I have always loved watches, dating all the way back to the cheap ones you would get with McDonald’s and Burger King meals. I even worked in a watch store for a time before I graduated from college, spending half of my check on the newest flashy timepieces. I have bought watches to commemorate travels, and I’ve been gifted them as well. You can never own too many, right?
With that being said, I have at least a dozen, but if I’m being honest, only about three of them are functioning right now. If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably found yourself needing to have your battery changed time and time again (no pun intended). When you have many watches, once the batteries die you might find yourself just moving on to the next timepiece. But eventually, that leaves you with few options to rotate between, and it can all be a nuisance, pushing you closer and closer to relying on your go-to smartwatch or Fitbit and calling it a day.
But there’s hope for us watch lovers who are weary with battery issues but still appreciate regular degular schmegular watches. It can be found in the category of solar powered pieces. Solar watches work by pulling energy from exposed light, which is then used to power the timepiece. It’s a stark contrast from mechanical watches that need to be wound up and old-school watches that need the battery replaced.
Hearing all of the rave reviews about this type of watch, I decided to try one for myself in the Nixon Time Teller Solar ($150). A revamped take on the original Time Teller, which has been out for a few years now, the unisex Solar is both fashionable, functional, and it’s built to last. I tried the watch, which came for me in a classic black silhouette with white hands. After reading directions on how it works online, I set the time on the watch and proceeded to put it on and run my errands. Being out in the sun, I looked down at my wrist, and in no time, it was ticking along. It continued to glean power even when it wasn’t on my wrist, but rather, when sitting on my bedside drawer, taking in artificial light as well as natural sunlight from the window. It seemingly never really stops charging (as long as you haven’t banished it into darkness in the back of your jewelry box or something).
Other great features include the fact that the watch is waterproof, it has a lovely jewelry style bracelet, and depending on your fashion sense, you can try it in a few different color options — from all gold to a jade face on a silver bracelet and more. In addition to that, the watch is not as heavy as it might seem, which is a good thing because who doesn’t want to wear a lightweight timepiece? But for its light feel and reasonable price point, the watch manages to still look expensive on the wrist.
It’s been weeks since I actually actively wore the watch out for the purpose of charging, but that said, it’s managed to tick away, ready to keep me informed and looking chic at the same time as I wear it for date night, church, and family outings. It’s just chugging along, without much effort on my part, and can work for four to six months straight when fully charged, also offering 24 hours of power from getting just a few minutes of natural sunlight.
I think if you or someone you know is in the market for a new watch that is a bit more convenient for your lifestyle and wants something of good quality and style without breaking the bank, the Nixon Time Teller Solar is a great option. And for those who no longer want to have to make memos in their phone to remind them that they need to pack up all their dead watches and hope they can get a good price to get them all fixed at a local repair shop, the ease with which solar watches work will have you ready to make the jump and not look back.
Want more recommendations from the latest releases in lifestyle goods? Check out the most recent Living Well here.