So, I’d been meaning to get myself a new timepiece for a good while. My old automatic, bless its gears, was starting to feel like a part-time job. Always had to wind it, reset it if I dared leave it off my wrist for more than a day. You know how it is. And then there are those smartwatches. Ugh. Honestly, I tried one. Felt like I was wearing a tiny, nagging computer that always needed charging. Another screen, another distraction. I was just over it.
What I Was Really After
I guess I was looking for something simpler, something that just… worked. Without fuss. My list of “don’t wants” was pretty clear by then:
- No more hunting for a charger every damn night. I’ve got enough things plugged in.
- No more squinting at my phone to check if my watch was still right.
- Definitely nothing that buzzed me with every useless notification.
I just wanted a watch that told the time, accurately, and didn’t ask for much in return. That’s when I started looking into these radio-controlled things, and then the GPS, or satellite-synced, watches. The Citizen Attesa Satellite Wave caught my eye. The name itself sounded pretty serious, “Satellite Wave,” like something out of a sci-fi flick.
I dug around a bit. The whole idea of it pulling the exact time from a satellite, anywhere on the globe, that really clicked with me. No more manual setting, ever. That was the dream. So, I decided to go for it. Wasn’t the cheapest thing I’ve ever bought, let me tell you, but I figured if it saved me hassle, it might be worth it in the long run.
Getting My Hands On It
When the package finally landed, I wasn’t expecting fireworks. The box was, well, a box. Decent enough. But the watch itself, as soon as I picked it up, that felt different. It had this nice, solid feel. Titanium, they said. Light, but not flimsy. It actually felt like a quality piece of kit, which was a good start. The finish was clean, not too flashy, which I appreciated. I’m not trying to blind anyone, you know?
Then came the moment of truth – getting it to talk to those satellites. The instruction booklet was thick enough to stop a door. I’m not gonna lie, I mostly just skimmed it, looking for the “quick start” bit. Found the instructions: go outside, clear view of the sky, hold down this button for a few seconds. Seemed simple enough.
So, I stepped out back, held the button. The second hand started to move. And then… nothing. For a good few seconds, I was thinking, “Oh, here we go. This is going to be one of those things.” You know, tech that promises the world but delivers a headache. But then, all of a sudden, the hands whirred into life, spun around the dial like they were possessed, and then locked in. Spot on. It actually worked. I gotta say, that was pretty slick. Felt a tiny bit like magic, or at least, very clever engineering.
Living With The Attesa
Wearing it day to day has been… easy. That’s the best word for it. It’s so light I barely notice it’s there, which is a big plus for me. And the time? Always right. To the second. I’ve checked it against my phone, against the atomic clock online – always perfect. It’s one less thing to think about, which, frankly, is a relief these days.
The solar charging is another thing I don’t have to worry about. As long as it sees some daylight now and then, it just keeps on ticking. No battery changes, no hassle. I even took it on a trip where I crossed a couple of time zones. Got off the plane, found a spot with some sky, pressed the button, and a little while later, it had updated itself. That was genuinely impressive. No fumbling with crowns or trying to remember how many hours to adjust.
So, The Whole “Satellite Wave” Thing…
Is the “Satellite Wave” feature just a fancy gimmick? Honestly, no, I don’t think so. It does what it claims to do, and it does it well. It’s not constantly pinging satellites and draining the battery; it’s smarter than that. It checks in when it needs to, or when you tell it to. For someone who wants dead-on accuracy without any effort, or travels a bit, it’s a game-changer. It’s not in your face, it just works quietly in the background.
Of course, it’s not perfect. Nothing ever is. The bracelet, while light, maybe doesn’t feel as premium as some of the steel ones I’ve had. And if you’re deep inside a concrete bunker, well, it’s not going to get a signal, is it? But these are small things. Most of the time, it’s just a reliable, super-accurate watch.
After using this Citizen Attesa for a good stretch now, I can say I’m pretty satisfied. It’s a tool that does its job exceptionally well. It tells the time, all the time, perfectly. It looks good enough for most occasions without screaming for attention. Sometimes, I do miss the old-school charm of a mechanical watch, that tiny, intricate engine on my wrist. But then I remember the faff, the constant adjustments, and I’m glad I made the switch for my daily driver. This thing? It just works. And in this crazy world, sometimes “it just works” is the highest praise you can give.
