every few years, which on a sealed G-Shock is worth more than the convenience alone.

Frequently asked questions

Do solar watches need direct sunlight to charge?

No. Any light source charges a solar watch, including ordinary indoor lighting and a desk lamp. Sunlight is simply far quicker, so a flat watch is best revived on a windowsill. Day to day, normal wear under office and household lighting is usually enough to keep one running.

How long does a solar watch run in the dark?

Months, on a full charge, though it varies by model and by how healthy the rechargeable cell is. That is why a solar watch kept in a drawer for a year will be stopped when you find it. Leave it in daylight for a few hours and it will start again.

Do solar watches ever need a new battery?

Not a disposable one. The rechargeable cell inside is designed to last many years, and most owners never touch it. If a watch eventually stops holding charge, a watchmaker can fit a new cell, which is a straightforward job and much less frequent than routine battery changes.

Is Citizen Eco-Drive the same as solar?

Yes. Eco-Drive is Citizen's brand name for its light-powered movements, so an Eco-Drive watch is a solar watch. Seiko sells its own light-powered watches under the solar name. The underlying idea is identical: a cell under the dial charges from light and runs a quartz movement.

Looking for something specific? We're happy to help you find it.

Get in touchAll collections →