10 Best Solar Atomic Watches For 2024 [Top Reviews]

If you’re looking to add to (or update) your watch collection, why not purchase a solar watch for your next timepiece? Not only do these watches tell time with high precision and accuracy, but they are also better for the environment, in that the energy used in their batteries is derived from solar power. Not to mention, solar watches are often stylish and fashionable and come in a huge variety of styles and colours. Plus, there are many watches on the market, so you can easily find one that suits your own tastes and styles, no matter what kind of style you prefer.

Reviews of the Best Solar Atomic Watches

**Below, you’ll find our more detailed reviews, but you can also click the links above to see current prices or read customer reviews on Amazon.

Top 10 Best Solar Watch Reviews

There are so many brands and models available in the market when you are looking for the perfect solar watch and it sure can get confusing to choose one from so many options to choose from. We have done all the legwork of reviewing different solar watches so you won’t have to. These are our top 10 recommendations to help you choose the perfect solar watch that ticks all the boxes for you.

1.   Casio Men’s GW7900B-1 G-Shock Black Solar Sport Watch

Features

• Timekeeping is atomic
• EL backlight
• Displays time in 48 major cities
• Functionalities: tide/moon graph,1/100-second stopwatch, daily alarm (plus snooze capacity), and day/date/month calendars
• Mineral dial window in 50-mm resin case

Accurate, precise timekeeping

This solar watch features Japanese quartz movement with a digital display. The timekeeping is atomic (hence the name). And it doesn’t just show the time in your area, either; it actually features the hour in 48 major world cities. It also shows you the time in 31 time zones.

Strong and rugged

One of the other great things about this watch is that it features a strong, rugged design. It is water resistant up to 660 feet (200 m), so you know you can use it for professional marine activity, as well as serious surface water sports (but unfortunately not scuba diving).

Beautiful design

The case and the bezel are made out of black resin, which ensures that it both looks sleek and feels smooth. There are four large silver screws, which are used as ornaments on the top and the bottom of the bezel. As for the bezel, the words on it, which represent the four button functions, are displayed with a pleasant, blocky white font. As for the dial, there are five sub-dials, which show the time, date, and tide charts, for those who enjoy going boating. It’s easy and accurate to push down the buttons on the case, which means that you can access all the controls you want without making any mis-presses.

2.   Casio Men’s EQS500DB-1A1 Edifice Tough Solar Stainless Steel Multi-Function Watch

Features

• With a full charge, lasts 5 months
• Water resistant to 100 metres
• Features: 1/100 second chronograph, full auto-calendar (pre-programmed until 2099), displays both date and time
• Power-saving function available

Sturdy, high-quality design

This Casio watch has been designed in such a way that it can withstand the wear and tear of everyday life and in many cases even harsh weather conditions. For example, it is water resistant up to a depth of 100 meters. It can work for several months if it’s not charged, or even exposed to any light at all. You can charge it up with any kind of light, including sunlight and artificial light (although how long it takes to recharge will depend on the kind of light you choose to use). Also, because this is the Self-Charging Edifice Model, you won’t need to change your batteries; it simply recharges its own battery via solar energy.

Amazing functionalities

This watch contains a number of amazing functionalities, including the time in 29 time zones (29 cities, in addition to UTC), a 1/100 second chronograph, a display of the date, and an auto-calendar pre-programmed all the way up to 2099. The time can be displayed in the 24-hour format as well as the standard 12-hour format. It shows the city code, and whether daylight saving time is on or off. There is even a beeper alarm so that you can wake yourself up in the morning. This tough watch also features a power-saving function, so that you can save as much power as possible, and it gives you a warning when the battery is running low.

Read More: Best Solar Waterproof Bluetooth Speakers

3.   Casio Men’s AWGM100B-1ACR “G-Shock” Solar Watch

Features

• Full-light auto LED light, including afterglow
• Atomic timekeeping
• Water-resistant up to 200 meters
• Band is made out of stainless steel and resin

Quality time keeping

Thanks to the atomic timekeeping of this watch, you will always get a highly accurate, precise reading of the time, as well as the time in 28 time zones and 48 cities, including cities in the US, Germany, Japan, and the UK. The mechanism functions via Japanese quartz movement, and you can see the time—as well as the countdown timer, stopwatch, and calendar functionality—via the digital display. Other functionalities are included in addition to the timekeeping, such as the daily alarm and snooze, the countdown timer, and the stopwatch. You can also read the time in a 12- or a 24-hour format.

Stylish design

This watch has got style; it’s got grace—or, in other words, it has a beautiful dial with a honeycomb pattern. The bezel has displayed the logo, and the dial is protected by a tough durable crystal. The design features a band made out of stainless steel and resin, which is black in colour. You can easily see what time it is, even in the dark, on account of the full auto LED light, which also includes afterglow. There is even an EL backlight.

Water-resistant for up to 200 meters

This watch is water-resistant for up to 660 feet, and as a result, it is well-adapted to recreational scuba diving.

4.   Casio Men’s Edifice Tough Solar Stainless Steel Multi-Function Watch with Link Bracelet

Features

• Water-resistant up to 100 meters
• Time can be displayed in 12- or 24-hour formats
• Shows world time in 29 zones
• Rechargeable with any type of light

Fashionable and stylish

If you’d like to wear this watch as a fashion piece, it is definitely stylish enough for that purpose. The stainless steel case—which features a stationary bezel, made out of stainless steel—has tonnes of black, and also has mineral glass to protect the dial of the watch. The case itself is water-resistant, for depths of up to 100 meters. The bracelet has a three-link design and fits comfortably around your wrist. There is even a safety clasp, with afold-over push buton, to make sure that the watch stays securely in place while you’re wearing it.

Recharge it however you like

If you’d like to charge this watch, you can do so with any kind of light—not just sunlight. You can even leave it under a source of artificial light, such as a lamp, and leave it there for a few hours while it charges. If you charge it properly, it will remain functional for several months, even if it isn’t exposed to light sources at all during that time. As for the solar panel, this is built in the case of the watch. Also, there is no need for a battery, thanks to the fact that this watch runs on solar energy.

5.   G-Shock MTGM900DA-8CR Men’s Tough Solar Atomic Stainless Steel Sport Watch

Features

• Shock-resistant
• EL backlight is full auto, and there’s afterglow
• Water-resistant up to 200 meters
• 5 alarms: four daily, one snooze

Functionalities for your busy life

This watch features a number of functionalities which are ideal for your busy life. For example, there are four daily alarms, as well as one snooze alarm, so that you can spare yourself a little stress when you need to wake up in the morning. The watch features the functionalities of a stopwatch (displayed in 1/100ths of a second), a countdown timer, and a full auto-calendar.

Different ways of displaying the time

The time can be displayed in either the 12-hour or the 24-hour format, and you can see the time in various time zones as well. There is also an hourly time signal so that you always know what hour it is. This model also updates the time and date by communicating with a radio transmitter in China so that you can see what time it is in these other time zones (the time in 48 cities is shown).

Comfortable, stylish design

The bracelet of this design doesn’t pull at the hairs on your arms, ensuring a more comfortable fit. As for the links, those in the centre or folded, whereas those on the outer edges are solid. The bracelet is also convenient in that (unlike many other models of G-shocks) there is no tail, so the design is more uniform and comfortable.

6.   G-Shock GW6900-1 Men’s Tough Solar Black Resin Sport Watch

Features

• Shock-resistant
• 12- and 24-hour formats available
• Silicone band with buckle
• Water-resistant to 200 m

An excellent choice for marine activity

This watch is water-resistant up to 200 meters, or 660 feet. As a result, it’s well-suited to serious surface water sports, as well as professional marine recreations (excluding scuba diving). Its suitability for water-based exercise is also emphasised by its durable, shock-resistant design, which features a black-resin build, a silicone band (it closes via an adjustable buckle), complete with a 41-am stainless steel case. The case also features a mineral dial window and an EL backlight. Because it is shock-resistant, the watch will last you through many intense, exciting adventures. Also, the EL backlight ensures that—when you tilt your wrist—the watch will automatically adjust its display so that you can see it in different viewing conditions.

Several functionalities

Another great aspect of this watch is that it features many functionalities. For example, it has a daily alarm function, complete with five separate alarms and a snooze capacity. The date can be displayed in 12- and 24-hour formats and the digital display shows the day and date as well as the hour. The timekeeping is atomic, running on Japanese quartz movement—you can receive the atomic time via a built-in antenna—and the watch shows the world time as well as the time in your own location (with a total of 31 time zones, to be precise). There is also a stopwatch and a countdown timer.

7.   Casio Men’s AQS800WD-1EV Multi-Function Analog-Digital Watch

Features

• Analogue and digital at the same time
• Countdown timer, 5 alarms, etc.
• Water-resistant up to 330 feet
• Auto-calendar feature

Powers easily and well

This watch can last for months on end even if you haven’t taken it outside or exposed it to any light (i.e., even if you’ve kept it inside a drawer in a dark room). You can use any type of light to recharge it, including artificial and natural light, which ensures that charging this watch is a breeze.  For this reason (and several others), the Casio AQ-S810W is a terrific choice for an everyday watch that you can wear everywhere.

Stylish design

This Casio watch offers a stylish, fashionable design that will look good on any person’s wrist. It’s subdued, black colour (as opposed to lighter models) gives wearers a classy, understated, minimalistic look. It also has grey markings, which serve to accentuate the black of the rest of the bracelet.

High water resistance

This watch is strong and durable, so you know it’s an excellent model. n addition, it’s water-resistant (up to 330 m), so it’s a good choice if you’d like to snorkel, swim, or repair your sprinklers. You can even give baths to your children—and have the watch be fully submerged during that time—without worrying about it ceasing to work because the insides have been damaged.

8.   G-Shock GW2310-1 Men’s Tough Solar Atomic Black Resin Sport Watch

Features

• Shock- and water-resistant
• EL backlight
• Time signal shows every hour
• Atomic timekeeping

Excellent power charging

On a single charge, this watch can last for 10 months, even if it hasn’t been exposed to light after the fact (e.g, if it’s been left in a dark drawer). This is a wonderful improvement over other models of solar watches, some of which won’t even last for a day if it’s not being continually charged, let alone for months and months on end. Moreover, because you’ll be wearing the watch (it’s a great choice for everyday wear), you will get it recharged all the time.

Always have the perfect time

Not only will this watch ensure that you have the perfect time in your own time zone—thanks to the hourly time signal and atomic timekeeping—but you will also always have the perfect time in other zones as well. This is because it features the time in 31 time zones, which are arranged into 48 countries, and include a reading for UTC. And you won’t just have the perfect time at the hourly level, either; thanks to the date and day display, as well as the full auto-calendar, you will also always know what date falls on which day of the week. The calendar has even been pre-programmed until 2099.

9.   G-Shock Men’s Tough Solar Black Resin Sport Watch

Features

• Multi-band time keeping
• Battery life lasts 9 months if fully charged
• City code display
• Display for whether or not it’s daylight saving time

High-quality features

In addition to simply telling the time, this watch also has a number of other key features. For example, the time syncs up automatically to atomic time, and the watch is water resistant up to 200 meters of water. A full auto-calendar is included, and the day can be displayed in 12- or 24-hour formats. The stopwatch measures one hundredth of a second, and the countdown timer ranges from 1 minute to 24 hours, with increments either lasting for one minute or one hour. There is also a power-saving mode so that you don’t need to use any more of that precious solar power than you need to. It also tells the time in a number of important global cities including those in China, Japan, and the UK.

A durable design for a durable watch

The design of this watch is of very high quality, in that it is durable and strong. The diameter of the case is about 46 mm, and the watch itself is about a centimetre in thickness. To complement its larger size, the case is also strong and dense and is adorned with three circles that function as indicators as a seconds counter, a solar charge reading, and a multifunctional tool with different abilities.

10.   Casio Men’s GR8900A-1 G-Shock Tough Solar Digital Black Resin Sport Watch

Features

• Durable and shock-resistant
• Mute function
• Water-resistant to 200 m
• Can last several months on one charge 

Well-lit design

This watch has been designed in such a way that you will always be able to know what time it is. This is because the EL backlight ensures that you will always be able to see the face—simply tilt your wrist in lower-light conditions, and the watch will automatically adjust its display so that you can see the time—and also because of its large face. In addition, the font is easy to read, and the numbers are large enough so that you can easily read them. In the case of the EL backlight, this functionality is particularly ideal for using it at night-time.

Ideal design

Even in spite of its large face, this watch remains lightweight, and carries well on your wrist, without creating any undue strain or pressure. This design is also shock-resistant.

Solar power lasts for a long time

With this model, once it has been fully charged, you can get charged on the watch for months at a time—even if you don’t continually charge the watch every day. Even if you keep it in a dark space that isn’t exposed to light at all—such as a dark drawer in your closet—the charge will still remain, and you will be able to use the watch even if you haven’t used it in a while.

How Do Solar Atomic Watches work?

Like other solar-powered devices, solar watches work because they are powered, in whole or in part, by a solar cell. Also known as photovoltaic cells, solar cells function by converting sunlight, or solar radiation, into energy, and then converting it into electricity, which—in the case of watches—is used to power the battery contained in the watch. The solar panel is usually located behind the crystal, and the dial may either be on the layer above the solar panel, or on the solar panel directly. Photovoltaic cells have significantly increased their capacity and strength since solar watches were first introduced in the 1970s.

Otherwise, solar watches work like other types of timepieces; they tell the time, and, depending on the model, might have other functionalities. Such functionalities include alarms, timers, stopwatch functions, and even the hour in other time zones. Also, like standard-powered watches, solar watches may be analogue or digital, and then some types may even be a hybrid of the two.

Things to Consider When Buying Solar Watch

If you’d like to buy a solar-powered watch, then there are definitely several things you’ll need to take into account. After all, you wouldn’t want to go into this search unprepared; you need to know what you’re looking for—at least a general idea—and, of course, how you’re going to find those models. Naturally, the first place you might look is on the Internet; in that case, don’t neglect the online reviews, since they can be a veritable goldmine of information. However, don’t be afraid to ask your jeweller or electronics-store employees for help. Workers like this have a lot of experience in dealing with solar watches, and they will be able to help you find exactly the watch that you’re looking for.

• Do you like the style and colour?

If you’re going for a solar watch, then you shouldn’t simply settle for the first watch that appears to match your criteria. On the contrary, you need to make sure that you like the style and the fashion of the watch. How do you like the design? Is it too large, too small? Remember: a watch whose bracelet or strap too chunky or too skinny might not necessarily be appropriate for work, depending on what your workplace is like, and how lax they are on uniform regulations. What about the design? Is it too simple, or is its conflagration of squares, screws and accents too intense for you? And finally, do you like the colour? Because if you don’t like the colour, you might simply end up not wearing it.

• How does it feel?

One of the most important considerations for when you’re getting a watch—any watch—is how it feels against your skin. Is it comfortable? If you’re wearing it against your bare skin, do you feel the beginnings of pressure markings beginning to form on your wrists and, if so, do they hurt? Does it go to the right level of tightness or looseness, or do you feel that you need to keep adjusting it so that it fits comfortably? Don’t neglect comfort and texture of your solar watch; these can have an incredibly important impact on how you wear the watch—and whether or not it’s right for you.

• Can you close it easily?

A big part of wearing a watch is opening and closing it. In the case of the watches you’re considering, what or their clasps like? Are they easy to close and open, or difficult? If it’s difficult to open such clasps, you might simply find yourself wanting to wear that particular model of watch less and less, until you find that regrettably, you’re not using it at all.

• How does it charge itself?

Naturally, a solar-powered watch will charge itself on solar power, but some models can also be charged normally, In cases like this, you’ll want to ask yourself whether you’d prefer a model that can also be charged regularly (i.e., by changing the batteries). The latter option might be preferable if you live in a colder area, where there isn’t as much sunlight (and, consequently, less access to bright sunlight that will power your watch). In other words, using a hybrid watch will provide you with an additional “safety net,” in the event that something goes wrong and your solar watch won’t work ideally in those conditions.

Final Verdict

If you’re in the market for a solar watch, then you should definitely consider the models that we have mentioned in this article. However, if you look into them and find that they’re not quite what you’re looking for, don’t despair; the perfect, ideal watch is surely somewhere close on the horizon. As long as you know what you’re looking for—as long as, in other words, you take into account those considerations that we’ve mentioned above—then you will definitely find the perfect watch for you and your needs. So, best of luck in your search; we know that—if you do your homework, and research properly—you will find the watch that’s perfect for you with no trouble at all.