Apple watch?

[Mystic]

I did not know they still make railroad approved watches.

When I bought mine back in something like 1986 there were two companies that made railroad approved as far as I know. Bulova and Seiko. I knew a conductor, an engineer, and a brakeman. The first thing I noticed was these really nice watches they had. They told me the railroads required them and that they were really tough watches that were shock resistant, etc.

I checked out some Bulova first but they were expensive and back in those days I was not making much money and $100.00+ was a considerable sum to me.

Later I was in a JC Penny Store and I happened to notice Seiko railroad approved watches on sale. At the time I was going through $30.00 watches about once a month. At the JC Penny Store they had gold plated Seiko railroad approved for about $130.00 and stainless steel for about $116.00. I figured the gold plating would wear off so I decided to go with stainless steel. I second guessed myself a lot at first, telling myself I could just keep buying cheap watches. But I figure that Seiko paid for itself in the first year or sooner at the rate I was going through watches. Because that Seiko, with just batteries, 2 bands, and 2 crystals and a new winder has lasted me for about 28 years.

I checked the watch in the dark last night and there is still a faint glow from the Tritium. Tritium is an alpha emitter with a half life of about 12.5 years. The radiation is not dangerous-it will not get through the crystal. It is hard to tell the time in the dark anymore. Otherwise the watch looks great and just keeps on ticking. It turned out to be one of the best things I ever bought.

I like a watch to be a watch. Maybe that is old fashioned but I am an older guy so I can be old fashioned. And I like for things I buy to be durable and able to get the job done. I don't care about whatever the newest fad is.

So I will keep using the Seiko until it quits running and then I will probably buy a Citizen watch. No Apple Watch for me.

 

[hotwheels]

Originally Posted By: Mystic
I checked the watch in the dark last night and there is still a faint glow from the Tritium. Tritium is an alpha emitter with a half life of about 12.5 years. The radiation is not dangerous-it will not get through the crystal. It is hard to tell the time in the dark anymore. Otherwise the watch looks great and just keeps on ticking. It turned out to be one of the best things I ever bought.


Watches that use tritium in either the luminescent paint ot in gas from on glas capsules must be marked with the letter "T" on the dial. The tritium itself does not glow. Tritium is a gas, an isotope of hydrogen, which emits beta radiation. Added as a gas to luminescent paint, it is the luminescent compound in the paint, commonly zinc sulphide, which is excited by the particle emitter. Even when the tritium has decayed over many years, you can still charge the luminescent paint like any oher lumeiscent material simply by exposing it to bright light. Due to the paint binders aging over time, and especially due to mositure, luminescent paint may also lose its ability to luminesce with age. If the luminescent pain on the dial and hands looks yellow-brownish, it's toast and won't glow any longer.

Radium watch dials, hands and markers emit alpha radiation, and radium's halflife is something around 1,500 years, so even old radium watch dials tend to glow like when they were new. Radium paint was phased out when workers in watch factories often ended up poisoned and or came down with cancer from inhaling particles. I know one watchmaker who refuses to open up old watches with radium dials for that reason. Radium was phased out and replaced by tritium-based luminescent paint in the '50s for use in watches and clocks.

You can have a watch dial, hands and markers relumed with a safe, modern lume like Super LumiNova and similar. Besdies not putting watchmakers and factory workers in harms way, these paints also contain non-yellowing binders that prevent the lume from yellowing over time. Not a cheap process costing a few hundred dollars, but well worth it if you have a nice watch.

Super-LumiNova paint is strontium aluminate–based, non-radioactive and nontoxic photoluminescent paint and came to the market in the early '90s when Swiss watch manufacturer's were looking to replace tritium-based paint with longer-lasting and safer alternatives. In terms of brighness, fully charged SuperLuminova is about equal to new tritium markers, but gets dimmer over the course of several hours, while tritium remains at the same brightness, getting noticeably less bright only over the course of decades.

But enough waffling!

hotwheels

 

[hotwheels]

I just read my above post and realize that I should not post when slightly inebrieted. I hope those who care to understand my post are able to overlook and to make sense of my alcohol-induced dyslexia. I assure you, my condition is now satisfactory! By the by, the wine, a few glasses of Quinta Do Noval Vintage '11, was really good.

hotwheels

 

[Mystic]

That is a lot of research online to try to look impressive. Was it worth it?

 

[demarpaint]

I push a button on my Solar G Shock watch and I can see the time at night. It also syncs its time with Fort Collins early every morning so its always spot on. Cost under $100. I can drop it, swim with it, and beat the [censored] out of it. I'm sure the techies will gobble up the Apple watches, but probably not as much as Tim Cook is hoping for.

 

[Mystic]

Yes, there are so many watches that are superior in my opinion to this Apple Watch. One of these days buying a watch or some other product just to be 'in' will no longer be considered to be 'in.'

I don't worry what the 'in' crowd wears or uses. I wear what I like and buy what I like and I don't care if I am 'in' or not.

There would be an awful lot of money lost if people decided all of the sudden that they really do not need the latest iPhone or the latest gizmo from Apple or whoever.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: Mystic
Yes, there are so many watches that are superior in my opinion to this Apple Watch. One of these days buying a watch or some other product just to be 'in' will no longer be considered to be 'in.'

I don't worry what the 'in' crowd wears or uses. I wear what I like and buy what I like and I don't care if I am 'in' or not.

There would be an awful lot of money lost if people decided all of the sudden that they really do not need the latest iPhone or the latest gizmo from Apple or whoever.


I'm not saying my watch is superior to the Apple watch. I just don't want an Apple watch, it doesn't interest me. In fact nothing from Apple interests me at this point in time. But I'm the exception I think.

 

[KrisZ]

I actually think this watch will sell quite well.

 

[hotwheels]

Originally Posted By: Mystic
That is a lot of research online to try to look impressive. Was it worth it?


You are welcome.

hotwheels

 

[Mystic]

I know enough about various things I don't have to do a lot of research online to try to look impressive here. I rarely look up stuff online unless I need to. I normally do not even check my spelling because I think it is pretty good and I am not going to worry too much if I misspell an occasional word. This is just an online forum.

Some people try to impress other people and pretend they are something they are not online. Too many people nowadays hiding behind a keyboard. I will be myself online just like I am myself in person talking face to face with another person.

I have been a member here for about 12 years. There have been some guys here who have been banned and then come back using proxy servers or the Tor Network or whatever. I have never done anything like that. I am more impressed with somebody who has enough self discipline and character that they can continue as a member at an internet forum for several years and not get banned.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
I actually think this watch will sell quite well.


Time will tell. No pun intended. As with anything new, I'd wait and let the early buyers give their reviews and trouble shoot the product. Then if its all its cracked up to be, I might just check it out.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
I actually think this watch will sell quite well.


I think it probably will, too. I know of a few Apple fanatics who bought-in early to other smart watches just because they had to have something on their wrist. I bet every one of them will be buying an Apple Watch. And I wager that there are a lot of folks who have been on the sidelines until now, until Apple came out with a watch. I think the Apple Watch sales pattern will be much different from those of other smart watches.

 

[rjundi]

Apple is a master of building an incredible User Interface(UI) that appeals to the masses. The original iPod was nothing new except it was easy to work with. Same with iPhone vs competition and also iPad.

Maybe they can do it with a watch in a tiny screen but with a world wanting larger and larger phone screens seems beyond hard to build a UI that appeals to masses.

 

[Vuflanovsky]

I've thought recently about wearing a watch again and getting a decent Seiko, Citizen, etc. but haven't had any interest in the Apple watch. Just my opinion but this is Apple branching out into a considerably more niche product that they know will have a more limited appeal. It seems like a stepping stone product into another area of "interconnectedness" that probably won't appeal to most people but might still be profitable for them.

Maybe like many Apple products it'll define a new market until it can expand and transform that market into something else. Kind of the way I think Tesla is ultimately interested in cornering the battery market vs. the car market once electric cars or applications for their batteries become common. Does Tesla want to make the Model S forever or do they want to control the battery supply and technology for the automakers??

 

[Mystic]

Apple making a wrist watch kind of makes me think about people trying to do photography with a smartphone. Sure you can do it, but a real camera can do much better. Of course, there is no telling where technology will go and someday a smartphone may be able to take photographs like a Canon 5D. But for right now I want to have at least my Canon Powershot S120 for taking photographs I may want to keep. And some place where I really want good photographs, like in a museum or some other location where I want to be able to show people decent photographs at some time in the future, I want to have my Canon 6D with a good selection of lenses.

In my opinion, a watch that also is maybe a phone, a camera, and kind of a tiny substitute for a laptop computer is a tool that can do many things and is a master of none. I prefer for my watch to be a watch. If I also need a camera I will carry at least my Powershot S120. And I do work that requires a computer on my computer at home. I am not going to try to work on photographs walking down the street holding my laptop (which I don't own) in my hands.

So as long as my old Seiko runs it will be my watch. And if I need a new watch someday I will probably buy a Citizen. And my pocket camera is usually with me on a trip and if I go to a museum I will have my Canon 6D. And my computer is at home when I need it.

 

[Evanson]

If there's one company that can redefine what a watch does, it will be Apple.

Just like there were already MP3 players before the iPod, it was the iPod that redefined music on the go. Why? Not just it's user experience but also because of the itunes store.

It's the whole package that matters.

The Apple Watch is an extension to the iPhone. To understand it, you can't be 70 years old and comparing it to your Casio. It's aimed at a completely different generation who are using their iPhones as their primary device.

This generation is always connected whether it be for work or play. They can't survive without the latest information delivered to them in one or two sentences. Taking pictures isn't about setting shutter speed and depth of field. It isn't even about taking a picture or video in landscape mode!

You may not be that way, you may not agree with it. But that's the way the world is now. Even people in their 40's and 30's are out of date. Even email is dying.

 

[Mystic]

And one thing that will never die is a quality photograph. And I don't think email is endangered.

I don't always want to be connected. Connected to what? People texting each other constantly? That is life? When I am out in a beautiful area I want to see that beauty, I want to smell the air, I want to hear the waterfall. I don't need to be texting.

My next door neighbors text each other sitting next to each other. Instead of just talking to each other. I don't need that kind of world. I don't want that kind of world.

When I am at a baseball game, I want to watch the game. Not text somebody.

When I take a walk I want to enjoy the walk. Not text somebody.

A lot of young people need to start living, and stop texting-at least long enough to eat.

 

[Evanson]

I hear you. They are possibly missing out on something.

Email use is significantly down. Social networking is the new way of communicating.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2379677,00.asp

But I agree that there will always be quality photography.

I envy anyone who can take great photos. Is that something you do? Is there anything you can share with us?

 

[hotwheels]

Originally Posted By: Mystic
I will probably buy a Citizen.


You have been mentioning that you are in the market for a Citizen. I can fully recommend a cheap Citizen as a daily use watch. I picked up a Citizen Scubafin with Eco-Drive (dolphin-friendly!) for an apple and an egg. I'm wearing it when I go swimming, when chopping wood and working in the backyard, basically whenever an expensive watch is too likely too get damaged. See the picture below.

Extra nice feature on this watch is that the big second hand does not jump at 1 second intervals as is common with battery-powered movements, but that is jumps at 1/5 second intervals like the second hand on a mechanical watch. That also means that the stop watch resolves 1/5 second. The bezel with timer is great to remind you when you have to feed the meter. WR 200 m and screw-down crown.

Let me know when you get a Citizen and we can talk endlessly about it.

hotwheels

 

[Mystic]

If I posted any photos here Mori (the guy who keeps coming back with new user names) would add those photos to his collections. He has a lot of photos that were posted here by many, many guys. I don't want my photos to be in his collections.

And they can keep Facebook and Twitter. I would rather use email any day. I tried Facebook for a while and I rapidly became very tired of checking out hundreds of Friend Requests in my email. Facebook hardly reduced the number of emails I receive-it increased it. I can't be checking out hundreds of emails a day. I have a life to live.

Twitter is a joke. Especially when politicians are using Twitter to try to look cool and 'in' instead of communicating in effective ways.

And texting instead of talking to people in a joke. People need to develop social skills and be able to communicate with each other effectively in person.

And that is not some old school nonsense from 70 year old people. That is a fact in any generation. If you apply for a job they are going to expect you to show up for a job interview. And not just text your qualifications to the Human Resources Department. They want to evaluate you as a human being. They want to see your ability to interact with other people and present yourself. Texting the interviewer is probably not going to cut it.

Nobody needs to be 'connected' 24-7. I see people driving and using cellphones or smartphones all the time, endangering themselves and other people.

I have seen people walk across very busy streets and paying no attention to traffic, while communicating on their smartphones the entire way and never even looking for traffic. That is not cool or advanced compared to older people-that is stupid, and dangerous.

And to top it all off various medical people are finding serious health concerns with people engaged in all of this endless cellphone and smartphone use.

People need to be able to find other things to do instead of texting each other constantly all through the day. Maybe visit a museum. Maybe open a book. Maybe drive someplace that is interesting. Maybe find a life.