Solar watches as a concept are nothing new – the world’s first solar-powered watch was developed by an American engineer named Roger W. Riehl back in 1972. Several innovative designs emerged, though they were somewhat limited by the need for large photovoltaic solar cells to generate sufficient power. As a result, solar-powered watches remained a niche offering for years.
However, advancements in solar technology have since enabled manufacturers to integrate photovoltaic receptors in less obtrusive ways, primarily by positioning more discreet solar panels beneath the dial. Some manufacturers, for example, would hide them beneath sub-dials, while others use semi-transparent materials like paper for the dial material.
Today, many watchmakers offer high quality solar-powered watches including Casio (Tough Solar mainly in G-Shocks), Citizen (Eco-Drive line) and Tissot. Casio is a true solar pioneer and not just in watches – who hasn’t used a Casio calculator powered by light?
Technology pioneer
Tissot, which makes twice as many watches as Rolex does in a year, is one of the most well-known Swiss brands outside of Rolex, Omega and Longines. Tissot’s watches, even the mechanical ones, have attractive price points and getting a brand new one off the shelf at retail anywhere in the world is not difficult at all. Tissot is also a technology pioneer in the world of horology.
Tissot was the first brand to create a touch-screen watch powered by solar energy – the Tissot T-Touch Expert Solar in 2014, around the same time that Smartwatches were introduced by Apple and others. But now, Tissot has come out with an all-new solar watch range with entirely new technology on board. The PRC (Precision, Robust and Classic) 100 Solar utilises a groundbreaking solar-powered movement to harness light energy in new ways and keep the watch powered for longer with minimal effort.
Watch design
Unlike most other solar watches which feature a photovoltaic panel beneath the dial, this watch packs them discreetly into the sapphire crystal itself. That should allow for more light to be collected, as there is no dial in the way, as well as making watch design more traditional, without a need to employ cut-out sections to let light through.
The highlight of this release is undoubtedly Tissot’s Lightmaster Solar Quartz movement. Interestingly, if you zoom into the high-resolution images, you can spot tiny hexagons on the crystal. They will not be noticeable to the naked eye unless someone is really looking for them.
Charging
These transfer the light energy through the ‘zebra’ connector – a specialised flexible conductive strip – integrated within the case to the F06.615 Quartz movement, renowned for its precision. This technology allows the watch to draw power from both natural and artificial light, storing excess energy in a rechargeable accumulator. (Citizen’s Eco-Drive can also do this). A full charge gives it an impressive 14-month power reserve – even if left in complete darkness. And if it ever gets low, the End of Energy (EOE) indicator shifts the second hand to four-second jumps, reminding you it is time for a quick recharge. Once exposed to any kind of light, the movement restores its rhythm. But that scenario is highly unlikely, if you wear the PRC100 at least once every two weeks or so.
Just ten minutes of daylight is sufficient to charge the watch for 24 hours, too, making it easy to keep it running with minimal effort. Practically speaking, this means the PRC 100 Solar is a true set-it-and-forget-it watch, unlike Tissot’s own (and other) mechanical watches.
The new watch sits within a 39mm stainless steel case, which is water resistant to 100 metres, good for the swimming pool and a little bit of snorkelling in shallow water. There are five different watch packages to choose from. If you have enough money, you can buy all of them as the watch is very reasonably priced at around US$ 500, unlike the more esoteric offerings from Tissot and other manufacturers.
There are two stainless steel variants – with either a silver or deep blue sunray dial; a full-black model, also with integrated bracelet; and two leather-strap editions – one stainless steel with brown leather, the other all black including a smooth leather strap.
The PRC collection was first introduced in the mid-2000s – and like the original launches, the new PRC 100 Solar is framed by a distinctive dodecagonal (12-sided) bezel. It is a true Go Anywhere, Do Anything (GADA) watch – robust enough for daily wear, the perfect size at 39mm, and practical for travel with its maintenance-free power source. You can also describe it as an EDC (Every Day Carry) item.
While the PRX, Tissot’s most popular mechanical watch collection leans on a more traditional outlook with its retro-inspired design, the PRC 100 Solar looks forward, embracing modern technology. No matter which version you choose, the PRC 100 Solar is an undeniably attractive timepiece, which will be available at retail soon.
