10 of the best solar watches that shouldn’t run out of juice any time soon

Buffy Acacia

For owners of manually-wound mechanical watches, winding them up becomes part of the daily routine. It’s a bit more annoying for automatics, but ultimately, it’s still to be expected. For a quartz watch, which should just work all the time, there’s nothing more annoying than a dead battery. Of course, it’s just a new battery, so you’re not going to take it to a watchmaker – even though you perhaps should. Instead of rummaging around the house to find that tiny button cell you bought three years ago and scratching your watch as you open the caseback to pop it in, you might as well get a solar-powered watch that will essentially run forever with minimal intervention.

RZE Urbanist

RZE specialises in rugged watches made from titanium, embodying an adventurous spirit that begs to be put through its paces. The RZE Urbanist is its most affordable watch yet, but it’s still packed with as much value as it can squeeze in. The grade 2 titanium case is coated with UltraHex to give it a hardness of 1,200HV, ensuring its scratch resistance along with the sapphire crystal. It’s a moderate yet powerful 36mm due to its 12-sided bezel and flowing lugs, while the intensely textured dials remain easy to read thanks to bold, luminous numerals. What’s more, the Miyota quartz movement is solar-powered (no doy), so you never need to worry about battery life. Price: US$259

Casio G-Shock Tough Solar GWM5610-1

If you’re the kind of person who wears a watch purely to tell the time, a Casio G-Shock should always be one of your earliest considerations. Not only are they basically indestructible, but the square G series has been a design classic since its introduction in 1983. The Tough Solar update has made it even more practical, with solar charging along with a receptor for receiving atomic time signals in many parts of the world. It may be double the cost of the battery model, but it’s worth every penny. Price: US$150

Timex Expedition Freedive Ocean

The pursuit of solar power doesn’t need to come at the cost of aesthetics, and we’re far past the point of needing obtrusive solar panels worked into watch cases. The Timex Expedition Freedive Ocean is a behemoth at 46mm, but the case made from #tide recycled ocean plastic takes heaps of weight off and aims to support the natural environment this watch was built to explore. The white 12 and 24-hour displays are highly legible against the black backdrop, which disguises solar cells beneath for charging. It’s definitely an extreme look with the neon highlights, but there’s nothing wrong with unabashed power. Price: US$139

Vaer DS4 Meridian

Unashamedly inspired by the Rolex Submariner, there’s definitely still a lot of demand out there for that no-nonsense dive watch look. Vaer’s approach with the DS4 Meridian is an admirable one, keeping things simple but well-built and with just the right amount of flair. Available in 38mm or 42mm sizes, the case has some beautifully sculpted lugs as well as an easily gripped scalloped bezel. The dial’s markings are clear, and the sword hour hand gives it a lot of character. The black dial hides its solar charging with smooth sunburst brushing, and it’s also a capable diver with 200m of water resistance and a screw-down crown. By default, it comes on a Tropic-style rubber strap, but there is also a khaki strap or a steel bracelet available for an extra cost. Price: US$279

Tissot PRC 100 Solar

Tissot gets plenty of recognition, yet somehow still feels a little underrated. As one of the most accessible brands underneath the Swatch umbrella, it brings a taste of Swiss luxury in so many shapes and forms. The PRC 100 Solar is a fantastic and sporty all-rounder in a 39mm case with 100m of water resistance, and its approach to solar charging is remarkably different. Rather than using a translucent dial for photovoltaic cells beneath, you can faintly see a honeycomb grid applied to the underside of the sapphire crystal. Not only does that allow for a gorgeous sunburst finish on the traditional analogue dial, but it also adds a fine and subtle grain as a cool effect. Also, the steel dodecagonal bezel and the solid bracelet give it a nice heft without feeling overly bulky. Price: US$495

Citizen Eco-Drive Promaster Marine

If we’re talking solar, we’re talking Eco-Drive. Citizen may not have invented solar-powered watches, but the Japanese brand transformed the technology from novelty into subtle utility by hiding the solar panels beneath a translucent dial. Only announced in February 2025, the newest Promaster Eco-Drive Diver 300m is about as serious as dive watches come, initially available with black or burgundy gradient dials. The 46mm case wears surprisingly well with essentially no lugs, and its biomass-based polyurethane rubber strap ensures comfort even with its 16.3mm thickness, as does its 4 o’clock crown which prevents it from digging into the back of your hand. The calibre E365 is a solar module that can power the watch for a whole year without exposure to light. And for the record, any light will charge this calibre – whether sunlight or artificial. Price: US$695

Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Solar Chronograph SSC911

Despite having a prolific catalogue of chronographs throughout the ‘60s and ‘70s, Seiko’s dedication to mechanical chronographs has waned significantly. Still, if you find yourself craving the style of those vintage pieces without wanting the prohibitive costs of servicing them, the Prospex Speedtimer Solar Chronograph serves as a much more affordable alternative with stunning looks. Many colours have been made available – including a Pogue-adjacent bright yellow – but it’s hard to go past the silver panda configuration with its high-contrast subdials, punchy red seconds hand, and subtle bi-colour grey and black bezel. Price: US$725

Junghans Force Mega Solar

Yes, you can buy a solar-powered Junghans Max Bill if you want the convenience of modern tech with the tasteful minimalism of Bauhaus, but it’s the Force Mega Solar that really pays tribute to Junghans’ history with solar developments. The Mega Solar originated in the early ‘90s, pioneering the use of radio signals from an atomic clock to keep the watch synchronised at all times. This eliminated battery replacements, but also any time adjustments should the movement sway into inaccuracy. The contemporary Force Mega Solar proudly displays its solar panels on the dial as a homage to the original, while the rest of the design has been tastefully modernised. Price: €1,590 (~US$1,770)

TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph

The Solargraph is pretty much all you need from a luxe, quartz sports watch, and comes without any unnecessary bells or whistles. The models are all 200 metres water-resistant and have rotating dive bezels, with a slender thickness of just 9.7mm. The calibre TH50-01 was collaboratively designed by TAG Heuer and La Joux-Perret (owned by Citizen, remember), so you know the solar capabilities will be excellent. There are bigger versions of the Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph, but the 34mm references are also perfect examples of how small watches don’t need to feel patronising. Whether you have small wrists or you just prefer the low-key look of vintage watches, the 34mm model in navy blue or polar blue (which really looks green) captures just as much edgy sportiness as their larger counterparts, and backs it up in specifications, too. Price: starting from US$2,150

We’d also be remiss if we didn’t discuss our very own collaborative take on the Solargraph, the TAG Heuer Aquaracer Solargraph x Time+Tide ‘Sundowner’. It just made sense for our first collaboration with TAG Heuer to be a solar-powered watch – to pay homage to Australia’s famously sunny climate – with us dialling up those sunny tones even further with rose gold highlights across its dial, bezel and NATO strap hardware, contrasting with its grade 2 titanium case. You’ll even find the T+T logo in gold at 6 o’clock, and again adorning the watch’s titanium caseback. A limited edition of 250 pieces, these didn’t take long to sell out – but we couldn’t not include it. Price: A$4,450 (~US$2,820)

Time+Tide Timeless Pick: Cartier Tank Must SolarBeat

Another honourable mention must be made for the Cartier Tank Must SolarBeat, which almost feels too good to be true. Not only is the Tank Must intended as a more affordable Tank model, but it’s modelled after the Tank Louis Cartier, AKA the original and the best. Proportionately perfect, oozing with class, and with nothing on the dial to broadcast that you chose the budget option, the solar-powered SolarBeat celebrates the Tank as a design everyone should be able to attain should they wish to. The solar cells are hidden behind the black Roman numerals, and you can still spot the hidden Cartier signature within the V of 7 o’clock. Price: US$3,300 (small model, retail price)