Watch Tech-Talk for dummies | FerrariChat

Watch Tech-Talk for dummies

Discussion in 'Other Off Topic Forum' started by PeterS, Jul 31, 2005.

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  1. PeterS

    PeterS Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Jan 24, 2003
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    Yup, I'm a dummy when it comes to understanding watches. For starters, I have no clue what an oyster has to do with a watch. I know there are mechanical watches and battery ones. With battery technology used in watches, why spend big bucks for a watch with a million small machined gears and springs?

    For those in the know, please explain the bonehead differences.
     
  2. LetsJet

    LetsJet F1 Veteran
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    May 24, 2004
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    There is no logical reason, IMO. Quartz watches are far more reliable and accurate then Automatic (self winding mechanical). They are for people that appreciate the mechanical design. It is primarily jewelery for men. I don't wear any jewelery other then a watch. It's all style and personal preference. You can really get sucked into the collecting aspect of watches if your not careful...... Kind of like Fcars.......
     
  3. shiggins

    shiggins Formula 3

    Nov 20, 2004
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    I have recently been sucked into man jewlery. There is something quite romantic about mechanical watches.
     
  4. venusone

    venusone F1 Rookie

    Mar 20, 2004
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    Personally, I go for Swiss Army. All the same features in titanium for less. The underwater thing is key as I work in a hospital & wash my hands a lot. I don’t need no solid gold, diamond studded face. Just a high end technical time piece.
     
  5. LetsJet

    LetsJet F1 Veteran
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    Almost all womens watches are quartz........In fact I don't know any that are mechanical. Probably because of size.
     
  6. venusone

    venusone F1 Rookie

    Mar 20, 2004
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    Yep, mine are all batterey powered, but distictively oldshool. Used to do the Timex Ironman digital thing because of the large readout w/ date & alarm. Went to oldschool because I love reading a compass & sundial & just ask for the date.
     
  7. dm_n_stuff

    dm_n_stuff Four Time F1 World Champ
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    #7 dm_n_stuff, Jul 31, 2005
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  8. venusone

    venusone F1 Rookie

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    #8 venusone, Jul 31, 2005
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  9. ****

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    Jul 28, 2005
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    "Oyster" refers to the shape and style of some Rolex watches. The watch case, which holds the movement, is crafted out of a single hunk of steel, so that it can withstand the pressure of submersion in deep waters without blowing out.

    Quartz watches use a movement that send an electronic charge to a quartz crystal. Each time the quarts crystal is energized, it vibrates at something like 33,000 vibrations/second. The movment marks off 1 second for every 33,000 vibrations. They are very precise, but not too complex.

    Mechanical movements come in to varieties: manual and automatic. Save for those watches like tourbillions (very complex movements), manuals and automatics are nearly identical in their construction except for the fact that automatics have a weighted rotor housed in the case that spins when you move your arms, and that spinning motion is converted into a winding motion for the watch movement. Manuals do not have this rotor, and thus, need to be wound manually each day.

    Look at watches like you look at cars: A Toyota Camry is a quartz: Very precise, very reliable, and very solid. A Ferrari F40 is like an automatic watch: Complex, not as precise, not as reliable, more expensive, but filled with sould, beauty, and artwork.
     
  10. WatchDoc

    WatchDoc Rookie

    Jan 16, 2005
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    there are several accurate and precise automatics, take the IWC Da Vinci, this is a mechanical automatic that IWC prides it self with in that it can keep accurate time for 20 generations. of course the watch has to be worn, or kept on a winder in order to do so, and dose take several years to make.
     
  11. Z0RR0

    Z0RR0 F1 Rookie

    Apr 11, 2004
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    So I take it you drive a Civic ...

    That's the exact same reason people pay big bucks for a car that needs a fortune in maintenance, and is far from actually practical.

    You can appreciate the innovation, the engineering ... etc etc
     
  12. PeterS

    PeterS Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Thanks for the replies. I think I learned something!

    PS: Is a mechanical watch a BAD thing to wear playing golf? I would think the shock would do some grave damage.
     
  13. darth550

    darth550 Six Time F1 World Champ
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    Yes.
     
  14. PaulK

    PaulK F1 Rookie
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    I certainly wouldn’t wear a high dollar mechanical watch to play golf, but my 500 dollar Mido I have done some things with that I thought would affect it greatly but it keeps on tickin'!
     
  15. jimpo1

    jimpo1 Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Jul 30, 2001
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    I've never thought once about what watch I wear while playing golf, and I have a couple of nice automatics. If that's the case, there are a lot of rolex-wearing idiots out on the course.

    BTW Venus, I'm not sure anyone would consider Swiss Army a 'high end technical time piece'.
     

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