Watches that sync themselves to atomic time broadcasts only remain accurate as long as you’re within range of one of those radio signals. So Citizen is upgrading their Eco-Drive line to instead rely on the omnipresent time broadcasts of GPS satellites.
Most users probably won’t worry about being slightly late for a meeting in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. But if you’re a stickler for punctuality who often ventures off the beaten path, Citizen’s new limited edition Satellite Wave will always remain accurate no matter where on Earth you’re standing. Unlike Garmin’s GPS watch offerings, the new Eco-Drive doesn’t provide any kind of navigation or wayfaring functionality. So the GPS hardware isn’t going to drain the batteries over night. In fact, since the Satellite Wave comes from Citizen’s Eco-Drive line, the watch is also solar powered, perpetually topping itself off from any light source. On a full charge it’s claimed to run for roughly two and a half years, so battery life should never be a concern.
Besides unwavering accuracy, the Satellite Wave is also world time savvy, waterproof to 50m and the 990 pieces being produced will sell for about $US3000. Though, you can probably expect that price to jump given their limited availability. [Citizen Satellite Wave via The Gadgeteer]