Watch Guide
Today's timepieces are more versatile than ever. With a little insight, you'll find the watch that's right for you.
Eco-Drive Movement
Citizen Eco-Drive® watches are sustainably powered by light, no batteries required. Converting any kind of light into energy to power a watch, Eco-Drive enables the surplus to be stored on a power cell. On a full charge, an Eco-Drive watch runs for months even in darkness. It’s designed to charge from ordinary everyday light sources so you can go about your everyday life confident your watch will never stop.
Quartz Movement(Including Solar Powered)
How it works: Quartz movement is powered by a battery. It is called a quartz because the battery works in combination with a quartz crystal.
Power reserve: On average, the battery needs to be changed every one and a half years. Some quartz watches have solar-powered rechargeable batteries.
Automatic Movement
How it works: Mechanical movement with a self-winding design. An automatic watch harnesses the energy produced by motion to wind the spring. This movement features a rotor that spins when the watch is in motion. The mechanism transfers energy from the spinning rotor to the main spring of the winding system.
Power reserve: The watch will maintain its power reserve if you wear it every day.
Smart Watch Movement
A wearable computing device worn on a user's wrist that offers functionality and capabilities similar to those of a smartphone. Smartwatches are designed to, either on their own or when paired with a smartphone, provide features like connecting to the internet, running mobile apps, making calls, messaging via text or video, checking caller ID, accessing stock and weather updates, providing fitness monitoring capabilities, offering GPS coordinates and location directions, and more. Explore our smart watch buying guide for a closer look at the latest innovations and to find the perfect smartwatch that fits your needs and style.
Other Watch Terms
Alarm
Sounds a reminder alert at any set time, such as daily, hourly or on the half hour.
Alarm Chronograph
Offers the features of a chronograph along with a 12-hour alarm.
Analog/Digital
An analog display uses hands and markers, while a digital face displays time and numbers.
Bar
A European equivalent of the international measurement ATM or "atmospheres" used to measure water-test depth. To calculate the water-tested depth in meters, multiply the BAR number by 10 (10 BAR = 100 meters water resistant).
Ion Finish
Applied to the cases and bracelets of select watches. The Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) process creates lustrous satin and/or polished finishes in yellow, rose, black, gray, blue or a number of other fashionable colors.
Bluetooth Function
Bluetooth watches can connect with other devices and access a range of services from the watch itself. Can include call and text message alerts, phone finder, music, time, and time zone updates.
Chronograph
Functions as a stopwatch and is capable of recording the time of an event down to the tenths/hundredths of a second.
GPS Function
Watches automatically receive time, time zone, day, and date data from a global network of GPS satellites.
Luminous Hands/Dial
Glow in the dark phosphorescent coating.
Perpetual Calendar
Automatically adjusts for odd and even months including February of leap years.
Shock Resistant
Designed to guard against damage from ordinary bumps and impacts.
Water Resistance
Water tested to 30 meters
Will tolerate splashes of water or rain, but should not be worn while bathing, showering, washing dishes, swimming, or diving. Watches will have the words Water Resistant engraved on the caseback.
Water tested to 100 meters
(10 BAR) These watches are suitable for swimming or snorkeling, but not scuba diving. The caseback designation will read Water Resistant 10 BAR.
Water tested to 50 meters
(5 BAR) Okay for showering, bathing, dish washing, and swimming in shallow water. Not recommended for snorkeling or scuba diving. The designation engraved on the caseback will be Water Resistant 5 BAR.
Water tested to 200 meters
(20 BAR) Can be worn for general water sports, including snorkeling and skin diving (without scuba gear). The caseback designation is Water Resistant 20 BAR. Note: Some dive watches will go further than 200M.
Materials Used
Stainless Steel Case
The most durable and commonly used watch case material, stainless steel is highly resistant to rusting, scratching and corrosion. Comes in silvertone and goldtone finishes and is often labeled "stainless."
Titanium Case
Titanium is stronger and lighter than steel, it's also corrosion-resistant especially to salt water. Plus, it's nickel-free and hypoallergenic.
Chrome-plated Case
Similar to gold electroplating, a thin layer of chrome covers the case. The more expensive the watch, the thicker the chrome plating.
TICN, TINO, or Ion-plated Case
These cases have a protective and decorative coating of a black, gray, or blue film that can be placed on or combined with other metals.
Mineral Glass
The most common type of protective glass is made of silicon, boron, calcium or manganese oxides. Advantages include excellent clarity, hardness, scratch resistance and pressure resistance.
Synthetic Corundum (Sapphire) Glass
This highly scratch-resistant crystal is created through the fusion of sapphire and mineral glass crystals. Virtually impervious to scratches and cracks, it can be cut thinner than any other watch flass.
Acrylic or Plexiglass Crystal Glass
Made of a synthetic resin, the advantages of acrylic include good clarity, shock resistance, pressure resistance and easy cleaning. Also, minor scratches can be buffed out of the crystal.
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