Understanding Your Watches : Ecodrive & Chronographs

This article presents readers with the basic understanding of the Eco-drive manufactured watches and Understanding a little bit about Chronograph. It is useful for studies and also for watch enthusiast to know a little bit about their timepiece. What Is Eco-Drive? Eco-Drive is a type of solar powered wristhingyches manufactured by the Citizen Watch Co., Ltd. The watches are equipped with a special lithium ion battery that is charged by an amorphous silicon solar cell located behind the dial. The quality of the battery precludes it from being affected from the regular charge/discharge cycle. Light passes through the cover glass and dial before it reaches the solar cell. Depending on the model a fully charged cell will run with no further charging for 180 days to 4 years. If kept in the dark for too long, they will resume running with exposure to any light. Understanding Chronograph A chronograph is a timepiece or watch with both timekeeping and stopwatch functions. Chronographs were produced as early as the 18th century but did not become popular until the 1820s.

There are several types of chronographs :-

1. Analog Chronographs Analog chronographs show both time and stopwatch functions with analog hands.Typically the center hand will be used for stopwatch functions, while subdials may indicate seconds, stopwatch minutes and hours and (in some quartz chronographs) tenths or hundredths of a second.

2. Digital chronographs Digital chronographs use a digital display for both timekeeping and stopwatch functions, either with separate displays or by switching modes on a single display.

3. Analog-digital chronographs Analog-digital chronographs have a standard analog watch with permanent center seconds and a separate digital display that usually operates independently of the analog section. A fallback will reset to zero and then continue to run when the reset button is pushed while the stopwatch is running. In contrast, most mechanical chronographs will reset to 0 only when the starthingych is stopped.

4. Wristhingych chronograph Bull-one head is a wristhingych chronograph with the movement rotated 90 degrees, placing the crown and buttons at the top of the watch rather than the traditional location on side. Apart from understanding these function on watches is to let you understand your art and your timepiece. Buying a watch requires just money, but understanding a watch and it's key function lets you master an appreciate your art of timepiece in the purest way.

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