Some time ago I have sworn that I will only use solar-powered watches that synchronize time with atomic clocks. Initially only quite expensive and 'stylish' models were available, but wearing a timepiece worth several hundred bucks while doing work around the house makes you constantly worried that you scratch precious thing.
This watch is under $100 and has all the benefits of its more expensive 'brothers':
- Solar powered quite efficiently - with normal daily exposure to light I'm always at the 'max charge' level (of course living in sunny Nevada helps here).
- Time synchronization with the 5 radio transmitters all over the world (USA, England, Germany, Japan*2). I frequently travel to visit family in Europe, so USA and England/Germany transmitter sync is important to me. Many watches in the US only sync with USA transmitter or USA and Japan; the latest models just started supporting new China transmitters; this one is the perfect balance for me.
- Time signal reception is excellent in Nevada, bot inside the buildings and outside. From my previous experiences it should mean good reception throughout the West Coast and (maybe!) some problems inside solid-construction buildings in New England and Florida.
- Unlike some cheap models of watches and clocks, this one reads Daylight Savings Time data straight from the radio signal, so it 'springs ahead' and 'falls back' at the correct dates. Some older clocks have hard-coded DST transition dates and are confused after the recent DST changes in the USA.
- I love 'Auto EL' feature: the watch turns on Electro-Luminescent backlight for two seconds when it is dark and the wearer positions hand appropriately. Perfect for the movies, night flights and similar situations.
- I usually prefer metal bands, but resin band in this model is surprisingly good quality and wears OK.
- Button operation seems to be reliable so far.
- The glass is scratch resistant and placed recessed in the metal panel - so far I managed to keep it clear, which is unusual for me.
Amazon had the best price for this item, better than Fry's and Casio website. The watch arrived on time and in good shape.
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Casio Men's WVM120J-1 Solar Atomic Resin Strap WatchProduct Description: The Casio Men's Solar Atomic Resin Strap Watch #WVM120J-1 combines the classic styling of a dive watch with a sporty, full-featured digital interface. Versatile and reliable, this timepiece never needs resetting or batteries thanks to Casio's Solar Power and Atomic Timekeeping technology. With its classic dive style design (which includes features like a rugged black resin band with a traditional buckle clasp and a round dial), this handsome timepiece is ready for a day at the office or inspection by the ship's divemaster. The watch's reliable quartz movement is solar powered--which accurately keeps time up to eight months without further exposure to light. And if you're in the US, UK, Germany, or Japan, the watch receives time calibration radio signals (up to six times per day), so you always know your watch is set to the right time. Other technical features include three daily alarms, an LED light with Afterglow technology, a world clock with 29 time zones, four daily alarms , a 1/100 second stopwatch that records split time, a calendar (pre-programmed until the year 2099), 12- and 24-hour formats, and water resistance to 330 feet (100 meters).
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I'm giving this baby 5 stars for doing so much, so well, for so little $$$. I really like the light button on the top (much easier to access while driving) compared to the li'l button on the side of most Casios. The digits light up without lighting up the whole watch (nice in a darkened theater). It is super simple to use and doesn't look like some kind of space kid's watch or Rambo-wannabe watch. I lost my first one, so I'm back to Amazon for number 2. I might even pick up a spare since products these days seem to change so rapidly (and not always for the better). The previous reviewer dissed this fine watch because it was not large enough. Man, I love this watch because it isn't too big. So many of the Mens sport watches these days seem to be a obnoxious cross between a hockey puck and a bar of soap with a wrist strap. It's a time piece. I don't need to call attention to myself with its ginormousness, nor do I want to be banging it on all manner of obstructions due to its bloated proportions. Bravo to Casio for getting this one right. Great watch for a great price!