The Amazing 20-Year Solar Watch! The Durability of Citizen Attesa and Casio G-SHOCK

Summary of this article

Two solar watches sleeping by the window

I am currently deep cleaning my room.

Suitcases. Chairs. Lighting fixtures.

Large items take up space and cannot be easily thrown away.

I finally got around to it and had a recycle shop take them off my hands.

While doing so, I discovered two solar watches by the window.

Two models

Solar watches that had been sleeping by the window.

I really had left them alone for too long.

They are not running.

The period they were left abandoned must be five years, since I stopped traveling after the COVID-19 pandemic began...

Checking my Amazon history, I bought my first smartwatch in March 2023.

I haven't used them for at least two years...

First watch: CITIZEN ATTESA

Citizen's Attesa series.
Looking it up by model number, it's an "H41*" model.

The main features are as follows.

It is almost the same as the model in this blog, just a different color.
The manufacturing year is 2005.

This Attesa.
I inherited it from my grandfather.

This solar watch automatically enters power-saving mode when not in use. The hands stop on their own. I can't count how many times I've mistaken it for being broken!

However.
This time, even when I put it on my wrist or shake it, the hands remain stopped.

I'm sorry I neglected you, Grandpa.

Second watch: CASIO GW-M5600-1JF

Casio G-SHOCK.
GW-M5600-1JF.
Made in 2008.

Even though G-SHOCK boasts toughness, even a G-SHOCK will stop if it isn't exposed to light for a long period of time.

My G-SHOCK currently has no screen display.
It was completely burnt out from a dead battery..

It started moving in one day!

Both are models from about 20 years ago.

Even though they are solar watches, I assumed the built-in secondary batteries would have deteriorated by now...

But well, I thought I'd give it a try anyway.

On a sunny day, I lined up both watches in the shade on my balcony.

When I checked them that night...

Both are working!

Amazing durability.

When I checked the "result of the last radio wave reception" while looking at the online manual mentioned above, the hands indicated that it received radio waves in a very good environment.

When I operated the G-SHOCK while looking at its online manual, it seems it received radio waves around 2:00 PM.

The time displayed on both watches is perfect!

For my first G-SHOCK, the Speed model, I had to pay about 5,000 yen for battery replacements every few years.

The Tough Solar model has had zero battery replacements even after 17 years.

Toughness that is also incredibly easy on the wallet.

Durability that keeps running for 20 years

Lately, I've been wearing a smartwatch for walking and strength training.

I love using this series.
It's so light I forget I'm wearing it.
And it's great value for money.

Just by wearing it all day, it automatically logs basic metrics like step count, heart rate,
and sleep duration.

It's an essential item for dieting and strength training.

Smartwatches are just too convenient for daily use.

But you know,

the two solar watches I introduced this time are essential when I'm out and about.

A robust body.
Always accurate time.
No need to worry about the battery running out.

There is no watch more reliable than these when you are out or traveling.

These two watches had been completely forgotten after the COVID-19 pandemic.

They kept ticking away in secret, automatically entering power-save mode,
and then discharging.

Even so,they came back to life with just one day of exposure to light.

A watch made about 20 years ago, mind you?!

This is truly quality in the 'lifetime item' class.

Bonus 1: Recommended Articles

Have you finished your seasonal clothing change yet?
You can stuff bulky winter clothes into the "world's hardest-working bag" without a second thought!
It's also sold on Amazon.

Don't forget to toss in some mothballs.

Want to walk around Costco without getting tired?
Aim for the evening of the last day of a long weekend.

Find treasure items with minimal effort.

By the way, I recently fell in love with unwhipped croissants. These are irresistible.

Use quick-drying towels during the humid season.
Daiso items are all inexpensive and functional.

The 330-yen ones are perfect as bath towels.

The 110-yen ones are ideal as hand towels.

And the 220-yen ones are handy when you're out and about or traveling.

Choosing based on these criteria is a good idea.

Bonus 2: Surprisingly useful! Tips for product photography

By the way.
Here are some quick tips for product photography, like taking pictures of watches.

Lay down a Daiso color board,

and if you light it up and take a picture with your smartphone, you can get a beautiful shot. If you keep your smartphone camera as far away from the subject as possible and use the zoom, you can take pictures without distorting the outlines.

By the way, the Iris Ohyama light.
If you check it with your smartphone's slow-motion recording, there is no flicker, and it is easy on the eyes.

Speaking of flicker...

This ceiling light also has no flickering.
The perfect brightness for a 6-tatami mat room. Remote control included.

Let's choose lighting that is easy on the eyes.