How Seiko Kinetic Watches Compare With Citizen Eco-Drive For Divers
Both these companies make great products, but they do so utilizing completely different technologies. So which is best, and further more which is the better choice when considering purchasing a dive watch.
On the one hand, Seiko kinetic dive watches utilize motion, or kinetic energy derived from movement, while the Citizen Eco-Drive watch incorporates solar panels to capture energy from various light sources. On the surface, the most observable difference is that the latter relies on fewer moving parts.
Of course, fewer parts is always better in terms of long-term reliability, however in the case of a watch it's likely more of a moot point since analog watches are already composed of more parts than one could count, so what real difference will a few more make.
First, some history on how both these power systems function will be useful before drilling down to deciding which is best. Obviously, this discussion has nothing to do with watches requiring daily winding either. Leave that to the over-priced Rolex still lost in the last century.
Seiko pioneered the self-winding watch back in 1980. They came up with a way to translate the motion of the wearers arm movements into the mechanical energy necessary to wind the watches mainspring. The fancy word kinetic simply means motion-generated mechanical energy.
They do this by having arm motion swing an odd-shaped rotor, weighted heavily on one side, around a winding mechanism that, with the use of special reversed gearing, will only move in one direction. The result is a winding of the mainspring over time.
This in itself will keep the watch wound as long as it's worn and thus receiving kinetic energy input. But if left off the arm for a day or two, it will stop. This is especially important since the focus here is on dive watches, which might not be worn as a regular everyday watch.
To resolve this problem, Seiko added a battery as a place to store the excess kinetic energy. Assuming the battery is fully charged, the watch can now be left lying still for months or even years and still not require winding.
Instead of kinetic energy, Citizen developed a way to utilize light as a power source. And it doesn't even need to be sunlight - any light source will do fine.
To accomplish this, Citizen places tiny solar cells on the faces of their Eco-Drive watches. These cells are what transform light into electrical energy. This energy is then collected and stored in energy cells, sort of like a battery, that will then supply power for extended periods, even without light.
Again, since the underlying subject is really about dive watches, this is especially useful for someone who only uses the watch for diving, as opposed to wearing it everyday. By storing up energy for later use, these watches can be left idle for extended periods, and still show the correct time upon their next use.
In fact, a lot of the newest models, both solar and kinetic, have something called hibernation mode, where after sensing no movement for an extended period, the hands and dial functions stop moving to save energy. However, the quartz movement will keep on calculating the correct time, so once the watch is moved again, the sensors activate and reset with current data.
Battery technology has come quite far along too, so were now close to the point where this storage cell or battery, could last beyond the lifetime of the wearer. That means the battery would never need replacing, making these watches super friendly to the environment.
So which one is best? Well, if the watch is worn with any amount of regularity, it appears to be a toss up, and either energy source will work fine. You can also see that either type watch can be left idle for long periods of time ranging from months to years, and continue to keep correct time.
I suppose if one left the Citizen Eco-Drive watch in a drawer long enough, it would eventually stop from lack of light, but then again, so would a Seiko kinetic watch from lack of wrist movement.
At the end of the day, it's somewhat unlikely one will purchase any watch just to leave it lying around for years, so the answer has to be that both energy generation techniques will work well, and it becomes a matter of personal preference.
(ArticlesBase SC #325163)
Beginner's Guide to Watching TV and Movies on Hulu #7 - Finding TV/Movies
Like channel surfing on your old school TV, Hulu offers several options for visitors who don't know exactly what they want to watch; they just know they want to watch something. The Most Popular tab shows the most watched videos of the day, the week, the month and even of all-time. With so many ways to access the world of content on Hulu, you're sure to find something to watch. (01:48)
How to Buy a Timeless Watch
This video focus' on how to buy a timeless watch that will last a long time. (02:48)
Beginner's Guide to Watching Free TV and Movies with Hulu #4 - Hulu Player
The Hulu player is a powerful way to watch free TV and movies on Hulu. It has some neat advanced features too: you can dim the lights, darkening the site so that the video player is easier to focus on, you can pop-out a video player to watch even if you navigate away from Hulu.com. You can even embed Hulu video on your site or blog. (02:38)
Beginner's Guide to Watching TV and Movies with Hulu #1 - Signing Up
With Hulu, you can watch video and TV shows online for free. While you don't need an account to watch some of the content on Hulu, having your own Hulu account allows you to customize the Hulu experience and gives access to video content that non-account holders can't watch. (02:09)
Beginner's Guide to Watching TV and Movies with Hulu #11 - Hulu Overview
Molly McDonald takes a close look at Hulu, the online service that lets you watch TV shows and movies online for free. She leads us through signing up for a free Hulu account to finding TV shows and movies online with Hulu, joining in with the Hulu community and all steps in between. (16:30)
10 strategies to reprint free article content from article directories in a unique way and avoid the duplicate content debate.
When you offer articles for free reprint, you are allowing the person or persons to use the article in emails, websites, and other various forms of publications. The stipulation is of course that they keep your name the author, where the article originated from and follow where you allow...
If you're like other writers, you probably struggle with the dilemma of pulling more clients to your web site. Actually, your ad income depends on improving your quantity of hits. Now, how do you attract more visitors to your site cheaply and quickly? How can you boost your Google ranking on your website's most valuable keywords and get readers to find your site?
Article sites are still, stickiness wise, one of the single best ways to drive traffic and build a name as a expert, all at the same time. So how does this tie to your blog?
Article sites are still, stickiness wise, one of the single best ways to drive traffic and build a name as a expert, all at the same time. So how does this tie to your blog?
Third party marketing informational articles present your company in a positive light. This under utilized multi-use tool is equally powerful in both print and digital media.
If you own a small business, getting traffic to your website is essential to your business' success. But if you're just a "regular" small business person with an average amount of internet savvy, how in the world do you bridge the gap between where you are right now and a thriving, bustling website? This article will teach you how to have a successful website even if you aren't an internet mastermind. Article Marketing is the key...
Article Marketing is a great tool to use when it comes to adding traffic to your site. If you are not familiar with what it is, Article Marketing is simply writing articles and submitting them to article reprint directories on the web.
The Diet Solution Program tells people how to choose food, and what and when to eat.
The Diet Solution Program tells people how to choose food, and what and when to eat.
The Diet Solution Program tells people how to choose food, and what and when to eat.
The Diet Solution Program tells people how to choose food, and what and when to eat.
The Diet Solution Program tells people how to choose food, and what and when to eat.
The Diet Solution Program tells people how to choose food, and what and when to eat.
The Diet Solution Program tells people how to choose food, and what and when to eat.
Does The Prevention Flat Belly Diet Work
When you have a rotator cuff injury it can seem like you can't do anything anymore. The simplest tasks can cause intense pain, and you may not even be able to lift that arm at all. It's true that whenever we're going through some sort of ordeal or serious injury that...
It was only by chance I discovered this optimum solution for solving the problem of always having to worry about keeping my digital camera protected from both the elements, and too much knocking around. I'd been wanting a replacement for my dive camera and in the process of researching alternatives, came...
Both these companies make great products, but they do so utilizing completely different technologies. So which is best, and further more which is the better choice when considering purchasing a dive watch. On the one hand, Seiko kinetic dive watches utilize motion, or kinetic energy derived from movement, while the Citizen...
Having just returned from St. Croix, I'm still trying to figure out what's happening with this island. Is it dying a slow death from neglect, or swollen with opportunity & poised for serious growth? Its current state might lead one to either conclusion. While there, I had a great time, enjoyed...
What do you do upon realizing it's been more than a year since your last dive trip, and you're itching to get wet again? After kicking yourself of course? Well the obvious answer is to drop what you're doing and go diving. So I took my own advice and have...
One of the best illustrations I've seen for not checking bags happened at DFW Airport a short time back. It was during a heavy thunderstorm, and they had shut down ramp operations due to the lightning. I was standing at a window overlooking the ramp area wondering when, if ever,...
More and more dive operators are making them mandatory. Some even include a wrist dive computer as part of the gear provided to their customers. This is especially true for live-aboard dive boat operations. Of course that only makes sense for these "dive your brains out" deals. You're doing a...
You know those large rubber balls found in health clubs and gyms? How about replacing the desk chair in your office with one? Though far from becoming the norm, these unconventional seating options are showing up in more and more workplaces. And not just in companies like Google, who are well...
1