The best solar watches in the UK (2026), for men and women

The best solar watch for most men is the Citizen Zenshin Super Titanium: light, 39mm across, with a sapphire crystal, day and date, and a five-year guarantee. If you'd like a Swiss watch, the Tissot PRC 100 Solar is slim and has a sapphire crystal too, and its 34mm version is our pick for women. And for under £100, the Timex Solar Expedition is a tough little outdoor watch.

A solar watch is a quartz watch that charges itself from light. A solar cell under the dial turns daylight or room light into power and stores it in a rechargeable cell, so the watch keeps running at night and in a drawer. You get the accuracy of quartz without the battery changes. Citizen calls its solar watches "Eco-Drive", TAG Heuer "Solargraph" and Cartier "SolarBeat", but they work on the same idea.

All the watches below are sold new by Goldsmiths, a UK authorised retailer. Prices are Goldsmiths' own on the date shown, and they update when we re-check them.

How we chose

Every watch had to be solar powered and sold new by a UK authorised retailer. We read each brand's own product page for the movement, crystal, thickness and how long it runs on a full charge, and where the brand's page couldn't be read (Casio, TAG Heuer), we say so and use Goldsmiths' description. We've covered men's and women's watches, every budget from under £100, and styles from dress to dive to tough.

Best overall: Citizen Zenshin Super Titanium

Best overallCitizen Zenshin Super Titanium AW0130-85X · 39mm · Solar (Eco-Drive) · 100 m water resistant £399Price at Goldsmiths, 28 October 2026 Full specsSee it at Goldsmiths

The Zenshin's case and bracelet are made of Citizen's Super Titanium, which, according to Citizen's description on Goldsmiths, is five times harder and 40% lighter than stainless steel. Citizen's page lists the J800 Eco-Drive movement, a sapphire crystal, a day and date window and 100 metres of water resistance, in a 39mm case that suits most wrists. Goldsmiths lists Citizen's guarantee as five years.

Good to know: Citizen's page doesn't give a power reserve or the thickness for this model, so we've left them out. The green dial and integrated bracelet give it a sporty, retro look; if you want something plainer, see the Tissot below.

Citizen Eco-Drive 25 watches at Goldsmiths, £190 to £699. Shop the Eco-Drive

Best Swiss solar watch: Tissot PRC 100 Solar

Best SwissTissot PRC 100 Solar T1514223605100 · 39mm · Solar · 100 m water resistant £430Price at Goldsmiths, 28 October 2026 Full specsSee it at Goldsmiths

Tissot's PRC 100 Solar is a Swiss solar watch for under £500. Tissot's page lists a Swiss solar quartz movement, a sapphire crystal, a date, 100 metres of water resistance and an "End of Energy" indicator that warns you when it needs light. At 39mm across and just 9.22mm thick (Tissot's figures), it slides easily under a shirt cuff. This version has a black case and dial on a leather strap with a quick-release system.

Browse all 361 Tissot watches£245 to £1,875 at Goldsmiths→

Good to know: Tissot doesn't publish how long it runs on a full charge.

Best solar watch for women: Tissot PRC 100 Solar 34mm

Best for womenTissot PRC 100 Solar T1518221135100 · 34mm · Quartz · 100 m water resistant £450Price at Goldsmiths, 28 October 2026 Full specsSee it at Goldsmiths

The same Swiss solar movement in a 34mm steel case with a blue dial and twelve-sided bezel, on a steel bracelet. Tissot lists a sapphire crystal and a slim 9.14mm case, and Goldsmiths' description says the strap fittings are a standard 20mm, so it's easy to swap the bracelet for leather or a Milanese mesh strap. Water resistance is 100 metres.

Best under £100: Timex Solar Expedition

Best under £100Timex Solar Expedition TW2U30300 · 44mm · Solar · 50 m water resistant £75Price at Goldsmiths, 28 October 2026 Full specsSee it at Goldsmiths

A light, honest outdoor watch: a 44mm resin case, a black dial with numbers and a fabric strap. Timex says on its blog that its solar Expedition watches charge from indoor lighting or sunlight and can run for up to two months on a full charge. Goldsmiths lists 50 metres of water resistance.

Browse all 29 Timex watches£55 to £280 at Goldsmiths→

Good to know: 44mm is large, although resin keeps it light. 50 metres means it's fine in the rain but not for swimming.

Best for women under £150: Accurist Everyday Solar

Accurist Everyday Solar 74016 · 30mm · Solar · 50 m water resistant £119Price at Goldsmiths, 20 October 2026 Full specsSee it at Goldsmiths

A lot of watch for the money. Goldsmiths' description says this 30mm watch has a sapphire crystal (rare at this price), a blue mother-of-pearl dial, a steel bracelet with quick release, and a solar movement that runs for 120 days without light. Accurist adds three years to its two-year guarantee if you register the watch on its website, according to Goldsmiths.

Browse all 39 Accurist watches£89 to £219 at Goldsmiths→

Good to know: we haven't checked these details on Accurist's own site. Water resistance is 50 metres.

Best classic women's solar watch: Citizen Eco-Drive Classic

Citizen Eco-Drive Classic EM1050-56A · 29mm · Solar (Eco-Drive) · 50 m water resistant £190 £249Sale price at Goldsmiths, 28 October 2026 Full specsSee it at Goldsmiths

A small, simple watch that goes with everything: a 29mm steel case with a coin-edge bezel, a white dial with Roman numerals and a steel bracelet. Citizen's page lists the E031 Eco-Drive movement and 50 metres of water resistance, and Goldsmiths lists the five-year guarantee.

Good to know: the crystal is mineral glass, according to Citizen, which scratches more easily than sapphire. There's no date.

Best value men's solar watch: Citizen Eco-Drive Sport

Citizen Eco-Drive Sport BM7630-80X · 41mm · Solar (Eco-Drive) · 100 m water resistant £249Price at Goldsmiths, 28 October 2026 Full specsSee it at Goldsmiths

A sporty everyday watch at a fair price. Goldsmiths' description lists a 41mm steel case, a textured green dial, a faceted 60-minute bezel, a date and 100 metres of water resistance, on an H-link bracelet. It also comes with Citizen's five-year guarantee.

Good to know: we couldn't find this model on Citizen's own websites, so the details are from Goldsmiths only, and we don't know which crystal it has.

Best solar dive watch: Citizen Promaster Diver

Citizen Promaster Diver BN0266-07E · 41mm · Solar (Eco-Drive) · 200 m water resistant £319Price at Goldsmiths, 28 October 2026 Full specsSee it at Goldsmiths

Citizen's page says it meets ISO 6425, the international standard for diving watches, and lists a sapphire crystal, 200 metres of water resistance and a power reserve of 365 days on a full charge, the longest in this guide. It's on a polyurethane strap, ideal in the water. Our guide to the best dive watches under £1,000 compares it with other divers, including the slim Seiko Prospex Solar Diver (£500), which Seiko says runs for about 10 months on a full charge.

Best solar chronograph: Seiko Prospex Speedtimer

Seiko Prospex Speedtimer SSC961P1 · 39mm · Solar · 100 m water resistant £670Price at Goldsmiths, 28 October 2026 Full specsSee it at Goldsmiths

A chronograph (a watch with a stopwatch) with the much-loved "panda" dial. Seiko's page lists its V192 solar movement, which runs for about 6 months on a full charge and is accurate to within 15 seconds a month, a curved sapphire crystal and 100 metres of water resistance, in a 39mm case. See our guide to the best chronograph watches under £1,000 for more, including two solar Citizens.

Browse all 92 Seiko watches£260 to £3,550 at Goldsmiths→

Best tough solar watch: Casio G-Shock GMW-B5000

Casio G-Shock GMW-B5000 GMW-B5000D-1CER · 49 × 43mm · Solar · 200 m water resistant £499Price at Goldsmiths, 28 October 2026 Full specsSee it at Goldsmiths

The shape of the very first G-Shock, the DW-5000C, made in steel. Goldsmiths' description explains that Casio fitted resin buffers between the steel bezel and case to keep the original shock-resistant structure, and it's water resistant to 200 metres. It's a digital watch, with the classic red, blue and yellow details of the original.

Good to know: Casio's site blocks automated reading, so we've only used Goldsmiths' details. If you like the idea but not the size or price, Goldsmiths also sells the G-Shock G-Steel GST-B1000 (£379), a 47mm solar G-Shock in steel.

Most clever: Citizen "Tsuki-yomi" Moon Phase

Citizen Tsuki-Yomi Moon Phase BY1010-57H · 43mm · Solar (Eco-Drive) · 100 m water resistant £699Price at Goldsmiths, 28 October 2026 Full specsSee it at Goldsmiths

Goldsmiths' description calls it the world's first light-powered, radio-controlled moon phase watch. Radio-controlled watches set themselves from time signals, and this one also works out the phase of the moon each day. Citizen's page lists the H874 Eco-Drive movement, a perpetual calendar, world time in 24 time zones, a sapphire crystal and a 43mm Super Titanium case and bracelet. Goldsmiths' description gives its accuracy as within 15 seconds a month (before any radio correction).

Good to know: it's a big, busy watch, and the radio setting only works where it can pick up one of the time signals it's built for.

Luxury solar watches

Solar isn't only for budget watches any more. TAG Heuer's Solargraph watches and Cartier's Tank Must SolarBeat show that luxury brands now use it too. These details are from Goldsmiths, because TAG Heuer's site blocks automated reading.

• TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph (£1,750): a sporty 38mm watch with the TH50-00 solar movement and 100 metres of water resistance.
• TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph 40mm (£2,600): a 200-metre sports watch with a one-way rotating bezel and a date. Goldsmiths lists a five-year guarantee.
• TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph 34mm (£2,350): the women's version, with a white mother-of-pearl dial, according to Goldsmiths.
• Cartier Tank Must SolarBeat (£3,500): the classic Cartier Tank, small model, with a solar movement hidden under the silver dial. 30 metres of water resistance, so keep it dry.

The best solar watches for men

• Citizen Zenshin (£399): our pick overall, light and well made.
• Tissot PRC 100 Solar 39mm (£430): Swiss and slim.
• Citizen Eco-Drive Sport (£249): the best value everyday watch.
• Citizen Promaster Diver (£319): for swimming and diving.
• Seiko Speedtimer (£670): a solar chronograph.
• Timex Solar Expedition (£75): the least expensive.

The best solar watches for women

• Tissot PRC 100 Solar 34mm (£450): Swiss, sapphire, 100 metres.
• Accurist Everyday Solar (£119): sapphire and mother-of-pearl for under £150.
• Citizen Eco-Drive Classic (£190): small, simple and with a five-year guarantee.
• TAG Heuer Aquaracer Solargraph 34mm (£2,350): the luxury choice.

Side by side

How to charge a solar watch

Any light works, but brighter is faster

A solar watch doesn't need direct sunlight. Ordinary indoor light charges it, just slowly. Seiko's manual for its V192 solar movement gives these times for one day of running:

From flat, the same manual gives about 5 hours in direct summer sun for a full charge. Times vary a little from model to model.

Keep it out of the dark and the heat

If you wear long sleeves every day or keep the watch in a drawer, it can slowly run down. Leave it near a window (not on a hot windowsill or car dashboard: Seiko warns against letting it heat up while charging). If it stops, a day in bright light will usually bring it back.

Watch for the low-charge warning

Many solar watches warn you when they're running low. Seiko's makes the seconds hand jump every two seconds instead of one, and Tissot's PRC 100 has an "End of Energy" indicator. When you see it, give the watch some light.

Solar, quartz or automatic?

A solar watch is a quartz watch charged by light: accurate, low maintenance and no battery changes. A normal quartz watch is just as accurate but needs a new battery every few years. An automatic is mechanical and winds itself as you move. It's less accurate and stops after a day or two off the wrist, but many people love it for its craftsmanship. Our movement guide explains each, and our guides to the best men's watches under £500 and best women's watches under £500 include all three.

Where to next

Not sure solar is for you? Our automatic, quartz or solar guide explains all three. For more light-powered TAG Heuers, see our best TAG Heuer watches.