SOLAR WATCHES command a special space in the watch world. In many ways, they're the proverbial middle child between a mechanical watch and a quartz-run watch. These sun-powered tickets are usually a bit more expensive than a quartz watch, but also cheaper than a well-made mechanical watch. Although solar timepieces have been around for decades now, they've only recently picked up steam among watch collectors.

So who is solar watch for? In many ways the best solar watches cater to all types of use. They can appeal to those looking for an everyday watch that won't ever break down—quality solar watches can last for years, if not decades—and they can appeal to those who frequent the outdoors and need a reliable watch that can handle bumps and bruises. What you get with a solar watch is consistency, and in a world where products aren't "made like they used to", the one thing you can guarantee with a quality solar watch is it's capability of telling time until the cows come home.

Ahead, we pulled together the 11 best solar watches to know about right now. Some of our picks are more style forward, while other are built for recreation and training. Many of these watches are good ol' fashioned analog watches, while others are smartwatches that—if ever needed—can be given a little juice via a charger in the event your watch has been in the dark too long. Ready to get to the good stuff?

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Citizen

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$229.90

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Citizen's Eco-Drive technology is basically the best solar powered movement you can get. The marathon battery life producing tech has been added to a vast array of Citizen watches and has been around for years, which is a testament to how well made and trusted these timepieces are. We love this Promaster Sea Dive, as it combines the best blend of functionality, timeless style, and a respectable price point into a sola watch. Keep doing what you're doing Citizen. Well done.

Garmin

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$538.00

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The Forerunner 955 is a favorite solar watch in the marathon training and triathlon training communities. The fitness tracker has a beautiful full color display, with accurate GPS mapping and navigation, so you never have trouble moving your way through a training session. You also get advanced readings on stats like VO2 max levels, sleep quality, and training readiness. Best of all is the giant battery life in this watch. It's capable of up to 20 days of constant wear in smartwatch mode, assuming you can 3 hours of daily sunlight on the watch, and up to 49 hours in GPS mode on solar charging, assuming you're wearing the watch in proper sunlight conditions.

Timex

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$169.00

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Timex makes a number of trusted solar smartwatches. This solar Expedition version comes in a timeless field watch look that pairs well in any wardrobe. The watch is made with a stainless steel case with a gunmetal finish and outfitted with a 100% recycled plastic band, so you won't hardly have to worry about durability. And to add in a nice functional feature, Timex placed an easy-to-set QuickDate window on the ride side of the face.

Garmin

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$499.99

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It's hard to choose which Garmin solar watches are best because the brand has so many quality models. It terms of what you get for the price, the Instinct 2 Solar in the Tactical Edition is an excellent outdoor watch. The watch can power itself on smartwatch mode when worn for a majority of the day, as long as you spend 3 hours outside, as well as GPS mode for up to 48 hours, as long as the watch stays in direct sunlight for the duration. What this means is you can use this smartwatch while hiking, trail running, kayaking, and more while measuring metrics like heart rate, pulse oximetry, and sleep. It's also worth mentioning you get a plug-in charger with the Instinct 2 Solar, so you can give your watch a needed boost whenever you haven't had it in sunlight for periods at a time.

Nixon

nixon.com

$150.00

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The Nixon Light-Wave is made of a recycled ocean-plastic case and features a solar-powered quartz movement. They come in several fun colors, and are lightweight and durable enough to be worn as an everyday timekeeper in all types of environments. If you're looking for a daily keeper with a little bit of West Coast-energy, then look no further.

Seiko

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$525.00

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One of the three major brands that pumps out solar watches like the best of them (the other two are G-Shock and Citizen), the Seiko Arnie is an ultra-rugged watch loved by outdoorsmen and collectors alike. The Arnie is capable of up to 200 meters of water resistance and follows ISO standards, making it suitable for scuba diving. When charged, the solar battery can hold a 6 month power reserve. And when the watch is not exposed to light for long periods at a time, the Arnie can go into a special power reserve mode. What's also cool is the fact the Arnie incorporates a digital display that can read off the date and battery level, and tell time in different time zones and set alarms. This is what we'd call a big boy watch.

G-Shock

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$600.00

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G-Shock solar watches are pretty much known for never giving out. In fact, the battery life on this ion-plated stainless steel model can last up to 7 months of normal use without exposure to light. As far as specs go on this model, you get Triple G Resist—shock resistance, centrifugal force resistance, and vibration resistance—as well as Bluetooth connectivity to the SHOCK app. Are there other more affordable G-Shock solar watches you could buy? Yes, but any G-Shock model with the ion-plated stainless steel is going to up your watch game and be a conversation starter for years to come.

MVMT

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$288.00

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Crafted from 100% recycled ocean plastic for the case, the Blacktop II Solar is an eco-friendly chronograph with major style points. Inside the watch is a precision Japanese solar quartz movement that absorbs natural light and artificial light to power itself, so you won't have to worry about this bad boy losing power if you're working a long day inside your office building. The Blacktop II is also water resistant up to 50 meters., so you don't have to worry about rain messing with its functionality.

Vaer

vaerwatches.com

$439.00

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A classic diver watch with solar capability? Count us in. California-based Vaer made their D4 Atlantic with a perpetually power solar quartz movement. The watch has a 20ATM water resistance rating that can handle traditional real-world depth exposures most quality diver watches have. It's also worth noting the D4 Atlantic comes in a 38mm case size, so if you aren't feeling a large case size for you solar watch then this is a worthy counter pick.

Seiko

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$675.00

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If you're looking for a true Chronograph watch in solar form, this Prospex Speedtimer from Seiko is an incredibly sleek watch to turn to. Inside is a solar-powered Seiko V192 movement that never needs a battery replacement. The watch has a power reserve that lasts approximately six months and comes with the same sports timekeeping measurements you'd see on a classic chronograph. The price point is a little bit high here, but when you take into account this is perhaps the best performing solar chronograph around, the lifespan of this watch is well worth the steep investment.

Tissot

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$1050.00

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The Tissot T-Touch can be worn for training thanks to a water resistance up to 100 meters and a list of chronograph functions for time keeping. When worn for everyday wear, the T-Touch will give you a read on weather trends and send text and call notifications from your phone. Along with the watch comes a charger for when you need extra juice, which is helpful if you're running notifications to the device. The only qualm about the T-Touch is it can be difficult to connect to your phone via Bluetooth, but when you consider the amount of tech packed into the watch and it's overall design—Tissot even added hands for a nice hybrid touch—this is a solar smartwatch any tech-fan should consider.