Solar watches have been around for as long as we can remember. These types of watches save us from having to change the battery, which can be quite the hassle. It’s such a hassle, in fact, that most people would prefer just to buy another watch rather than take the watch to the jeweler.
This isn’t exactly the cheapest option. Not to mention, it hurts the planet. The Solios watch is a premium solar watch from a company founded in 2018 by Samuel Leroux and Alexandre Desabrais. They deemed it “the finest-looking solar watch on the market”. Let’s see if that statement holds true.
The Solar Black
What We Like
- Solar-powered by natural and artificial light
- B Corp Certified company
- With every watch purchased, one acre of rainforest is preserved
- Plenty of strap options
- Minimalist design
- Sleek
- Vegan straps
What We Don’t Like
- Not enough value for the money
- The butterfly clip costs extra
About Solios
Solios, as mentioned above, was founded by two Montreal-born university friends Samuel Leroux and Alexandre Desbrais. They were in search of a business idea that would have a positive impact on the world as we know it. These two friends are watch lovers, so they were more interested in creating a watch that would combine their passion and desire to have a meaningful impact on the world. They aimed to prove that it’s possible to reconcile design, elegance, and sustainability. They decided to use a blend of minimalism and elegance to create a watch that’s powered by clean renewable energy to encourage a brighter, greener future.
Furthermore, Solios is the first watch company to gain a B Corp certification. This certification is given to corporations that balance purpose and profit. They are legally required to take into consideration what impact their decisions have on their workers, customers, suppliers, community, and environment. They scored an 89.5 and the average score is 50.9 for other companies.
Packaging
The Solar Black Solios, in our opinion, is a fashionable watch at a decent price. The first thing we noticed about this watch was its packaging. It’s super clean and recyclable. Solios believes in sustainability, so naturally, their packaging would be minimal. They do include an informational pamphlet, though. This watch is more about the packaging, so let’s dig into that.
Watch Case
There are two sizes you could choose from, mini, 36mm, and 40mm. The larger size may be a little too big for smaller wrists, but it was still nice. It’s more discreet on the wrist and doesn’t overpower your outfit. If you were to put the 40mm on a smaller wrist, it may look too chunky and out of place.
The case itself is made from certified 316L recycled stainless steel. This type of material is known for its robustness and longevity. It measures 8mm thick and looks sleek on the wrist. The design accommodates a wide range of fashion trends and is even water-resistant up to 30 meters.
Crystal
The crystal on the Solios is mineral glass but covered with a sapphire coating to prevent scratches. It’s a good combination, but not really ideal. However, it’s much better than just mineral glass. MIneral glass is rated as poorly because it tends to scratch easily and chip rather than completely shatter. Since the crystal has a sapphire coating paired with the stainless steel case, the watch is essentially scratch-proof and can withstand some dings and bumps.
Dial
Under the sapphire-coated mineral glass is a minimalistic black dial with silver hands and silver markers. At the three o’clock mark, you’ll find the Solios logo. They offer a selection of black, silver, and rose gold dials. You can easily pair any of these cases with a variety of straps and colors.
The only thing missing from this watch is a date box, but it’s really not a big deal. It’s not a make-or-break type of thing. Our guess is that they kept it minimal to allow the greatest amount of light to charge the solar cell.
Movement
The watch movement is powered by solar cells under the dial and is charged by light. The light energy is thus converted into electricity, which then powers the watch. Notice how we said “light” and not “sunlight”. This watch can be powered by both artificial and natural light, which is a great feature for those who may not always get out in the sunlight.
The watch can be charged in even the dimmest of artificial lights. According to Solios, just two hours of charging time gives the watch a six-month energy reserve. You don’t even have to do anything special. All you have to do is place or wear your watch somewhere it’s light and the watch will collect the energy on its own.
To further the Scandinavian-style watch’s minimalistic look, Solios designed its dial in an opaque manner so that it’s transparent enough for light to get through to the solar cell. We can’t see it with our naked eye, though.
Straps
The Solar watch comes with an eco-green vegan leather strap, which they call “Eco Sileather”, with a butterfly clasp, but you can choose a mesh strap if you wanted something different. The butterfly clasp is invisible during use. There are two hinges on opposite ends of the clasp and they fold on top of one another. At this point, it’s actually $30 extra for the butterfly clip. Their straps are made without phthalates, heavy metals, solvents, and toxic by-products.
As for vegan silicone leather strap colors, there are plenty to choose from including rose gold, brown, green, black, and blue. For the mesh straps, you can choose from black, silver, grey, blue, or Cream. The straps are interchangeable, just like you would find on a FitBit, Apple watch, or Galaxy watch.
Final Thoughts
We highly recommend the Solios Black Solar Watch because it’s safe for the planet and looks great on a wrist. There are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to size, strap color, and strap type. If we could change anything about it, we would choose to have a stronger crystal for such a pricey timepiece. Granted, it’s not as pricey as others, but for something so minimal, we would prefer something with more value.