Now we love Patek Phillipe as much as the next guy, but sometimes you need an everyday beater. A watch that can (sorry Timex) take a lickin’ and keep on tickin’. Normally for this genre we go to the standard issue dive watch. Waterproof, shockproof, and scratch resistant- exactly what we need. We never thought we would be looking at the sky for our next time piece. Well that’s exactly where we found this beauty. The Citizen Eco-Drive Nighthawk. Designed for pilots this beast boasts a stainless steel casing and band, a japaneze-quarts movement, screw-down crown, and perpetual calendar.
Although this watch comes in a titanium version as well, we like the hefty weight (and price difference) of the stainless steel version. Both versions come with a scratch resistant mineral glass (would prefer sapphire but what do you expect for the price), and a very useful slide rule that is easier to use than a calculator.
With the slide rule you can calculate your car’s fuel consumption, average speed/velocity and the time you will arrive at your destination, you can also multiply and divide numbers, calculate ratio’s into percentages, integers and decimals, covert liters to gallons, pounds to kilograms as well as other metric conversions, all with a simple twist of the bezel. The slide rule also performs a few more complicated calculations that involve airplanes and nautical vessels that are beyond our understanding.
But the real gem of this watch is the Eco-Drive function. Citizen has determined how to harness the power of sunlight to power this watch. It can even use the artificial light from indoor bulbs to keep the battery charged. It can go over 6 months without light and still maintain a charge and never needs to replace the battery. This can help keep the seal on the casing and keep this puppy waterproof and ocean-safe for years to come.
For the price and value of the watch, there’s no reason not to get it.
BUY IT Citizen Eco-Drive Nighthawk $237
EDIT: We found the Titanium Version for only $257 – BUY IT
