Gadget Friday
I must admit, this week's Gadget Friday almost passed me by. It was only whilst walking to work and pondering why people adhered to Brands did I realise it was Friday (yes, don't laugh, I had no recollection that today is Friday) and that this meant I had to put together a slightly better-than-last-week installment.
So rather than do another Bose type brand based installment, I'm going to do something related to Watches - why? Because I looked at my watch as I was walking in to work to confirm that it was indeed Friday - only to discover my wind-up watch doesn't show the day, only the date.
So, watches. What can be at all Gadgety when it comes to Watches? Watches have been made with style and panache for eons. There are some superb brands out there, that I totally admire and I'll list them at the end of the article in order of my preference. The thing is, these are brands of quality watchmakers. The watches themselves cost anything in excess of £5000.00 for a basic model. So we are already beyond the 'watch' and into the 'timepiece' category. A Breguet is not a watch - repeat 100x and you'll get the picture.
Humble persons like you and I need a more down to earth price range. And Would you believe, there are fantastic brands out there too, that fit this bill - also listed below for reference.
However, in terms of everyday watch innovations, what do we need to overcome? Well there are three factors I think that make a watch for normal lifestyles:
1) Accuracy
2) Longevity
3) Comfort.
There's no point in a Watch if its not accurate (my own wind-up watch aside). Also, why fiddle with a battery every 2 years (again, my wind-up aside). And no point buying a watch that you can't wear on your wrist without you realising its there - weighing you down or hurting you big time (sic).
So lets go for Accuracy and Longevity in one massive swoop.
Enter the G-Shock (and Baby-G for the ladies amongst us). I have to admit to being a huge G-Shock fan. So what do these guys offer?
1) Radio Controlled Accuracy. Don't you just love the idea of a clock signal keeping your wristwatch dead-balls-on-accurate with the real marker-clocks around the globe? That's what the WaveCeptor watches from G-Shock do. They have the Radio Controlled technology inside of them. This means wherever you are, whatever time zone, it adjusts to the second to the correct time automatically. I highly recommend these for house clocks, and was chuffed to see they are also now available for your wrist (radio signal poisoning and side-effects ignored ;-)
2) Longevity. How does Solar Powered strike you? Solar powered to a degree that ANY light source will do. Even a bulb in your house. I can vouch for the Tough Solar watches since I have one. And the battery reserve is phenomenal. Remember that this is a G-Shock, so the solar panels are rock hard, and won't leak. There are alternatives to Solar, such as Kinetic power - and Seiko lead the way in this arena, closely followed by Lorus/Accurist who have some really good Movement based mechanisms. Longevity however, is where G-shocks lead by example. Not only would your Solar powered G-shock never need a battery change, but it will never break either. Well, not never, but if it does break, they'll give you a new one. These things are bloody good!
3) Comfort. Alas G-shocks are massive beasts. They are no way as comfy as some Sekondas (they are very good indeed) and some Swatches (that are pretty neat too). So in that area, Seiko pretty much would win, since it has a penchant for quality comfort.
So if you are in the look out for a watch, consider this. Its purpose may be to show your accessory style, but in truth it needs to be accurate. So how much more accurate can you get, other than dead-on-balls-accurate like an Atomic Signal Watch? And whilst you're there, check out them G-Shocks, they are mean machines!
Quality Time Pieces
Breguet
Oris
Blancpain
Patek Phillipe
Omega
Rado
Longines
Everyday Watches
G-Shock
Sekonda
Seiko
Citizen
Lorus
Accurist
Swatch
Enjoy. Have a nice weekend.
--
dp
So rather than do another Bose type brand based installment, I'm going to do something related to Watches - why? Because I looked at my watch as I was walking in to work to confirm that it was indeed Friday - only to discover my wind-up watch doesn't show the day, only the date.
So, watches. What can be at all Gadgety when it comes to Watches? Watches have been made with style and panache for eons. There are some superb brands out there, that I totally admire and I'll list them at the end of the article in order of my preference. The thing is, these are brands of quality watchmakers. The watches themselves cost anything in excess of £5000.00 for a basic model. So we are already beyond the 'watch' and into the 'timepiece' category. A Breguet is not a watch - repeat 100x and you'll get the picture.
Humble persons like you and I need a more down to earth price range. And Would you believe, there are fantastic brands out there too, that fit this bill - also listed below for reference.
However, in terms of everyday watch innovations, what do we need to overcome? Well there are three factors I think that make a watch for normal lifestyles:
1) Accuracy
2) Longevity
3) Comfort.
There's no point in a Watch if its not accurate (my own wind-up watch aside). Also, why fiddle with a battery every 2 years (again, my wind-up aside). And no point buying a watch that you can't wear on your wrist without you realising its there - weighing you down or hurting you big time (sic).
So lets go for Accuracy and Longevity in one massive swoop.
Enter the G-Shock (and Baby-G for the ladies amongst us). I have to admit to being a huge G-Shock fan. So what do these guys offer?
1) Radio Controlled Accuracy. Don't you just love the idea of a clock signal keeping your wristwatch dead-balls-on-accurate with the real marker-clocks around the globe? That's what the WaveCeptor watches from G-Shock do. They have the Radio Controlled technology inside of them. This means wherever you are, whatever time zone, it adjusts to the second to the correct time automatically. I highly recommend these for house clocks, and was chuffed to see they are also now available for your wrist (radio signal poisoning and side-effects ignored ;-)
2) Longevity. How does Solar Powered strike you? Solar powered to a degree that ANY light source will do. Even a bulb in your house. I can vouch for the Tough Solar watches since I have one. And the battery reserve is phenomenal. Remember that this is a G-Shock, so the solar panels are rock hard, and won't leak. There are alternatives to Solar, such as Kinetic power - and Seiko lead the way in this arena, closely followed by Lorus/Accurist who have some really good Movement based mechanisms. Longevity however, is where G-shocks lead by example. Not only would your Solar powered G-shock never need a battery change, but it will never break either. Well, not never, but if it does break, they'll give you a new one. These things are bloody good!
3) Comfort. Alas G-shocks are massive beasts. They are no way as comfy as some Sekondas (they are very good indeed) and some Swatches (that are pretty neat too). So in that area, Seiko pretty much would win, since it has a penchant for quality comfort.
So if you are in the look out for a watch, consider this. Its purpose may be to show your accessory style, but in truth it needs to be accurate. So how much more accurate can you get, other than dead-on-balls-accurate like an Atomic Signal Watch? And whilst you're there, check out them G-Shocks, they are mean machines!
Quality Time Pieces
Breguet
Oris
Blancpain
Patek Phillipe
Omega
Rado
Longines
Everyday Watches
G-Shock
Sekonda
Seiko
Citizen
Lorus
Accurist
Swatch
Enjoy. Have a nice weekend.
--
dp
you're an IT geek - fossils rock. (no pun intended)
Working in a fashion house must be getting to me.
I have a Ben Sherman watch.
As for Ben Sherman, hmmm. Its almost as dubious as Nike making watches. Might as well have gone for Next ;-)
I think it cost me about £15. It, uh ... tells the time. And the date!