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Watches with exciting design
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Messiahtosh
Apple Historian
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2011-06-25, 06:25

I found two brands of watches that seem to be very unique and actually wearable. As if Jonathan Ive were to make a mass consumer-appeal watch.

http://www.nooka.com/watch-c-1.html



And these e-ink ones by Phosphor, with watch faces using technology like the little ebook readers have.




Neeeaaat, if you ask me!

"We are reviewing some 9,000 recent UNHCR referrals from Syria. We are receiving roughly a thousand new ones each month, and we expect admissions from Syria to surge in 2015 and beyond." - Anne C. Richard, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration
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Messiahtosh
Apple Historian
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2011-06-25, 06:52

I think it's easier to read the time that way compared to watches with 3 hands. Obviously digital is the easiest. I just think the material and the "clean look" are Apple like.

He (Jonny Ive) did design combs before, so...

"We are reviewing some 9,000 recent UNHCR referrals from Syria. We are receiving roughly a thousand new ones each month, and we expect admissions from Syria to surge in 2015 and beyond." - Anne C. Richard, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration
  quote
curiousuburb
Antimatter Man
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: that interweb thing
 
2011-06-25, 07:46

Given that watch spam was second only to wang pills in polluting my inbox for years, I predict a whole lot of first post meat in a can in this thread.

As for funky design timepieces, if I had bags of spare cash (and better eyesight) I might fancy an Astrodea or Cosmosign... like wearing a planisphere on your wrist... at least until they can miniaturize a full Antikythera mechanism

Though I prefer the original, thinner one to the update.
<-- old vs new -->

Quote:
Within a beautiful glass-and-steel case, over 1,000 celestial bodies are laid against the watch face, forming a picture of the night sky as seen from 35 degrees north. It's not just for display, though- the watch actually shows you the correct positions of the constellations as they move across the cosmos.

All those who believe in telekinesis, raise my hand.
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Dorian Gray
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Join Date: May 2005
Location: Paris, France
 
2011-06-25, 09:43

The Nookas do not excite me. If Jonathan Ive designed a watch I think it would look more like the NOMOS Tangente than the watches above. But I doubt Apple will ever have any interest in making watches (and that's fine).

Here's the Tangente. More here.

This watch expresses Bauhaus and Deutscher Werkbund principles very clearly. Although it is a functional and everyday object, it has a striking formal beauty. It is modern. It does dare to say, "this is what a watch should be". And with its high quality form and materials, and accessible price — much like Apple products — it makes a persuasive argument in that respect.

I think the NOMOS Tangente is one of the most beautiful things humans have created, albeit not a terribly important thing, and I intend to own one someday.
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tomoe
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Join Date: Nov 2006
 
2011-06-25, 10:13

That NOMOS Tangente is a very nice, elegant watch. Normally, I take a digital or die stance on watches, but I gotta make an exception for that beauty. Don't think I'll ever own one though, because I'm too hard on shit like watches and would probably break the watch in the first week. So for now, I'll stick with my plain black Casio G-shock.

Seen a man standin' over a dead dog lyin' by the highway in a ditch
He's lookin' down kinda puzzled pokin' that dog with a stick
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Mac+
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Join Date: May 2004
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2011-06-25, 21:47

I'm a fan of IWC.

In terms of exciting design the Grande Complication is interesting: perpetual calendar and moon phase, minute repeater, over 650 mechanical parts. A true work of art and craftsmanship. Of course, well beyond my reach and I don't anticipate I'll ever own one.


In terms of simplicity, and understated elegance, I'm a sucker for the Portofino range. This one is nice.


DG - Iirc, Apple did churn out some watches in the 80s/early 90s. But nothing of groundbreaking design or beauty.

All I want is a simple life
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Last edited by Mac+ : 2011-06-26 at 05:10. Reason: removed a line - looks like there was a thread clean-up
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PB PM
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Join Date: Oct 2005
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2011-06-25, 21:58

Wow, people still buy watches! Seriously though, considering that time is displayed on just about every electronic device that most people have, I find it strange that anyone would buy a watch in this day and age.
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Gargoyle
http://ga.rgoyle.com
 
Join Date: May 2004
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2011-06-26, 03:56

Quote:
Originally Posted by PB PM View Post
Wow, people still buy watches! Seriously though, considering that time is displayed on just about every electronic device that most people have, I find it strange that anyone would buy a watch in this day and age.
The battery ran out on my watch about 6 months ago - I haven't worn it since. Even before it ran out, I realised I was much more in the habit of flipping my iPhone out and pressing any button to make the screen light up for a quick check on the time.

OK, I have given up keeping this sig up to date. Lets just say I'm the guy that installs every latest version as soon as its available!
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Mac+
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Join Date: May 2004
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2011-06-26, 05:09

I must admit, owning a watch does seem redundant, as I'm more likely to whip out the iPhone to check the time when I'm out and about too.

Having said this, I can also see how a watch can be chosen and worn as an adornment or status symbol in the same vein as other personal accoutrements, so it is what it is.

I am also reminded of a line from a cheesy 80s straight to video (?) flick "Remo - unarmed and dangerous" when Chiun, Remo's mentor, proclaims watches are a confidence trick invented by the Swiss.

All I want is a simple life
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chucker
 
Join Date: May 2004
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2011-06-26, 06:08

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mac+ View Post
Having said this, I can also see how a watch can be chosen and worn as an adornment or status symbol in the same vein as other personal accoutrements, so it is what it is.
This. Alas, I find it quite hard to get a watch with an Apple-esque simple design.
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Dorian Gray
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Join Date: May 2005
Location: Paris, France
 
2011-06-26, 08:10

I'm sure there are dozens of reasons to still wear a watch today. For me, there is little point in a Casio or indeed a quartz watch at all, but mechanical watches are a different thing. I can't look at a mechanical watch for long without thinking again of John Harrison and his preposterous method to "discover the Longitude"; a problem so urgent in 1714 that the British Parliament offered a heady prize of £20,000 for its solution.

Years ago I spent many days studying Rupert Gould's The Marine Chronometer, Its History and Development in my university library, since the book — long out of print — cost far more than I could afford. Then I visited the National Maritime Museum at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich to see Harrison's chronometers for myself, and promptly wept. (I later read that Dava Sobel, author of the snappy little book Longitude, did the same when she first saw the H4 chronometer. Harrison himself described the H4 as the result of "fifty years of self denial, unremitting toil, and ceaseless concentration. I think I may make bold to say that there is neither any other Mechanism or Mathematical thing in the World that is more beautiful or curious in texture than this my watch or timekeeper for the Longitude.")

The importance of accurate timekeeping to the 18th-century world can't be overstated. It was as important as solving today's energy problem or curing cancer, but infinitely sexier. It allowed ships to ply the oceans, and enabled great navigators like James Cook to map the world with phenomenal accuracy.

Mechanical watches are supreme examples of human ingenuity. With that in mind, it's impossible to wear a fine mechanical watch without feeling grateful for the privilege.

NOMOS offer other reasons to own a mechanical watch, on their website:
Every watch requires patience and time: plenty of handcrafting and high-tech, highly qualified staff and the best materials. That’s why there can be no two-buck NOMOS watch. Nor for 500 euros anymore, it wouldn’t be reliable. But NOMOS watches are affordable—comparable to a short vacation, a well-made coat, a computer, a good bicycle. And even if there are a few additional complexities that make it somewhat more expensive: a NOMOS watch is something worth saving for, something you can one day bequeath to someone, something you can sell if you have to, because they hold their value. And something that brings joy: with every glance at the time, surely 78 times a day. And those who sit beside you in the train, your competitors at the office, the chance acquaintance in a café—they can all share your joy.
This joy is certainly something I derive from other people's watches, especially on public transport where it's possible to stare without attracting attention. Paris is a good place for watch lovers, though I'm sure somewhere like Hong Kong is even better. A couple of days ago I saw a man under thirty wearing a Longines, and I frequently see impressive watches on both men and women. I've even seen tourbillons worn in public.
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Eugene
careful with axes
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Hillsborough, CA
 
2011-06-26, 08:29

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dorian Gray View Post
Paris is a good place for watch lovers, though I'm sure somewhere like Hong Kong is even better.
I remember in the 80s there was a Swatch store on just about every corner in Hong Kong. The Ocean Terminal shopping center had two or three in the same building...
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chucker
 
Join Date: May 2004
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2011-06-26, 09:20

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dorian Gray View Post
Paris is a good place for watch lovers,
Read this as "Paris is a good place to watch lovers" the first time. Works for me.
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Messiahtosh
Apple Historian
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2011-06-26, 15:16

Gizmodo ran a story about Fossil making a MetaWatch, available next month for $200, that syncs with your smartphone to display your number of texts and emails, the weather, and of course time. Kind of interesting, I suppose.

"We are reviewing some 9,000 recent UNHCR referrals from Syria. We are receiving roughly a thousand new ones each month, and we expect admissions from Syria to surge in 2015 and beyond." - Anne C. Richard, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration
  quote
ironlung
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: "Chambana", IL
 
2011-06-27, 13:42

I miss not having a watch on a plane, especially at take off or landing when you're supposed to turn off all gadgets.
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Mugge
Thunderbolt, fuck yeah!
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Denmark
 
2011-06-27, 14:29

Here's my watch, an Aerowatch 60900:



I bought it back in 2003 and it must a very lucky watch to survive for that long on my wrist. Especially because it's such an impractical design. The glass is fine despite that it bulges outward. It's simply impossible to scratch. The steel will scratch in a sliding bicycle crash, but not the glass. The adjustment knob is the Achilles heel of the design, it gets caught in just about anything, gets damaged and requires costly repairs. However, the repairs have always been cheap enough to get the watch fixed rather than getting a new one. And now after eight years it probably holds too much sentimental value anyway.

While googling for an image of the watch I noticed that it now seems to be mostly sold by dubious internet retailers. But at least one of them had a liking picture. Not like the new 60900 models on Aerowatch.com that have all gone camp gay in their design.

If money was no concern for me, I'd probably get an IWC. They are mighty cool watches.

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Messiahtosh
Apple Historian
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2011-06-27, 15:04

I have been thinking of getting a Gucci watch for my wife as a gift for putting up with this deployment (I come home in a few days) but I'm torn. Theyre nice watches but not sure if they're worth the cost?

She has some lighter colored ones so I thought this might be nice. Heck, I she wouldn't complain, but she might if she knew it cost $750. Though I bet it can be had for around $500 if I look. Still...$500...



Whats the verdict?

"We are reviewing some 9,000 recent UNHCR referrals from Syria. We are receiving roughly a thousand new ones each month, and we expect admissions from Syria to surge in 2015 and beyond." - Anne C. Richard, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration
  quote
Mugge
Thunderbolt, fuck yeah!
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Denmark
 
2011-06-27, 15:11

You are going to be paying an awful lot for the Gucci name. I would suggest looking at some lesser known designer brands. And having a unique watch should be a good thing for a lady.

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addison
Formerly “AWM”
 
Join Date: May 2009
 
2011-06-27, 17:27

There are a lot of German companies making some nice watches lately. I'm not a huge leather strap fan but this one from Stowa is really nice. I like how they run the minute and second hands way out to the edge.

  quote
curiousuburb
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: that interweb thing
 
2011-06-27, 18:46

Quote:
Originally Posted by Messiahtosh View Post

Whats the verdict?
Dunno... does that style of bling look suit her?

Is there an ironic downside to shelling out major cash for a gift that might be construed as 'something you can count the time I'm deployed on'?

Better to get an iPad2 for FaceTime / digital picture frame / video hugs / etc. ?

All those who believe in telekinesis, raise my hand.
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Xaqtly
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2011-06-27, 22:13

Give me a watch with an e-ink display that I can program myself - as in, I can make it look like whatever I want - and I'll buy one.

Disclaimer - I am 44% geek.

Last edited by Xaqtly : 2011-06-27 at 22:13. Reason: disclaimer
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Brad
Selfish Heathen
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Zone of Pain
 
2011-06-27, 22:28

Quote:
Originally Posted by Messiahtosh View Post
Whats the verdict?
The question to ask is: would she want a $750 bracelet as a "just because" gift? Watches like that exist solely to make a fashion statement; what you're buying is jewelry. The timepiece is no better than a generic quartz watch at nearly a tenth the price. So, take the watch part out of the equation, spin it around so you don't even see the face and branding, and then do the band and style look like something she'd enjoy wearing?

Spoiler (click to toggle):
I would agree with curiousuburb that an iPad or digital picture frame or something else more personable would make a much better gift.

The quality of this board depends on the quality of the posts. The only way to guarantee thoughtful, informative discussion is to write thoughtful, informative posts. AppleNova is not a real-time chat forum. You have time to compose messages and edit them before and after posting.
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torifile
Less than Stellar Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
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2011-06-27, 22:32

Get her some fancy earrings. No mechanical parts to break and she'll appreciate it when the earrings come with a fancy dinner to give her a chance to show them off. A watch is so businessy.

If it's not red and showing substantial musculature, you're wearing it wrong.
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Maciej
M AH - ch ain saw
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2011-06-27, 23:00

I second the earrings - it's what I was thinking all along.
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Messiahtosh
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Join Date: May 2004
 
2011-06-28, 16:32

She got the iPad 2 as her graduation gift.
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Mac+
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: 🇦🇺
 
2011-06-29, 08:26

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dorian Gray View Post
I'm sure there are dozens of reasons to still wear a watch today. For me, there is little point in a Casio or indeed a quartz watch at all, but mechanical watches are a different thing.
I've been meaning to reply to this post for a few days now. Firstly, great post - more eloquent and grounded in history than I could contribute. I have developed an interest in mechanical watches - inspired by the passion of my late brother-in-law.


Quote:
Mechanical watches are supreme examples of human ingenuity. With that in mind, it's impossible to wear a fine mechanical watch without feeling grateful for the privilege.
So true.

Quote:
NOMOS offer other reasons to own a mechanical watch, on their website:
Every watch requires patience and time: plenty of handcrafting and high-tech, highly qualified staff and the best materials. That’s why there can be no two-buck NOMOS watch. Nor for 500 euros anymore, it wouldn’t be reliable. But NOMOS watches are affordable—comparable to a short vacation, a well-made coat, a computer, a good bicycle. And even if there are a few additional complexities that make it somewhat more expensive: a NOMOS watch is something worth saving for, something you can one day bequeath to someone, something you can sell if you have to, because they hold their value. And something that brings joy: with every glance at the time, surely 78 times a day. And those who sit beside you in the train, your competitors at the office, the chance acquaintance in a café—they can all share your joy.
I like the NOMOS rationalisations and can appreciate the perspective on relative values.

Quote:
This joy is certainly something I derive from other people's watches, especially on public transport where it's possible to stare without attracting attention. Paris is a good place for watch lovers, though I'm sure somewhere like Hong Kong is even better. A couple of days ago I saw a man under thirty wearing a Longines, and I frequently see impressive watches on both men and women. I've even seen tourbillons worn in public.
This is so true as well. Although I haven't seen a tourbillon in public, I have noticed a lot of quality mechanical watches on public transport these days as well. It might seem odd, perhaps even slightly pretentious... but I find it gratifying to see a good watch these days.

Last edited by Mac+ : 2011-06-29 at 17:50.
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Mac+
9" monochrome
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: 🇦🇺
 
2011-06-29, 09:08

Quote:
Originally Posted by AWM View Post
There are a lot of German companies making some nice watches lately. I'm not a huge leather strap fan but this one from Stowa is really nice. I like how they run the minute and second hands way out to the edge.

Pilot watches are classics in terms of design and functionality.

They should have a large face (examples can range from 38mm to 55mm) - the largest ones were intended to strap over a flyer's jacket. I've even been told that extra long leather straps were used to tie the watch around the thigh of the pilot as they had both hands controlling the plane. The face should have a visible, high-contrast dial and hands; numbers are large and arabic, the hands sword-type. Simple movement with no subdials. A large crown for use with gloves and, strictly speaking, the second hand would stop when pulling out the crown for precise time setting. At 12 o'clock it is typical to see a military inspired triangle with two supporting dots.

Mine is similar to the Stowa model - but is a St. Ex UTC model. It has a 24 hour display, jumping hour hand when winding, screw-in crown and inner case made of anti-magentic soft iron. Good read on the mechanism and significance here.http://www.gregsteer.net/IWC/UTC/UTC_Pilot.html

Here are some real-life photos. It's a rich brown to match the bomber jacket of Antoine de Saint Exupéry. (photos not mine)




nice lume too

All I want is a simple life
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Mac+
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Join Date: May 2004
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2011-06-29, 09:09

Quote:
Originally Posted by Messiahtosh View Post
She got the iPad 2 as her graduation gift.
Nice choice Chris.
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drewprops
Space Pirate
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Atlanta
 
2011-06-29, 12:57

I much prefer this beauty!!

Caution! This has Russian in it.

...
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FFL
Fishhead Family Reunited
 
Join Date: May 2004
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2011-06-29, 13:16

Quote:
Originally Posted by drewprops View Post
I much prefer this beauty!!

Caution! This has Russian in it.

...

Brad needs to re-check our spam filters. A post as short as that with the words "Russian" and "beauty" in it should have gotten flagged!





 
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