Your Eco-Drive timepiece is specially powered by Citizen's proprietary ECO-DRIVE TECHNOLOGY, which converts any source of light (natural and artificial) into usable energy. The harnessed energy is then stored in a special power reserve to keep your timepiece charged and running properly. If the second hand starts to jump instead of ticking every second, it is normally a sign that your timepiece needs to be recharged.
If you wear your new Citizen Eco-Drive timepiece on a regular basis, recharging will be virtually automatic as regular exposure to light will keep your power reserve unending. Recharge times will vary based on your timepiece and the type of light utilized; direct sunlight is the fastest, most efficient light source for recharging. Once fully charged, your Eco-Drive will continue running for approximately six (6) months.
General charging requirements for basic analog Eco-Drive timepieces:
- Outdoors on a sunny day (100,000 illuminance/lux)
2 minutes for 1 day use; 11 hours to full charge - Outdoors on a cloudy day (10,000 illuminance/lux)
12 minutes for 1 day use; 40 hours to full charge - At a distance of 8 inches under a 30W fluorescent light (3,000 illuminance/lux)
40 minutes for 1 day use; 130 hours to full charge
When fully charged, your Eco-Drive will continue running - even in total darkness - for at least six (6) months.
If you plan to store your Citizen Eco-Drive in the dark, you should do this for no more than six (6) months. After this extended period of time, you should ensure that your timepiece is exposed to bright light for the full recharge period as outlined above.
Specific Recharging Guides for your particular Citizen watch may be found by entering your Movement Caliber Number on your watch's case-back. To locate, see diagrams below.