ECO-DRIVE
Uses any kind of light to power a watch
Eco-Drive is a CITIZEN proprietary technology.
Converts sunlight and artificial light into energy.
Stores any surplus energy in a storage cell.
Long running time. No need for battery replacement.
No discarded batteries means no environmental impact.
A watch powered directly by nature. You and your watch.
A long and beautiful relationship.
Eco-Drive - Powered by any kind of light. Say goodbye to discarded batteries.
CITIZEN invented Eco-Drive in 1976. This world-first technology converts sunlight and artificial lighting into energy to power a watch. It stores any surplus energy on a storage cell and keeps working for 6 months or more even in complete darkness when fully charged. That means you can go about your daily life confident that your watch will never stop. Since Eco-Drive does away with the need for regular battery replacement, it produces no waste batteries to burden the environment. (On an annual basis, that’s the equivalent of a pile of dead batteries as high as Mt. Everest!) Eco-Drive has been helping cut the number of discarded batteries for nearly half a century now. That is true eco-friendliness at work.
First watch to get Eco Mark certification
Because Eco-Drive does away with the need to replace watch batteries at regular intervals, it helps reduce the huge number of batteries that are thrown away every year. In 1996, in a first for the watch business, Eco-Drive products obtained Eco Mark certification in recognition of their contribution to sustainability. In 2014, in another watch business first, Eco Drive was honoured with an Eco Mark Award. Eco-Drive’s role in helping to keep our planet beautiful has been officially recognised.
AO Oil: Making watches last longer
Lubricating oil is indispensable for keeping watches running. Watches stop working when the oil inside them degrades. Deteriorating oil quality can also exhaust the battery and wear out components, leading to a reduction in product lifetime. We started researching lubricating oil as part of our ongoing quest to craft the ideal watch. The upshot was AO Oil, an innovative lubricant that prevents component deterioration, cuts the maintenance-related environmental burden and lengthens product lifespan. Rather than keep this amazing technology secret, we opted to share it with the rest of the world’s watchmakers. It was simply too good for us to hang onto. The sharing mindset is deeply rooted in CITIZEN’s DNA.