Jan. 05--Name: Citizen World Time A-T watch (Model AT9010-52E)
What it is: A travel watch capable of monitoring any of 26 times zones, including a primary and a secondary zone that are continuously shown on the watch face. Light powers the watch, so there is no need for battery replacement, and radio control keeps this atomic watch accurate to the second. To change time zones on the primary dial, you simply turn the second hand to a city in the desired time zone (they're listed around the dial), and presto, the watch does the rest.
The good: Not only is the watch exceptionally accurate and self-powered (Citizen calls it Eco-Drive), it takes a lot of punishment and still looks like you just took it out of the box. I wore this for four months, and the crystal and watch case are as pristine as the day I put the watch on. That includes exposure to dings on tractor parts while doing mechanical work. Aesthetically, this has held up better than any watch I've ever worn, and the fact that there is no maintenance and no doubt about accuracy is huge. To be able to switch the secondary time zone to the primary by just hitting two buttons simultaneously is fantastic. I much prefer it to either of my two regular watches, one of which cost more. I'm a watch geek, and I find this much more intriguing than the evolving wave of smart watches and their constant need for recharging.
The bad: Do not even attempt to use the written instructions, which didn't come with the watch. I went online to retrieve them and was absolutely intimidated and befuddled on how to set the thing. Instead, watch the YouTube video, which you can find through the Citizen website. You may need to play it two or three times, but you'll know the watch by the time you're done. And the watch is well worth knowing.
Cost: $595 list
Available from: citizenwatch.com, amazon.com and jomashop.com, among others. It's easiest to search with the model number.
