Swatch Co-Inventor: Apple Will Succeed and an Ice Age Is Coming for Swiss Watches

Discussion in 'hardware' started by ronjor, Mar 11, 2015.

  1. ronjor

    ronjor Global Moderator

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  2. xxJackxx

    xxJackxx Registered Member

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    Too bad, I'd rather have a good Swiss watch.
     
  3. ronjor

    ronjor Global Moderator

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    As a watch collector, I can agree. :thumb:
     
  4. aigle

    aigle Registered Member

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    Hmm... hope I am not the only one who doesn't use any watch.
     
  5. Rasheed187

    Rasheed187 Registered Member

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    Same over here, but if I buy one, it would not be a smart watch.
     
  6. Carver

    Carver Registered Member

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    So would I but they tend to be not durable enough. What is needed is a nice looking watch that is accurate with good features that can withstand a level 10 earthquake.
     
  7. ronjor

    ronjor Global Moderator

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  8. Tarnak

    Tarnak Registered Member

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    I like my Swiss watches! I won't be switching to those digital-phone-watches.
     
  9. ronjor

    ronjor Global Moderator

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  10. elapsed

    elapsed Registered Member

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    Swiss watches will adopt Android Wear, and that will only increase the range of watches you can buy, it won't kill off the old ones. They will be fine.
     
  11. J_L

    J_L Registered Member

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    Functionality > Aesthetics.
     
  12. emmjay

    emmjay Registered Member

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    The media have focused on the techies and marketing gurus to asses the Apple smart watch. They have given it a thumbs up so far and most of them credit the soaring demand to the Apple name. When sales are astronomical it appears that the device has appeal over several sectors of the market, but that is not always true. The lineups outside Apple stores are mostly the core groupies. Online pre-orders, the same. Then there are the Fashionistas and the upwardly mobile- just have to have it. They probably also own a (real) Rolex. What about the remainder of the market? Will a smart watch have long term appeal or will it be another pet rock?

    First of all, this is a watch. It is a cool watch, but it is still a watch. Many people own watches, but many no longer wear them because their smartphone is always at hand to check the time or to browse internet. Personally, I like a good quality TP. Some just show the time and others come with nifty dials that display the info at the ready.

    What about a watch as an interactive device? With it firmly secured to your wrist you have to use your opposite hand to manipulate it and the screen is very small. My two thumb texting gurus tell me that a smart watch is not for serious communications. The smart watch is a toy (their words!). Teenagers tell me that it is not a time piece, it's the other cool stuff that it has on board, however they will not be asking for one or buying one because they would have preferred a Roman Centurion style armband to accommodate a wide screen over a watch. Now that would be really retro.
     
  13. Infected

    Infected Registered Member

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    I have two watches, but only use them when going out to dinner and such.
     
  14. hawki

    hawki Registered Member

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    As a former eBay watch collecting addict when I could afford it, I say phooey to it all.

    For funtionanality as a timepiece, how can any watch possibly be better than a $150 G-Shock, Solar, Wave-Ceptor 6 channels, with auto day and date, 200M WR, and auto light??

    And if you want to go all out, Casio taken to its most extreme, this watch for a person with no special needs, can not be beat in any way. (Unless you just appreciate the fine art of watching making.)

    MTGS1000D-1A $900 USD

    The stainless steel covering of the MT-G employs G-SHOCK's advanced Core Guard Structure of stainless steel, resin and alpha Gel® to ensure mechanical integrity, coupled with LED-infused Tough Movement for ongoing precision. Multi-Band 6 atomic timekeeping ensures accuracy through radio-controlled time/date updates from global transmitting stations, along with Triple G Resist for shock, gravitational drop and centrifugal force resistance. The MT-G is the epitome of modern wrist couture. Stainless Steel analog watch with a black face.
    Multi-Band 6 Atomic Timekeeping
    Tough Solar
    Triple G Resist
    Tough Movement
    Panel Composite Band (Solid Stainless Steel / Fine Resin)
    200M Water Resistant

    NB: Casio's Tough Movement applies to analog hand watches. The Casio Tough Movement does a few new things, the most important of which is the introduction of an LED (light emitting diode) and LED light receptor (phototransistor). The light shines through a series of small holes in the movement to the receptor. If the light shines through perfectly, the watch does nothing, however if the small holes are out of alignment with what the radio controlled time indicator has in its data, then the gears adjust. This ensures that the watch is always perfectly on cue with the atomic clock, and that any potential shock to the movement damaging the accuracy of the watch is corrected with haste.

    Casio's Triple G resist includes GRAVITY RESISTANT STRUCTURE

    The G-SHOCK Gravity Defier’s centrifugal gravity resistance specifications significantly surpass 15G, the maximum level required of cockpit instruments by the continuous acceleration test standards for aircraft equipment (ISO 2669). Tests show that the 1/100-second stopwatch and other functions operate normally under conditions such as air racing with strong gravitational forces.

    Sapphire Crytsal/Anti Glare Coatibg

    Available in other flavors(materials and colors) - http://www.gshock.com/watches/MT-G/MTGS1000D-1A link provided at the risk of being removed for spam.
     
  15. ronjor

    ronjor Global Moderator

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    http://www.geekwire.com/2015/reviewing-worlds-first-smartwatch-timex-datalink/
     
  16. FanJ

    FanJ Updates Team

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    I keep my Swiss Mondaine watch: the Swiss Railway watch. I love it. It is a watch I can see the time on. As someone said to me long ago: when you are standing in front in a tram (streetcar), folks at the back in the tram can read the time on your watch.
     
  17. ronjor

    ronjor Global Moderator

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    http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/07/magazine/can-the-swiss-watchmaker-survive-the-digital-age.html
     
  18. zapjb

    zapjb Registered Member

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    Crapple could sell 10 million **** sandwiches in a week for $500 a pop. And maybe even of *** sandwich 2 in 8 months.

    I believe half these watches will be in the back of drawers or on eBay in a year. This product screams "Frampton Comes Alive".
     
    Last edited: Jun 8, 2015
  19. kronckew

    kronckew Registered Member

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    i have a pebble time smart watch, a third of apple's price, 64 colour e-paper screen readable in bright sunlight and 7+ day battery life, motion sensor, microphone, bluetooth, smart watchband support, gorilla glass screen.m works both on ios and android. ale has reluctantly listed the app for it in the apple store. quite a few apps already, as well as supporting the apps for the older b&w model. buying apple just because they are apple and trendy? betcha spend 5 grand on a gucci bag when a functional bag could be had for ten or so.

    http://www.t3me.com/sites/default/files/news/2015/03/Time_Steel_3up-660x495.jpg
     
  20. ronjor

    ronjor Global Moderator

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    Apple Watch outsold the entire Swiss watch industry in 2019
     
  21. Victek

    Victek Registered Member

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    I'll take an analogue watch with a sweeping second hand and day/date window over a smart watch any day. I've had a Timex indiglo for over a decade that still works perfectly. The only thing that would make it better for me is a larger day/date window (does anyone know of a model with a large day/date window?). A small downside to this type of watch is you have to manually change the date for months with fewer than 31 days. In these days with phones and watches that automatically sync some people might find that unacceptable.
     
  22. Victek

    Victek Registered Member

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    A big advantage of the traditional swiss watch is no dependence on batteries; just wind it by hand once a day. What was really cool back in the day was the "self winding" (now called automatic) watch, ie a watch that would automatically wind using the natural movement of the wrist.
     
  23. ronjor

    ronjor Global Moderator

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    Generally, a high quality Swiss watch can passed on to others in the family. They are a good investment.
     
  24. Victek

    Victek Registered Member

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    Yes, you don't see that kind of longevity in today's digital devices. My dad had a few swiss movement watches that lasted through his life; he may even still have them (will have to remember to ask....)
     
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