Orient Symphony and Bambino

Formal attire deserves a proper dress watch. A simple classic understated watch with a  leather strap is the proper companion for formal wear. Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin make the finest classic dress watches. Most people would probably not willing to spend the cost of a very decent car on a fine timepiece.

There are good low cost alternatives to expensive Swiss dress watches. The Orient Watch Co. Symphony and Bambino collections are good choices for those looking for a good,  low priced, classic dress watch. The Orient Symphony has a 41 mm case and a flat glass.  The Orient Bamboo has a 40 mm case and a domed glass. Like a proper classic watch, both the Symphony and Bamboo have self winding mechanical movements. Should you meet a timepiece enthusiast during a formal event, you will get a approving nod to having selected a watch with a proper mechanical movement. 

While Orient may not be the most prestigious watch brand, those who appreciate timepieces will also give an approving nod for having selected a watch from a manufacturer that builds it's own movements in-house. Orient prides itself with the fact that it manufactures all it movements in-house. This is something few Swiss manufacturers can claim. 

All-in-all the Symphony and Bamboo offer a lot of class for watches than can be had for about US$200.

AVI-8 AV-4011 Hawker Hurricane

I found a fairly interesting watch from a small UK based company called AVI-8. Given the staggering number of watches offered by the company, manufacture is outsourced to a third party. Most likely a China based one. Still, Being a fan of Pilots watches and aviation history, I could not help but notice the AV-4011 when is popped on for sale on a local online store.

There is nothing spectacular about the watch itself. The watch has a 42 mm case which houses a Japanese quartz chronograph movement. Priced at about US$200, it is not necessarily a bargain. Still I found the old RAF roundel at the 9 o'clock particularly interesting. The watch comes in several color of dials and black and brown options for straps. But personally cream and brown (AV-4011-04) seems like the most attractive combination.

Still, if you are interested in aviation history, a watch commemorating the Hawker Hurricane might be a worthwhile addition to your collection.

Casio Edifice EQW-A1200DB-1A

It is hard to fall in love with a Quartz wristwatch. To the purist, a watch must have a mechanical movement. Many a watch lover can see the merit of a digital watch for specific tasks. A quartz watch is hard to fall in love with.

Quartz watches are practical choices. They are cheaper than mechanical watches and providing better timekeeping accuracy. Some features like perpetual calendars, which make for very expensive mechanical watches, are inexpensive to implement in a quartz watch. But to many, myself include, the abrupt and halting of the motion of the second hand is just something we do not like to see,

Casio Edifice EQW-A1200DB-1A. If you are going to go with a quartz watch, might as well goes with one that does everything. The Casio Edifice EQW-A1200DB-1A is powered by the sun. The battery will last all of six months without exposure to light. The rechargeable battery itself should be able to last you about two decades before needing replacement.

If you live in a supported area, you never have to set the correct time. The Casio Edifice EQW-A1200DB-1A is Radio-controlled and can receive signals from six different transmitters around the globe which will automatically make sure you have the correct time set to an Atomic clock.

Location of Atomic clocks:

• Station name: DCF77 (Mainflingen, Germany), Frequency: 77.5 kHz
• Station name: MSF (Anthorn, England), Frequency: 60.0 kHz
• Station name: WWVB (Fort Collins, United States), Frequency: 60.0 kHz
• Station name: JJY (Fukushima, Fukuoka/Saga, Japan), Frequency: 40.0 kHz (Fukushima) / 60.0 kHz (Fukuoka/Saga)
• Station name: BPC (Shangqiu City, Henan Province, China)
• Frequency: 68.5 kHz

The watch is pretty accurate even in area with signal calibration. The Casio Edifice EQW-A1200DB-1A is rated at ±15 seconds per month with no signal calibration.

One good reason to get a quartz watch is if you intend to use it as a chronograph. The watch has a 1/20-second chronograph. The best mechanicals measure to the closest 1/8th of a second, and very few can go 1/10th. This is because they "beat" at 8 to 10 times a second. The Casio Edifice EQW-A1200DB-1A can also keep records of up to 10 laps. Even the best mechanical watches are limited to two. 

The list goes on. The Casio Edifice EQW-A1200DB-1A has a full auto-calendar until the year 2099, a electronic compass, a countdown timer, can display time in different cities around the world (29 time zones), alarm, battery level indicator, day and date display.

The watch is also designed to be durable with a 100-meter water resistance and a vibration-resistant structure.  The internal module of the watch is encased in αGEL®, a highly vibration-absorbentmaterial that isolates the module from vibration and impact. Silicone-based soft gel material that provides superior vibration-absorption capabilities. Also, the spring rods connecting the band to the case are enclosed in carbon tubes that protect them from becoming detached due to vibration.

About Casio. Casio Computer Co., Ltd. is a multinational electronic devices manufacturing company founded in 1946, with its headquarters  in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. Casio  is best known for its calculators, audio equipment, PDAs, cameras, musical instruments, and watches. Casio released it first G-Shock watch in 1983.

Cabot Watch Company Royal Navy Divers Watch

Off the beaten path. If you are looking for watches with an interesting history, the offering of the Cabot Watch Company might just be what you are looking for. The CWC Royal Navy Divers Watch is the watch officially issued to Royal Navy Divers. In the early 80's a CWC manufacturer divers watch started replacing Rolex Submariners as official issue to Royal Navy Divers. The automatic version was the official issue watch for just one year. It is still in production and can be purchased for around US$850. 

The watch has a 45 mm diameter bezel, and is water resistant to 300 meters.

Cabot Watch Company Royal Navy Divers MOD current issue. The Cabot Watch Company Royal Navy Divers Automatic Watch was replaced by a quartz version without a date display. It features a battery life indicator.

This is watch is priced at US$540. 

Seiko Superior Limited Edition Model Nos. SRP451K1, SRP453K1, SRP455K1 and SSA147K1

In celebration of its 100 years in watchmaking, Seiko has released a series of Limited Edition watches. It appears that different models are being targeted at different markets. One series of Seiko Limited Edition watches being released is the Seiko Superior Limited Edition series of "Baby Monster" and "Baby Tuna" divers watches.

• Caliber: 4R35 Automatic winding type with manual winding mechanism
• Metal:  Stainless steel 
• Size: 44.5mm 
• Band: Nylon Strap
• Water resistance:  100 meters
• Glass: Hardlex Crystal

• Caliber: 4R36 Automatic winding type with manual winding mechanism
• Metal:  Stainless steel 
• Size: 42.3mm 
• Band: Resin Band
• Water resistance:  200 meters
• Glass: Hardlex Crystal

• Caliber: 4R35 Automatic winding type with manual winding mechanism
• Metal:  Stainless steel 
• Size: 43mm 
• Band: Resin Band
• Water resistance:  200 meters
• Glass: Hardlex Crystal

Model No. SSA147K

• Caliber: 4R37 Automatic winding type with manual winding mechanism
• Metal:  Stainless steel 
• Size: 45mm 
• Band: Nylon Strap
• Water resistance:  200 meters
• Glass: Hardlex Crystal

While the watches are marked "Limited Edition" they are unnumbered so I do not know how many are made. I posted the case sizes above from other sources, but they do not seem to match up with my own inspection. Will try to get the correct case size measurements. 

About Seiko. In 1881, when Kintarō Hattori opened a watch and jewelry shop called "K. Hattori" in Tokyo, Japan. Eleven years later, he began to produce clocks under the name Seikosha. The first K. Hattori wristwatches were produced in 1913. The Seiko brand was first used in 1924. Today the company is named Seiko Holdings Corporation.

The Smartwatch Could Revolutionize the Watch Industry

Agence France-Presse reports that Swiss watchmakers are eyeing the rumored Apple smartwatch with some concern. There are already numerous smartwatches in the market, ranging from the more traditional professional tools like the Suunto and Casio offerings, to more contemporary designs which are being offered as smartphone accessories like those being offered by Sony and Pebble. But the smartwatch has not really caught on with mainstream buyers. The concern is that an Apple smartwatch might start to change peoples perception as to what a watch should be. 

Cooler than a Swatch?

A successful Apple smartwatch would not be too likely to have a significant effect on Swiss luxury watch sales. About 87% of Swiss watch exports are made up of watches priced at over US$1050 and cater to buyers looking for luxury or premium accessories. An Apple smartwatch would likely be priced much lower, most likely less than US$500, and target a wide consumer base. I do not see someone swapping a Rolex or IWC for an Apple smartwatch. At best, the watch buyer might add an Apple smartwatch to the collection, and use them for different occasions. 

However, a successful Apple smartwatch would affect lower priced Swiss watches like Swatch, as well as non-Swiss watch makers like Casio, Fossil, Bulova, Timex, Suunto and the plethora of fashion branded watches. Should an Apple smartwatch gain prominence, it should actually help boost the sales Android based smartwatches, the latter bringing smartwatches to lower and lower price points. 

Casion G-Shock GB-9000: This watch connects to your
 smartphone and notifies you of incoming calls, emails and messages. 

So while the smartwatch is not likely threaten the Swiss mechanical watch market, or higher end Japanese watch luxury models it could be devastating for low cost watch manufacturers.  More prominent companies like Casio, should make a comfortable the transition. It's G-Shock technology is sought after by buyers, and Casio is already dabbling in Android phones and smartphone connected watches. However, the companies other offerings, like its Edifice and Sheen brands would also have to make a transition, and this transition will be rougher. Suunto should also make a comfortable transition, with smartphone compatible smartwatches just adding to the company's line-up. 

But for many manufacturers of low cost watches, mainly US and Asian based manufacturers, the smartwatch could see a changing of the guard with smartphone manufacturers dominating the low cost watch market. While these companies can try to make the transition, this is a radical shift in technology and know-how. A successful Apple smartwatch will see many quartz watch manufacturers shuttering their doors.

The Sony SmartWatch2 ... Where they are getting it wrong

I know many of the readers of this blog look at Smart Watches with disdain. Whether you what wear on your wrist is a humble offering or a Patek Philippe, it must be a mechanical watch. I myself really, don't like to wear anything else, with one exception.

One of the most valuable watches in my small repertoire is a Casio G-Shock. It is my companion my most interesting trips. Up mountains, and down into caverns. It is not only because it is though, but also because it is relatively inexpensive to replace should some unfortunate incident occur. When replacement time comes, I have my eyes set on a more capable one, Altimeter, Barometer, Compass and GPS.  

So, Sony has now launched its second Smart Watch, and the tech community is abuzz with talk of wearable technology. The second Sony Smart Watch has a 1.6-inch LCD display and runs on the Android operating system. Again it is a watch designed for daily use, as an accessory for you smartphone.

I keep going back to the same question. If I had easy access to a 5-inch Sony Xperia Z in my pocket or belt pouch, why would I bother glancing at a 1.6-inch display on my wrist when I have a 5-inch display in full 1080p glory within easy reach.

It is a bit different, when I have my phone secure in a water proof case tucked into my backpack.  I can appreciate a nice Smart Watch. Just give me a give me an Armored Droid to wear on my wrist.

Fossil Swiss Made Automatic Watches

Fossil is moving up of the world. Fossil is well known for its wide range of low-priced priced but classily designed watches. While Fossil does build watches with mechanical movements, it has released it first ever watches with Swiss mechanical movements. 

The new Fossil  Automatic mechanical watches is built on a 38 mm diameter five-piece case with a double-domed, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal protecting the dial. The dials are also domed, with a nice clean design featuring applied numerals at the 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock positions. Three of the watches are offered with a genuine leather strap, and one model is offered with stainless steel bracelet.

The movement cant be viewed  through a clear case back.

The new Fossil Swiss Automatic Watches are priced between US$895 to US$995.

About Fossil. Fossil, Inc. is an American designer and manufacturer of watches, jewelry clothing and accessories. Fossil was founded in 1984 and is based in Richardson, Texas, United States. Fossil Inc.  brands include Fossil, Relic, Abacus, Michele Watch, Skagen and Zodiac Watches.

COOKOO Watch

I would think most readers of this blog are not too fond of Smartwatches. But it is good to take a look at them from time to time and see how these products are developing. One of the more interesting offerings is the COOKOO Watch, which is designed to act as an accessory for Apple's iPhone, iPad and iPod.

The watch comes with an app downloadable from the Apple App Store and using this app, the COOKOO watch will alert you of:

• Incoming calls
• Missed calls
• Facebook messages and posts
• Calendar reminders
• Your device is out of range
• Low battery on iPhone or iPad
• Alarm and Timer alert

The COOKOO watch also has a command button that can be customized to do the things like  Checking-in on Facebook or acting as a remote shutter control for you smartphones camera.

Unlike most smartwatches, the COOKOO uses a user replaceable battery. I am not sure how long the battery life is, but given that watch uses a analog display, you can expect it to be much less power hungry than those with full LCD displays.

So, will any of these features cause you to remove your hand wound mechanical marvel from your wrist from time to time? For just US$129, 

Sony SmartWatch - Will Android Revolutionize the Digital Watch?

Digital watches now serve a niche market used by professionals, as well for sports and fitness related activities. But will the digital watch ever become mainstream again. Sony thinks so. Sony has released its SmartWatch, which is designed to connect to your Android phone via Bluetooth and you access music controls, messaging and social networking updates from your wrist. Given that over one million Android devices are activated per day, Sony is hoping even if a small fraction of the owners of those devices decide to pair it to a watch, the SmartWatch could be a very profitable venture. 

The SmartWatch is a little 36mm square  device with a flip clip at the back that attaches it to a silicone strap which is available in a variety of colors. Of course being a the Smart watch, you can connect it to your PC via a supplied USB cable.

The default display of the the SmartWatch is a digital clock. Pressing a button of the the SmartWatch and  you are presented with four programmable shortcut options. The default setup has shortcuts for to access music, Twitter & Facebook, messaging and weather. The the SmartWatch connects to your phone using Bluetooth 3.0You can also install apps one of which allows you to see the view from your phone's camera -- terrific for Mission Impossible-style remote spying. The video is streamed via Bluetooth with a range of up 10m from your phone.

The display is a small 1.3-inch OLED unit that supports multitouch.  The The the SmartWatch is intended for use with Sony Xperia phones, but it should also be compatible with other Bluetooth-enabled Android handsets from  LG, HTC, Motorola and Samsung.

Battery-wise the SmartWatch will run for a few days of occasional use.

The question is would you rather view things on a 1.3-inch display, when your 4 to 5-inch smartphone is just a a few more seconds away?

LIMES Pharo Vollkalender Chronograph

Pforzheim. When people think of watchmaking, they think Switzerland. Switzerland neighbor Germany has also had a long history in watchmaking. The small town of Pforzheim,  a town of about 119,000 inhabitants, located in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany, is world-famous for its jewelry and watch-making industry. Pforzheim history in watchmaking goes back to 1767.  

One of the watch companies located in Pforzheim is LIMES. Karl Ickler founded LIMES in 1924. During the war production ceased, but Karl’s two sons began rebuilding the company in 1947. Today, LIMES remains a family business, with the company being managed by the third-generation Thomas Ickler. LIMES watches feature Swiss Movements in cases built in Germany.

LIMES Pharo Vollkalender Chronograph. One of LIMES watches is the Pharo Vollkalender Chronograph. This watch is a classic looking design with a stainless steel 40.5 mm case. Inside is a Valjoux 7751 movement which features a chronograph function with a month and day display, date pointed hand and moonphase indicator. The Valjoux 7751 beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour, giving the seconds a nice smooth movement.

The LIMES Pharo Vollkalender Chronograph complicated dial gives it the look of a annual calendar complication watch, but the watch is really just a basic chronograph. Still the dial calls for some attention. At the 12 o'clock you have a sub-dial with a 30 minute counter used on conjunction with the chronograph function. Inside the sub-dial are two windows which display the day and the month. The date is displayed by a red tipped hand which points to date markers at the edge of the dial.

A dial at the 6 o'clock has a 12-hour counter used on conjunction with the chronograph function. Inside the dial is a moonphase display. Finally, at the 9 o'clock is a sub-dial with two hands. One displays running seconds and the others is the 24-hour indicator. The dial is protected by 

The watch is available with a silver or black dial on a black or brown leather strap.

This watch is priced at Eur 2595, or about US$3,200. 

Pebble E-Paper Watch

Watch technology sometimes to be at a standstill, with mechanical watches being the most desired form. But that is not really the case, as watches technology has evolved from mechanical, to quartz to digital, each has found a useful place in the watch ecosystem. At the same time the number of younger persons who do not use wrist watches is growing. With every mobile phone being a watch, to many, wristwatches are fashion accessories, and if you cannot afford to buy a expensive fashionable watch, why wear one at all? Just flash your iPhone when you want to check the time. That is a fashion statement in its own way.

The last few years saw the evolution of a new form of wristwatch. The Smartwatch. Essentially, this is a small computer worn on the wrist. For the most part this watches are used for sports related activities, but a new form of Smartwatch promises to have broader appeal: the Smartwatch as a smartphone accessory. 

Pebble Technology used Kickstarter to seek funding for its US$115-US$125 E-Paper Watch, which is designed to connects to an iPhone or Android smartphones using Bluetooth. Aside from telling the time and date, it will alert you with a silent vibration to incoming calls, emails and messages. A music control app to play, pause or skip tracks on your phone with the touch of a button. Cyclists can use Pebble as a bike computer, accessing the GPS on your smartphone to display speed, distance and pace data. Runners get a similar set of data displayed on their wrist. If you're a golfer, Pebble is working with Freecaddie to create a great golf rangefinder app for Pebble that will work on over 25,000 courses world-wide.

So how is this project doing? On its launch in April 12, enough people were interested in it to invest US$1,000,000 in its first day on Kickstarter. Right now has US$3.3 million in funding.  Smartphone sales are estimated to hit 1 billion devices in 2014. Imagine what a 1% share of that market will look like? 

Suunto Vector - Modern Mountain Sports watch

About Suunto. Despite advances in technology, digital watches are no longer favored today from a fashion standpoint, but they have found a niche market as sports and adventure watches. One of the companies that manufactures digital watches for  modern watches is Suunto Oy, based in Finland, Suunto produces and markets sports precision instruments for diving, training and and other outdoor sports.  Suunto is a subsidiary of Amer Sports Corporation with sister brands Wilson, Atomic, Salomon, Precor, Arc’teryx and Mavic.

Suunto Vector HR. The Suunto Vector HR is designed for trekking and mountain climbing featuring an altimeter, barometer, electronic compass, and heart rate monitor to give you the information you need to make responsible decisions during outdoor activities. Accessing these features is easy. Pressing the button at the 3 o'clock will toggle the display between time, altimeter, barometer and compass.

The heart rate monitor zone can be set to alarm when your heart rate is climbing at an alarming rate. The altimeter features a range up to 9,000 m / 29,500 ft, making it useful in all 14 of the world's 8,000+ meter summits. In addition to measuring height it measures your vertical speed, and works in conjunction with heart rate monitor so you can see the physiological impact of both altitude and vertical rate of movement. You can set altitude alarms to remind you when you’re reaching another limit. An automatic 24-hour memory stores the altitude and ascent/descent rate for every hour, and lets you record other intervals. With the logbook, you can see and compare all of your ups and downs as it records your total and cumulative vertical ascents and descents.

The Suunto Vector HR displays real-time barometric pressure and temperature, giving you information on weather conditions. It stores  the past four days’ barometric data, which is recorded automatically.

The digital compass guides you with cardinal or half-cardinal points and a north-south arrow. You can set the compass to track a bearing of your choosing, and your Suunto Vector HR helps you get around in unknown terrain. A declination adjustment function allows you to correct the difference between true north and magnetic north for a more accurate reading.

In addition the Suunto Vector HR displays the current time in 12- or 24-hour format, allows you to set three daily alarms, a calendar and a chronograph with a split-time stopwatch, countdown timer, and interval timer functions.

It's not a very pretty watch, but it is not meant to be. It is an excellent example of a modern day tool watch.

24/7 The Insider tests the Casio G-Shock "to Destruction"

Someone at Watchfinder.co.uk must really have something against Casio G-Shocks :)

Kidding aside, Watchfinder.co.uk in its publication the 24/7 The Insider put a G-Shock through the most grueling series of tests imaginable.

24/7 The Insider - "If you visit the G-Shock website, you’ll notice that the second tab on the menu bar is home to the word ‘toughness.’ Casio make big claims about the performance of the G-Shock, particularly with their ‘Triple 10’ development concept (ten metre fall resistance, ten bar water resistance and ten year battery life), but is it all just marketing spiel or is the G-Shock really one of the toughest watches ever made? Casio sent us a G-9000 Mudman to find out."

Did it survive? Go to 24/7 The Insider The Casio G-Shock Tested to Destruction to find out.

We asked permission from 24/7 The Insider before borrowing their video's. Please do the same if you plan to use them elsewhere.

BaselWorld 2011: Jorg Grey to exhibit for the first time

Retail Jeweller, a watch and jewelry magazine writes that Jorg Grey will be exhibiting its collection at BaselWorld 2011 for the first time. 

Jorg Grey is probably best know for it's 6500 Chronograph. A Jorg Gray 6500 Chronograph, specially manufactured for the US Secret Service store, was given to US President Barack Obama was given to him as a gift by his secret service detail on his 46th Birthday. The only thing special (at least as far as we know) about the Secret Service Version of the Jorg Gray 6500 Chronograph is has the logo of the United States Secret Service logo on the dial.

This is a big step up for Jorg Grey.

What would it take to bring the wristwatch back to relevance

When most people leave their homes today, they bring two tools with them everywhere they go. They strap a wristwatch on their wrist and slip a mobile phone into a belt pouch or handbag. In the past two decade, the mobile phone has morphed from a wireless telephone to a pocket computer. Todays typical wristwatch is based on technology half a century old. Yes, there have been improvements in metallurgy and materials used, but nothing which there is nothing much you would miss if you put on your grandfather watch. 

Digital watches, arrived, became the mainstream and quickly occupied a niche market for professional needing wrist tools.  But, fashion trends relegate these devices to purpose drive tools that can only be worn during limited occasions. When we remove our exercise gear, we slip off our 10-in-1 device, and slip on a mechanical timepiece which tells time and the date.

For my generation, the wristwatch is piece of your daily wear. Something you got use to putting on every day. Some people put a wrist watch on their wrist every day without realizing that they never use it. I do not know how many time I have seen a friend pull out a mobile phone rather than glance at his wrist when telling time. Truth be told for many, a watch is really just a fashion accessory like a piece of jewelery. For the younger generation, a lot do not even bother with the wristwatch.

I just a decade ago when I would carry all kinds of "tools" in my briefcase when going on to work or taking a trip. A pen, pencil, notepad, a planner, a few files, books or reference materials, and on vacations maybe a map, camera and a novel or bestseller. Today, well I still have the same briefcase I used I bought fifteen years ago, but it is now wrapped in plastic in a cabinet. 

The most I would carry with me now is a small 3-pound laptop, smartphone, wristwatch, wallet. On vacations I would camera with my clothes. The smartphone is actually starting to threaten the camera. If I did not buy one several years back, I probably would not bother anymore today. That is one other "tool" which looks like it is headed to extinction in my repertoire of gadgets.

The only thing I have continued to use, despite the fact that its practical usefulness ended a long time ago is the wristwatch.   

A Suunto X-Lander: Altimeter, barometer and compass.

Companies like Casio and Suunto continue to make digital watches with multiple alarms, stop watches, countdown timers, altimeters, barometers, a compass, depth gauges, dive charts and heart rate monitors. They can keep perfect time by syncing with Atomic Clocks and virtually never need a battery replacement as they can be powered by the sun.

But the reality is that the form factor is too small to add to many modern innovations. Calculators integrated to watches, looked cool, for awhile, but in reality were to difficult to use. Today, your mobile phone is likely to have a calculator anyway. A compass is fine, but GPS navigation and maps are really more useful. Can you imagine trying to read your email or post your status update from a wristwatch?  

The second reality, is that many of the innovations we need on a daily basis have not been integrated into wristwatches. Low resolution LCD displays and tiny buttons hamper the wristwatch as too useful a tool.

Portable music players have sold in the hundred of millions. However, a strap the converts your Apple iPod Nano, into a wristwatch while a cool idea is hampered by the fact  that the Nano does not support bluetooth headsets, and I do not think anyone would be comfortable sticking a 3.5mm jack from their headset to device on their wrist. 

inPulse has watches that pairs a phone, laptop or desktop over Bluetooth and displays important information like caller ID, text messages, email titles, calendar alerts. Caller ID on the wrsitwatch would be useful for someone using a bluetooth headset. 

For a certain generation. I think we like our watches the way they are. But the younger generation needs a really good reason to strap one on their wrist. In a survey in 2006, investment bank Piper Jaffray & Co. found that nearly two-thirds of teens never wear a watch — and only about one in 10 wears one every day.

Another poll found although 86 per cent of people still own a watch, more than nine in ten own a mobile. And those aged 25 or younger were twice as likely as those in their forties or fifties to have stopped wearing a watch, with 28 per cent not having one. As time moves on, less and less people will be wearing wristwatches.

Maybe with high resolution displays and touchscreen functionality, the digital watch might bring that watch back to relevance with the younger generation. Do our fine mechanical watches die with us? 

Casio Pathfinder PAW-5000

CES 2011. The Casio's Pathfinder PAW-5000  has been named as an International Consumer Electronic Shows Innovations 2011 Design and Engineering Awards Honoree.  

Casio Pathfinder PAW-5000. The Casio Pathfinders (or Protrek in other areas) are series of Casio wristwatches designed for the outdoors-mans, specifically for hiking and trekking. With its triple sensor technology which includes a digital compass, altimeter, barometer and thermometer, making this the all-in-one tool necessary for high rugged and outdoor use. 

The PAW-5000, is an ana-digi Pathinder which has a second hand that acts as a compass needle, altitude and barometric pressure differential indicator with a digital display to show data as values. An automatic light glows to display the time and data when the watch is angled towards your face.

The battery the powers watch recharges itself via solar power. With a full charge, the watch can run a full five months without recharging. The PAW 5000 is also equipped with Multi-Band Atomic timekeeping which allows the watch to synchronize it time with Atomic clocks around the world. In addition the watch also has a stopwatch function, a countdown timers, can display the times for the different timezones around the world with the city codes of 29 cities to select from. The date and month which is displayed in the LCD displayed is pre-programmed to provide the correct date till the year 2099.

About Casio. Casio Computer Co., Ltd. is a multinational electronic devices manufacturing company founded in 1946, with its headquarters  in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. Casio  is best known for its calculators, audio equipment, PDAs, cameras, musical instruments, and watches. Casio released it first G-Shock watch in 1983.

TikTok+LunaTik

Someone just converted your favorite Apple iPod Nano, into a wristwatch. When the sixth generation Apple iPod Nano was so small it could be worn as a watch. Steve Jobs joked that "One of our board of director members is going to clip it onto an armband as a watch." Shortly after that Nano wristband cases are proliferating and making their way into the market. Scott Wilson designed two iPod Nano watch kits, the TikTok and the Lunatik. In order to produce them, he has asked for pledges, and he  $941,718 from more 13,512 backers on kickstarter.com. Scott Wilson's goal was only US$15,000.

TikTok is a simple snap-in design. It allows the user to easily and securely snap the Nano into the wrist dock. It cleanly and simply integrates the Nano and transforms it into a modern multifunction timepiece.

LunaTik is designed and intended to be a premium conversion kit for someone that wants to dedicate their Nano to being a watch and the newest conversation piece with their friends. It is forged from Aerospace Grade Aluminum and then machined via CNC into its final form.

For both Nano cases, the straps are made from high grade silicone rubber and the hardware is solid stainless steel.

 

The TikTok will retail for $34.95, while the LunaTik will retail for $69.95. The iPod Nano is not included. If you want to purchase one visit the TikTok+LunaTik website here.

Casio G-Shock Gravity Defier G-1500-1A

Ana-Digi. I have never really understood the concept of an Ana-Digi wristwatch, which is the combination of a analog watch with digital displays. Traditionally, I preferred classic looking analog watches, with the digital watch as a sort of functional real world tool. Basically, I just did not like the look, the face being a bit too "busy" for me. Doing some Christmas shopping in the mall, I saw a "new" G-Shock model on display, the Casio G-Shock Gravity Defier G-1500-1A.

Gravity Defier. A bit of online research reveals that the watch is one of CASIO’s new Gravity Defier series released by Casio in 2009. These watches were created to perform under the severe conditions found in an aircraft cockpit. The Gravity Defier series, as it name indicates is design to operate even under extreme strong gravitational forces, up to 12G's. The case is also water resistant to a dept of 200 meters.

The GW-1500-1A has neat looking dial with hour and minute hands, small hands placed on the left and right sides of the face, along with two LCDs on the top and bottom. The design is supposed to simulate the look of cockpit instrumentation. There watch can display time simultaneously display the time in three cities using the analog hands and the two displays. The watch is programed to display Universal Coordinated Time and times for 48 cities around the world.

While the hands are coated in luminous material, the best way to read time at night is with the full auto LED light that illuminates automatically when the watch is angled toward your face. This is the feature I find most useful in my Casio G-Shock Mudman. The watch also has 1/100 of a second with a split time function, a countdown time and five alarms. The dial also display the current power level of the rechargeable batteries.

The matte black face contrast nicely with the white and orange. Like most of the higher end G-Shocks, this watch is solar powered. It comes in three varieties, but the one with the stainless steel case and rubber strap is my favorite. 

I really do not have a need for more than one G-Shock at a time. My G-Shock watch is really a tool watch worn on occasions when I need a tool. But when it comes time to replace my Mudman, this is the one I am getting.

About Casio. Casio Computer Co., Ltd. is a multinational electronic devices manufacturing company founded in 1946, with its headquarters  in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. Casio  is best known for its calculators, audio equipment, PDAs, cameras, musical instruments, and watches. Casio released it first G-Shock watch in 1983.

Casio G-Shock Mudman

Built for action. It has been more than a quarter century since I owned a digital wrist watch. I was looking for a watch that could stand up though and rugged use (for my hopefully upcoming more active lifestyle). My wife bought me a Casio G-Shock Mudman. She chose well, the classic G-Shock Mudman is built to survive the most extreme environments.

Casio G-Shock Mudman. The Casion G-Shocks feature a shock resistance resin case. The Mudman has a Mud Resistant Case to prevent mud, dirt and dust from getting into the watch. A molded back cover and variable durometer urethane covered bezel and buttons to prevent foreign particles, such as mud, sand or oil from entering the watch or accumulating between the back case and wearer’s wrist. This does make the buttons harder to press than your typical digital watch.

In line with its being designed for though use, the watch is water resistant to 200 meters is resistant temperatures as low as  -20°C. The watch is rated to be acurrate to +/- 15 seconds per month.

The LCD display can be lit by a electro-luminescent backlight by pressing a button on the face of the watch. The watch also has an auto light switch, which automatically turns on the light when you rotate your wrist to point to your face.

In addition to being thought, the Casio G-Shock Mudman is also includes a series of timekeeping features, able displays world time in 29 time zones (48 cities), has a "perpetual" calendar programed to keep the day and date correct till the year 2099, has two stopwatches, a countdown timer and five independent alarms.

Casio G-Shock  G9000MS-1 "Mudman"

Military Series. The model my wife selected for me is the G9000MS-1. The G9000MS-1 is one of four of the military inspired line of G-Shock watches. All these models feature stealth, matte black cases and bands, with buttons and screws finished in black ion plating. The G9000MS-1 is equipped with reverse LCDs with red numeric displays. 

About Casio. Casio Computer Co., Ltd. is a multinational electronic devices manufacturing company founded in 1946, with its headquarters  in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. Casio  is best known for its calculators, audio equipment, PDAs, cameras, musical instruments, and watches. Casio released it first G-Shock watch in 1983.