Watch Brand Technologies
OD's stocks two genuine watch-technology houses: Citizen, the Japanese pioneer of light-powered Eco-Drive, Super Titanium and GPS syncing; and Tissot, the Swiss maker of the 80-hour Powermatic 80 automatic with its anti-magnetic hairsprings. This hub maps each proprietary technology to the brand that makes it, so you can match the feature you want -- never change a battery, immune to magnets, lighter than steel, atomic-accurate -- to the right watch in our range. Where a technology has its own in-depth page, such as Eco-Drive or Powermatic 80, we link straight to it.
Citizen vs Tissot at a glance
| Citizen | Tissot | |
|---|---|---|
| Signature power source | Eco-Drive -- light-powered, no battery change | Powermatic 80 -- Swiss automatic, 80-hour reserve |
| Typical accuracy | ±15 sec / month (quartz); high-accuracy lines ±5 sec / month | Swiss mechanical (-4 / +6 to -15 / +15 sec / day); quartz models ±15 sec / month |
| Standout material | Super Titanium -- ~5x harder, ~40% lighter than steel | Stainless steel with anti-magnetic Nivachron or silicon hairspring |
| Connected / atomic tech | Satellite Wave GPS and radio-controlled | T-Touch tactile tool watch (ABC functions) |
| Best for | Fit-and-forget, tough tool watches (Promaster), no battery hassle | Swiss heritage, mechanical craft and value (PRX, Gentleman, Seastar) |
We carry Citizen and Tissot as our two genuine technology houses. Seiko and Casio technologies (Kinetic, Spring Drive, Tough Solar) are not part of our range and are not covered here. For a fuller head-to-head, see our Tissot vs Citizen comparison.
Citizen technology
Eco-Drive
Citizen's light-powered technology -- a solar cell under the dial charges a long-life cell so the watch runs from any light and never needs a battery change.
What it is
Eco-Drive is Citizen's flagship technology and the one most likely to be on a Citizen in our cabinet. A photovoltaic cell sits beneath the dial -- often hidden under a normal-looking coloured face -- and charges a long-life titanium lithium-ion secondary cell in place of a disposable battery.
How it works
It charges from any light, natural or artificial. A full charge typically runs the watch for at least six months in total darkness, and power-save versions hold far longer; the rechargeable cell is built to last the life of the watch. We keep the full detail on the dedicated Eco-Drive guide -- think of this entry as the brand-technology summary.
In our range
Browse Citizen Eco-Drive and the wider Citizen range. For the full how-it-works, see the Eco-Drive guide and our Citizen watches guide.
Who makes it: Eco-Drive -- Citizen
Super Titanium (Duratect)
Citizen's surface-hardened titanium -- about five times harder and roughly 40% lighter than stainless steel, hypoallergenic and built to shrug off everyday knocks.
What it is
Super Titanium is Citizen's name for its titanium cases and bracelets treated with Duratect, a family of proprietary surface-hardening processes. Citizen has been refining titanium watchmaking for over fifty years, and Super Titanium is the result -- the standout case material we stock outside ordinary steel.
How it works
Pure titanium is light and hypoallergenic but soft and prone to scratching. Duratect hardens the surface to roughly five times the hardness of stainless steel, so the finish resists the scuffs that mark a steel watch. The titanium core keeps the weight down -- around 40% lighter than steel -- and stays kind to sensitive skin.
Why it matters
For an everyday or sports watch this is a genuine upgrade: lighter on the wrist, harder-wearing on the finish, and hypoallergenic. Many Eco-Drive models, including the toughest Promaster pieces, are cased in Super Titanium.
In our range
Look for Super Titanium across Citizen and Citizen Promaster -- the Promaster guide covers the tougher models in detail.
Who makes it: Super Titanium (Duratect) -- Citizen
Satellite Wave (GPS)
A light-powered watch that syncs to GPS satellites for the exact time and your time zone anywhere on Earth -- one of the fastest satellite syncs in the world.
What it is
Satellite Wave is Citizen's GPS technology. Rather than a ground radio tower, the watch receives timing data direct from positioning satellites, sets itself to atomic-clock-grade time, and works out which time zone you are in -- worldwide, including where no radio time signal reaches.
How it works
It locks onto GPS satellites and can pull in a time signal in as little as three seconds, among the fastest in the world. It is built on Eco-Drive, so it is light-powered and needs no battery. Even between satellite syncs it keeps high-accuracy quartz time of about ±5 seconds a month.
Why it matters
For travellers this is set-and-forget time anywhere with a clear view of the sky, plus automatic time-zone changes. It is the connected end of Citizen's range and often paired with Super Titanium and Promaster toughness.
In our range
Satellite Wave features on higher-end Citizen and Promaster models -- explore the wider Citizen range.
Who makes it: Satellite Wave GPS -- Citizen
Radio-Controlled (atomic)
A Citizen quartz watch that resets itself to a national atomic clock by radio signal -- effectively never wrong and never needs setting.
What it is
Radio-controlled (often called atomic) Citizens carry a receiver that picks up a long-wave time signal broadcast from a national atomic clock -- MSF from Anthorn here in the UK, plus DCF77 in Germany, WWVB in the USA and JJY in Japan.
How it works
Once or more a day the watch receives the signal and corrects its own time and date to the atomic reference; in covered regions it even changes for daylight saving automatically. Citizen pairs this with Eco-Drive, so the watch is light-powered too -- atomic accuracy with no battery to change.
In our range
Radio-controlled Eco-Drive models appear in the wider Citizen range. For the technology family overview see our Citizen watches guide.
Who makes it: Radio-controlled Eco-Drive -- Citizen
Promaster (dive and pilot line)
Citizen's professional tool-watch line -- ISO-rated dive watches and aviation pieces built for divers, pilots and explorers since 1989.
What it is
Promaster is Citizen's professional collection rather than a single technology: purpose-built tool watches for three worlds -- Marine (dive), Sky (aviation) and Land. Since its 1989 debut it has been a favourite of professional adventurers.
How it works
Promaster dive models meet the ISO standard for diver's watches with 200-metre depth ratings, screw-down crowns and high legibility; pilot models add slide-rule bezels and easy-read dials. Most run Eco-Drive, and the toughest are cased in Super Titanium -- so a Promaster typically stacks several Citizen technologies in one watch.
Why it matters
If you want a genuine, hard-wearing tool watch from our cabinet -- something built to a professional standard rather than a fashion piece -- Promaster is the Citizen line to look at.
In our range
Browse Citizen Promaster, the special-edition Citizen Red Arrows pieces, and read the dedicated Promaster guide and Red Arrows guide.
Who makes it: Promaster tool-watch line -- Citizen
Tissot technology
Powermatic 80
Tissot's Swiss automatic movement with an 80-hour power reserve -- leave it off over a weekend and it is still ticking on Monday.
What it is
Powermatic 80 is Tissot's modern Swiss self-winding (automatic) calibre and the backbone of its mechanical range. The headline figure is the 80-hour power reserve -- far longer than the 38-50 hours of a typical automatic. We keep the full detail on its own page; this is the brand-technology summary.
How it works
It is a true mechanical movement: a wound mainspring drives the gear train, escapement and balance, and a rotor winds it from your wrist motion. A redesigned barrel and an efficient escapement stretch the reserve to 80 hours. Most versions fit a Nivachron anti-magnetic hairspring as standard.
In our range
Browse Tissot Powermatic 80 and signature lines such as the PRX, Gentleman and Le Locle. The full how-it-works lives on the Powermatic 80 guide; see also the PRX guide.
Who makes it: Powermatic 80 -- Tissot
Powermatic 80 Silicium
The premium version of Powermatic 80, fitted with a silicon balance spring -- fully anti-magnetic, self-lubricating and immune to the magnetic fields of everyday life.
What it is
Powermatic 80 Silicium is a Powermatic 80 with a silicon (silicium) balance spring in place of a metal one. Silicon has been a proven hairspring material for over twenty years and is found on the higher-specification Tissot mechanical models.
How it works
The balance spring is the tiny coil that governs timekeeping, and it is the part most upset by magnetism. A silicon hairspring is completely non-magnetic and self-lubricating, so a stray magnetic field from a phone, laptop or speaker simply cannot pull the watch off-rate. The 80-hour reserve is unchanged.
Why it matters
If you live around magnets all day -- and most of us do -- the Silicium version is the most magnetism-proof mechanical option in our range, and arguably the most future-proof Powermatic 80 you can buy.
In our range
Silicium appears on higher-spec models within the Powermatic 80 and PRX lines -- see the wider Tissot range.
Who makes it: Powermatic 80 Silicium -- Tissot
Nivachron (anti-magnetic hairspring)
A titanium-based anti-magnetic hairspring fitted to most Powermatic 80 watches -- it strongly resists magnetism, temperature swings and shock.
What it is
Nivachron is a titanium-based alloy hairspring developed within the Swatch Group, Tissot's parent. It is the standard balance spring on most Tissot Powermatic 80 movements -- the metal alternative to the pricier silicon spring.
How it works
Magnetism is the great enemy of a mechanical watch: it makes the steel hairspring run fast or stop. Nivachron's alloy is far less affected, so the watch holds its rate around the magnets of daily life, and it also copes well with temperature changes and knocks.
Why it matters
It means an affordable Swiss automatic that does not need babying around modern gadgets. Nivachron and the silicon spring solve the same problem two ways -- Nivachron on the core range, silicon on the premium Silicium models.
In our range
Nivachron comes as standard across the Powermatic 80 range, including the Seastar and Gentleman lines.
Who makes it: Nivachron hairspring -- Tissot (Swatch Group)
T-Touch (tactile)
Tissot's tactile watch -- you control its functions by touching the sapphire crystal, with an ABC tool set of altimeter, barometer and compass.
What it is
T-Touch is Tissot's long-running tactile technology: a Swiss watch you operate by touching the sapphire crystal itself rather than only pressing buttons. It is a true tool watch, classed as an 'ABC' watch for its altimeter, barometer and compass functions.
How it works
Activate the touch function and the crystal becomes the control surface -- tap different zones to switch between weather (meteo), altimeter, compass, chronograph, alarm, timer and a second time zone. Modern T-Touch models are solar-powered, recharging from light through the dial.
Why it matters
It is the most feature-packed Tissot technology -- a single watch that swaps between a dozen outdoor and travel tools by touch, with proper Swiss build behind it. Choose it when you want function and gadgetry rather than a pure dress or mechanical piece.
In our range
T-Touch sits at the technical end of the Tissot range -- see our Tissot watches guide for where it fits.
Who makes it: T-Touch tactile -- Tissot
Tissot Swiss heritage and accuracy
Over 170 years of Swiss Made watchmaking -- Tissot is our Swiss house, combining traditional accuracy with genuine value.
What it is
Founded in Le Locle in 1853, Tissot is a true Swiss Made watchmaker with more than 170 years of history and part of the Swatch Group, the supplier behind much of the industry's movements. Swiss Made is a legally protected mark: at least 60% of the manufacturing cost must be Swiss, the movement Swiss, and the watch cased and inspected in Switzerland.
How it performs
Tissot quartz models offer everyday quartz accuracy; its mechanical models run the Powermatic 80 with an 80-hour reserve and a Nivachron or silicon anti-magnetic hairspring. Either way you are buying certified Swiss provenance and finishing at an accessible price -- Tissot's long-standing promise of 'Innovators by Tradition'.
In our range
Explore the full Tissot range and signature lines: PRX, Seastar, Gentleman and Le Locle. Background lives in the Tissot watches guide.
Who makes it: Swiss Made since 1853 -- Tissot
Frequently asked questions
Is Eco-Drive better than an automatic watch?
It depends what you value. Eco-Drive is more accurate (quartz, about ±15 seconds a month versus seconds a day for an automatic), never needs a battery, and runs straight away after months in a drawer. An automatic like Tissot's Powermatic 80 offers traditional Swiss watchmaking and never needs a battery either, but is less accurate and stops if unworn. Eco-Drive wins on convenience and accuracy; automatic wins on mechanical craft.
What is Citizen Super Titanium and is it worth it?
Super Titanium is Citizen's titanium hardened with its Duratect surface treatment. It is about five times harder than stainless steel so it resists scratches, roughly 40% lighter so it wears more comfortably, and hypoallergenic. For an everyday or sports watch it is well worth it -- lighter, tougher-finished and kinder to sensitive skin than steel.
Citizen Super Titanium vs stainless steel -- which should I choose?
Choose Super Titanium for the lightest, most scratch-resistant and hypoallergenic option. Choose stainless steel if you prefer the extra heft and the brighter polished shine of steel, or want the lowest price. Super Titanium is the premium everyday material; steel is the classic standard.
What is Powermatic 80?
Powermatic 80 is Tissot's Swiss automatic (self-winding) movement, best known for its 80-hour power reserve -- leave it off over a weekend and it is still running on Monday. Most versions use a Nivachron anti-magnetic hairspring. See our Powermatic 80 guide for the full detail.
What is Powermatic 80 Silicium?
It is a Powermatic 80 fitted with a silicon (silicium) balance spring instead of a metal one. Silicon is completely non-magnetic and self-lubricating, so the watch is immune to the magnetic fields of phones, laptops and speakers. The 80-hour reserve stays the same -- it is the most magnetism-proof Powermatic 80 you can buy.
What is Nivachron?
Nivachron is a titanium-based anti-magnetic hairspring developed by the Swatch Group and fitted to most Tissot Powermatic 80 watches. It strongly resists magnetism -- the main thing that throws a mechanical watch off-rate -- as well as temperature changes and shock. It is the metal alternative to the pricier silicon spring.
Nivachron or silicon -- which is better in a Tissot?
Both solve the same problem -- magnetism -- and both deliver the Powermatic 80's accuracy and 80-hour reserve. Silicon is fully non-magnetic and self-lubricating but costs more to make, so it sits on the premium Silicium models. Nivachron is a highly magnetism-resistant alloy on the core range. For most buyers Nivachron is excellent; silicon is the connoisseur's upgrade.
What is Satellite Wave?
Satellite Wave is Citizen's GPS technology. The watch syncs to positioning satellites for atomic-grade time and your correct time zone anywhere on Earth -- in as little as three seconds, among the fastest in the world. It is built on Eco-Drive, so it is light-powered and never needs a battery.
What is a radio-controlled watch?
A radio-controlled (atomic) watch resets itself to a national atomic-clock signal -- MSF from Anthorn in the UK, plus equivalents in Germany, the USA and Japan. It is effectively never wrong and never needs setting. Citizen pairs this with light-powered Eco-Drive.
What is the Citizen Promaster line?
Promaster is Citizen's professional tool-watch collection, running since 1989: ISO-rated dive watches (Marine), aviation pieces (Sky) and rugged Land models. Most use Eco-Drive and the toughest are cased in Super Titanium, so a Promaster often stacks several Citizen technologies in one watch. See our Promaster guide.
What is the Tissot T-Touch?
T-Touch is Tissot's tactile watch -- you control it by touching the sapphire crystal. It is an 'ABC' tool watch with altimeter, barometer and compass, plus chronograph, alarm, timer and a second time zone. Modern models are solar-powered, recharging through the dial from light.
Tissot vs Citizen -- which brand should I buy?
Both are superb value. Citizen is the Japanese technology house -- light-powered Eco-Drive, Super Titanium cases and GPS/atomic syncing, ideal if you want fit-and-forget convenience and toughness. Tissot is the Swiss house -- 170-plus years of heritage and the 80-hour Powermatic 80 automatic, ideal if you want mechanical craft. Choose Citizen for low-hassle technology, Tissot for Swiss mechanical character. See our Tissot vs Citizen comparison.
Does an Eco-Drive watch ever need a battery?
No. Eco-Drive uses a rechargeable cell that charges from light and is built to last the life of the watch, so there is no disposable battery to replace. A full charge typically runs for at least six months in total darkness, and power-save models far longer.
Is Tissot a luxury watch brand?
Tissot is a genuine Swiss Made watchmaker founded in 1853 and part of the Swatch Group, positioned as accessible Swiss watchmaking rather than high luxury. You get certified Swiss provenance, the 80-hour Powermatic 80 movement and proper finishing at a sensible price -- excellent value rather than top-tier luxury pricing.
Are Citizen watches accurate?
Yes. Standard Citizen Eco-Drive holds quartz accuracy of about ±15 seconds a month -- far better than any mechanical watch. Higher Citizen lines add radio or GPS syncing for atomic-grade accuracy, and high-accuracy quartz models reach around ±5 seconds a month even before syncing.
Does Super Titanium scratch?
Far less than steel. Citizen's Duratect surface treatment makes Super Titanium roughly five times harder than stainless steel, so it strongly resists the everyday scuffs and scratches that mark a steel case. No watch is fully scratch-proof, but Super Titanium is one of the most scratch-resistant case materials we stock.
Which Tissot has the longest power reserve?
Any model built on the Powermatic 80 movement -- which is most of Tissot's mechanical range, including the PRX, Gentleman, Seastar and Le Locle automatics. The 80-hour reserve means it keeps running for over three days after you take it off.
Can magnets damage my Tissot?
Magnetism does not damage a watch but can make a mechanical one run fast or stop. Tissot guards against this with anti-magnetic hairsprings -- Nivachron on the core Powermatic 80 range and a silicon spring on the Silicium models -- so everyday magnets from phones and laptops will not pull the watch off-rate.
Do you stock Seiko or Casio?
We focus on Citizen and Tissot as our two genuine watch-technology houses, so technologies like Seiko Kinetic, Spring Drive or Casio Tough Solar are not part of our range. The Citizen and Tissot technologies on this page are the proprietary systems you will actually find in our cabinets.