7 of the best solar powered watches that shouldn’t run out of juice any time soon

Buffy Acacia

For owners of manually wound mechanical watches, winding them up becomes part of the daily routine. It’s a bit more annoying for automatics, but ultimately, it’s still to be expected. For a quartz watch, which should just work all the time, there’s nothing more annoying than a dead battery. Of course, it’s just a new battery, so you’re not going to take it to a watchmaker – even though you perhaps should. Instead of rummaging around the house to find that tiny button cell you bought three years ago and scratching your watch as you open the caseback to pop it in, you might as well get a solar-powered watch that will essentially run forever with minimal intervention.

Casio G-Shock Tough Solar GWM5610-1

If you’re the kind of person that wears a watch purely to tell the time, a Casio G-Shock should always be one of your earliest considerations. Not only are they basically indestructible, but the square G series has been a design classic since its introduction in 1983. The Tough Solar update has made it even more practical, with solar charging along with a receptor for receiving atomic time signals in many parts of the world. It may be double the cost of the battery model, but it’s worth every penny. Price: US$50

Timex Expedition Freedive Ocean

The pursuit of solar power doesn’t need to come at the cost of aesthetics, and we’re far past the point of needing obtrusive solar panels worked into watch cases. The Timex Expedition Freedive Ocean is a behemoth at 46mm, but the case made from #tide recycled ocean plastic takes heaps of weight off, and aims to support the natural environment this watch was built to explore. The white 12 and 24-hour displays are highly legible against the black backdrop, which disguises solar cells beneath for charging. It’s definitely an extreme look with the neon highlights, but there’s nothing wrong with unabashed power. Price: US$139

Citizen Eco-Drive Promaster Marine

If we’re talking solar, we’re talking Eco-Drive. Citizen may not have invented solar-powered watches, but the Japanese brand transformed the technology from novelty into subtle utility by hiding the solar panels beneath a translucent dial. The Promaster Marine is about as serious as dive watches come, with or without the various flashy colours it comes in. The 44mm case wears surprisingly well with a 50mm lug-to-lug, and meets all of the ISO requirements to have the word “Diver’s” printed on the dial. Price: US$599

Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Solar Chronograph SSC911

Despite having a prolific catalogue of chronographs throughout the ‘60s and ‘70s, Seiko’s attention for mechanical chronographs has waned significantly. Still, if you find yourself craving the style of those vintage pieces without wanting the prohibitive costs of servicing them, the Prospex Speedtimer Solar Chronograph serves as a much more affordable alternative with stunning looks. Many colours have been made available – including a Pogue-adjacent bright yellow – but it’s hard to go past the silver panda configuration with its high-contrast subdials, punchy red seconds hand, and subtle bi-colour grey and black bezel. Price: US$700

Junghans Force Mega Solar

Yes, you can buy a solar-powered Junghans Max Bill if you want the convenience of modern tech with the tasteful minimalism of Bauhaus, but it’s the Force Mega Solar that really pays tribute to Junghans’ history with solar developments. The Mega Solar originated in the early ‘90s, pioneering the use of radio signals from an atomic clock to keep the watch synchronised at all times. This eliminated battery replacements, but also any time adjustments should the movement sway into inaccuracy. The contemporary Force Mega Solar proudly displays its solar panels on the dial as an homage to the original, while the rest of the design has been tastefully modernised. Price: €1,590 (~US$1,770)

TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph

The Solargraph is pretty much all you need from a luxe, quartz sports watch, and comes without any unnecessary bells or whistles. The models are all 200 metres water-resistant, and have rotating dive bezels, with a slender thickness of just 9.7mm. The calibre TH50-01 was collaboratively designed by TAG Heuer and La Joux-Perret (owned by Citizen, remember), so you know the solar capabilities will be excellent.

There are bigger versions of the Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph, but the 34mm references are also perfect examples of how small watches don’t need to feel patronising. Whether you have small wrists or you just prefer the low-key look of vintage watches, the 34mm model in navy blue or polar blue (which really looks green) capture just as much edgy sportiness as their larger counterparts, and back it up in specifications, too. Price: starting from US$2,150

Cartier Tank Must SolarBeat

The Cartier Tank Must SolarBeat almost feels too good to be true. Not only is the Tank Must intended as a more affordable Tank model, but it’s modelled after the Tank Louis Cartier, AKA the original and the best. Proportionately perfect, oozing with class, and with nothing on the dial to broadcast that you chose the budget option, the solar-powered SolarBeat celebrates the Tank as a design everyone should be able to attain should they wish to. The solar cells are hidden behind the black Roman numerals, and you can still spot the hidden Cartier signature within the V of 7 o’clock. Price: US$3,300 (Small model)