As the technological advances for watches increases the demand for watches without batteries is increasing also. When the quartz technology and batteries first appeared on the seen people rushed to them to get away from wind-up watches, now we are seeing the same thing with the introduction in recent years of watches that do not require batteries such as solar powered watches like the Citizen Eco Drive and the Seiko Kinetic line.
Citizen is one of the watchmakers that has now gone high-tech with a new line of solar powered wristwatches. These new Eco-Drive watches will never need to have the battery replaced. And they come in a wide variety of styles for both men and women.
The Eco-Drive watches will run on any light source whether natural or artificial and the watch takes the light and transforms it into electricity instead of using a conventional battery. The Eco-Drive line is available in many different styles for men and women and also available in aviation and diving models.
There are other companies such as Pulsar who have forayed into this technology but none of the quality of the Citizen.
Another "batteries not required" type of watch is the Kinetic line of watches introduced by Seiko in Germany in the late 1980's and now a very popular line of watch all over the world. Seiko was first to introduce the technology of a quartz watch powered by human movement which is an innovation so significant that it has resulted in over fifty patents. The cool thing about a kinetic watch that most guys love is that it is very low maintenance. It never needs winding, never needs a battery and it is environmentally friendly.
The Kinetic watch features many technological advancements such as the Kinetic Auto Relay which sends the watch into a sort of suspended animation if it is stationary for more than 72 hours. It also features the Kinetic Perpetual combining Kinetic technology, auto relay, and a calendar that remains accurate to the year 2100.
The Kinetic watch builds power through the use of a rotating pendulum connected to a large gear which is then meshed to a smaller pinion. The movement of the wearer makes the pendulum turn causing the pinion to spin very fast which gives the mini generator power to charge the capacitors which store the energy for up to six months.
There is no doubt that in today's society with more and more emphasis placed on conservation and environmentally friendly products we will continue to see new innovations in watches.
Monday, June 30, 2008
How The Wristwatch Has Evolved Over The Years
Today the wrist watch is a very popular piece of jewelry. The wrist watch can be seen on many wrists where ever you go. Many people wear watches not only for its practical use to see the time, but as a symbol of their status. Men and women alike wear wrist watches on a daily basis, this however was not always the case.
You never used to see men with a wrist watch, instead they used pocket watches. Wrist watches were only made for women, and that is how they liked it. These wrist watches were referred to as wristlets, and most men would not even think about wearing one. These wrist watches were also deemed not very accurate due to their size. There have obviously been some changes to the watch since.
War times is what marked the first change in the wrist watch. When the soldiers were in battle it was very difficult for them to reach in their pockets to see what time it was. This was not easy to do when you are in battle trying to carry your gun and everything else. In order to free up their hands some soldiers made leather bands for their wrists that their watches fit in. This made the watch easier to access while in battle.
The wrist watch made it easier for the troops to plan their attacks and synchronize them. If everyone had their watch set to the same time you all knew exactly when you needed to attack. This was a great help in battle. The wrist watch along with the development of new weapons helped in winning battle.
Since the watch was growing in popularity the watch makers started making them for men. The problem with these wrist watches was that the face was still easily damaged. The solution to this problem was to make a grid usually out of silver that went on the face to protect it, but still allowed you to read the time. The band itself on the watch also went through some changes. You could now get wrist watches that had expandable and flexible bands.
Even with the wrist watches success with the troops, it took two decades for it to gain the rest of the public's vote. People were still not very fond of the design. As changes were made more people started liking the wrist watch and wearing it. People began to realize that a wrist watch really was more convenient, and was more accurate than they used to be. Watch makers started making styles for both men and women to enjoy. These early wrist watches did use the same type of face guard seen on the military watches to protect the face of the watch.
You never used to see men with a wrist watch, instead they used pocket watches. Wrist watches were only made for women, and that is how they liked it. These wrist watches were referred to as wristlets, and most men would not even think about wearing one. These wrist watches were also deemed not very accurate due to their size. There have obviously been some changes to the watch since.
War times is what marked the first change in the wrist watch. When the soldiers were in battle it was very difficult for them to reach in their pockets to see what time it was. This was not easy to do when you are in battle trying to carry your gun and everything else. In order to free up their hands some soldiers made leather bands for their wrists that their watches fit in. This made the watch easier to access while in battle.
The wrist watch made it easier for the troops to plan their attacks and synchronize them. If everyone had their watch set to the same time you all knew exactly when you needed to attack. This was a great help in battle. The wrist watch along with the development of new weapons helped in winning battle.
Since the watch was growing in popularity the watch makers started making them for men. The problem with these wrist watches was that the face was still easily damaged. The solution to this problem was to make a grid usually out of silver that went on the face to protect it, but still allowed you to read the time. The band itself on the watch also went through some changes. You could now get wrist watches that had expandable and flexible bands.
Even with the wrist watches success with the troops, it took two decades for it to gain the rest of the public's vote. People were still not very fond of the design. As changes were made more people started liking the wrist watch and wearing it. People began to realize that a wrist watch really was more convenient, and was more accurate than they used to be. Watch makers started making styles for both men and women to enjoy. These early wrist watches did use the same type of face guard seen on the military watches to protect the face of the watch.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Dive Watches
Diving is all about timing. Divers, therefore, need some way of keeping track of their timing during their dive. They can’t watch the clock on the wall, nor can they use a typical watch. That is why they use dive watches also known as diving watches or divers watches.
How do divers watches work?
First of all it is able to go deep under water. In other words, it can withstand tons of pressure. The dive watches have easy to read dials so that divers can figure out how much time they have remaining for their dive. Rather than having the typical push/pull crown that most watches have, the dive watches have a screw down crown, which gives it more of a water tight seal. Also, the band is made of rubber or a similar type of material so that salt water will not cause it to deteriorate.
What to look for when shopping for divers watches?
Diving watches vary in how deep they say they can go. You will find that they will go from a hundred meters to three hundred meters, some specialty watches even go more than 500 meters. The depth that you look for will depend on what type of diving you plan to do. If you plan to do normal diving in the pool, then hundred meters may be sufficient, however, if you plan to do some scuba diving you will want to find a watch that will go two hundred meters. Also, the higher the depth, the more that the watch will be able to withstand bumps.
You also need to pay attention to the bezel. Divers have to be able to see how much time they have been under the water, so it is important that the diving watches have a unidirectional elapsed timing bezel.
A clear face on divers watches is important also. The clear face allows you to quickly glance at the face of the watch and see your time. If you can not quickly look at your time, you may overstay at the bottom. You will want to pay attention to the durability of the dive watches. Another thing to pay attention to is the accuracy. You will also want to take the strength of the divers watches into consideration.
Where can you buy divers watches?
Divers watches can be found in various places. Most stores that carry watches will have diving watches. There are specialty swim shops that have diving watches. You can also find divers watches on the internet. If you shop for diving watches on the internet, you might be able to find them at lower prices than you would in the stores. In order to shop for divers watches online all you have to do is go to a search engine. In the key word box type in “divers watches,” “diving watches,” or “dive watches.” That should yield many results. From there you can search through the results for a reputable dealer and the best prices.
Do people other than divers like diving watches?
Many people like diving watches because they are rugged and durable. People like to own them just to have them, even if they don’t ever use them. And many people buy diving watches to wear as everyday watches and not necessarily for diving.
How do divers watches work?
First of all it is able to go deep under water. In other words, it can withstand tons of pressure. The dive watches have easy to read dials so that divers can figure out how much time they have remaining for their dive. Rather than having the typical push/pull crown that most watches have, the dive watches have a screw down crown, which gives it more of a water tight seal. Also, the band is made of rubber or a similar type of material so that salt water will not cause it to deteriorate.
What to look for when shopping for divers watches?
Diving watches vary in how deep they say they can go. You will find that they will go from a hundred meters to three hundred meters, some specialty watches even go more than 500 meters. The depth that you look for will depend on what type of diving you plan to do. If you plan to do normal diving in the pool, then hundred meters may be sufficient, however, if you plan to do some scuba diving you will want to find a watch that will go two hundred meters. Also, the higher the depth, the more that the watch will be able to withstand bumps.
You also need to pay attention to the bezel. Divers have to be able to see how much time they have been under the water, so it is important that the diving watches have a unidirectional elapsed timing bezel.
A clear face on divers watches is important also. The clear face allows you to quickly glance at the face of the watch and see your time. If you can not quickly look at your time, you may overstay at the bottom. You will want to pay attention to the durability of the dive watches. Another thing to pay attention to is the accuracy. You will also want to take the strength of the divers watches into consideration.
Where can you buy divers watches?
Divers watches can be found in various places. Most stores that carry watches will have diving watches. There are specialty swim shops that have diving watches. You can also find divers watches on the internet. If you shop for diving watches on the internet, you might be able to find them at lower prices than you would in the stores. In order to shop for divers watches online all you have to do is go to a search engine. In the key word box type in “divers watches,” “diving watches,” or “dive watches.” That should yield many results. From there you can search through the results for a reputable dealer and the best prices.
Do people other than divers like diving watches?
Many people like diving watches because they are rugged and durable. People like to own them just to have them, even if they don’t ever use them. And many people buy diving watches to wear as everyday watches and not necessarily for diving.
6 Tips to Evaluate a Watch
The world of watches is exciting and fascinating. Watches are like perfumes objects of desire and it is hard to say whether the asking price is right or exorbitant. This problem of price occurs only when you want to buy a rare, antique, or limited edition watch. If you are just buying a model mass manufactured by wrist watch giants then the maximum retail price is always given in catalogue and on company web sites.
How does one know the worth of a watch? It is hard to value a watch from pictures placed online. What is important is to check the condition of the watch including its movement. It is hard to judge a valuable watch from pictures on the World Wide Web. Sadly people randomly label things as antiques or valuable but in actuality the watch is one of thousands. Just because it is “old” does not mean it has a high value.
Today people all over the world collect watches for functionality, aesthetic value, and vintage value. Evaluating a watch must include aspects like: quality, craftsmanship, availability, history, reputation, uniqueness, and more.
1. Consider carefully the “quality” of the watch. Find out about the design and construction. Examine the case, dial, and movement. Important factors are functionality, accuracy in keeping time, reliability of manufacture, and longevity. To become a “collectible” a watch must bring with it a piece of history.
2. Find out the minute details of construction. Aspects that play a role are innovativeness, complexity of movements, and the mechanical functions. Sometimes a watch gains value as it represent a change in way watches work say for example the first digital or automatic watch.
3. Determine its value based on how many are flooding the market. The fewer the numbers the more “collectible” a watch is. Or if it belonged to a great personality like “Einstein” or if it participated in “making history,” was worn when someone climbed the highest mountain for the first time or flew around the world.
4. Consider the demand for the watch. Some watches are popular among collectors not because they are rare but because they are funky or “different,” they have great curiosity value. A watch may gain import because of their brand name for example many like to posses a “gold Rolex.”
5. Weigh the pros and cons of reputation. Many watches sell just because x,y, or z made them. Very often a manufacturer sourced watches from others and sold them with his “label.” And these watches are renowned because of a “brand name.”
6. Know what the watch will fetch in the market by doing a survey. Ask whether the owner will furnish an independent evaluation by a watch expert.
Brands that are popular are: Rolex, Breitling, Heuer, Omega, Patek Phillippe, IWC, and Girard Perregaux among others.
World over collectors and connoisseurs consider: the age of a watch, uniqueness, the manufacturer, date of issue, rarity, mechanics, movement, and repair. Another possibly important factor is ownership.
Learn about watches through the World Wide Web, from auctions, and watch exhibits. If you get a chance view famed collections. Make notes and weigh the pros and cons of collecting. Decide do I want to collect by mechanics or use. Or am I interested in who wore the watch when. Find your own niche and level and “keep a watch on the watches.”
How does one know the worth of a watch? It is hard to value a watch from pictures placed online. What is important is to check the condition of the watch including its movement. It is hard to judge a valuable watch from pictures on the World Wide Web. Sadly people randomly label things as antiques or valuable but in actuality the watch is one of thousands. Just because it is “old” does not mean it has a high value.
Today people all over the world collect watches for functionality, aesthetic value, and vintage value. Evaluating a watch must include aspects like: quality, craftsmanship, availability, history, reputation, uniqueness, and more.
1. Consider carefully the “quality” of the watch. Find out about the design and construction. Examine the case, dial, and movement. Important factors are functionality, accuracy in keeping time, reliability of manufacture, and longevity. To become a “collectible” a watch must bring with it a piece of history.
2. Find out the minute details of construction. Aspects that play a role are innovativeness, complexity of movements, and the mechanical functions. Sometimes a watch gains value as it represent a change in way watches work say for example the first digital or automatic watch.
3. Determine its value based on how many are flooding the market. The fewer the numbers the more “collectible” a watch is. Or if it belonged to a great personality like “Einstein” or if it participated in “making history,” was worn when someone climbed the highest mountain for the first time or flew around the world.
4. Consider the demand for the watch. Some watches are popular among collectors not because they are rare but because they are funky or “different,” they have great curiosity value. A watch may gain import because of their brand name for example many like to posses a “gold Rolex.”
5. Weigh the pros and cons of reputation. Many watches sell just because x,y, or z made them. Very often a manufacturer sourced watches from others and sold them with his “label.” And these watches are renowned because of a “brand name.”
6. Know what the watch will fetch in the market by doing a survey. Ask whether the owner will furnish an independent evaluation by a watch expert.
Brands that are popular are: Rolex, Breitling, Heuer, Omega, Patek Phillippe, IWC, and Girard Perregaux among others.
World over collectors and connoisseurs consider: the age of a watch, uniqueness, the manufacturer, date of issue, rarity, mechanics, movement, and repair. Another possibly important factor is ownership.
Learn about watches through the World Wide Web, from auctions, and watch exhibits. If you get a chance view famed collections. Make notes and weigh the pros and cons of collecting. Decide do I want to collect by mechanics or use. Or am I interested in who wore the watch when. Find your own niche and level and “keep a watch on the watches.”
History of Orient Watch
"Orient Watch has always focused on mechanical watches, primarily automatic watches with its own in-house automatic movements Orient was once part of the "Big Three" watch companies in Japan along with Citizen and Seiko. In the 70s, when mechanical watch companies faced hardship from the mass introduction of inexpensive quartz watches, Citizen and Seiko took the path of mass producing quartz watches, Orient stuck with what it did best, making mechanical watches."
- Discount Watch Store web site, July 2006
Orient Watch was founded in Tokyo by Shogoro Yoshida, more than a century ago in 1901. And though the world was a very different place back then, everyone still needed to know what time it was - much like today's world.
In those early watch making days, Orient Watch had some competition in the watch industry at home. Seiko and Citizen were big names in the watch making industry, and for many years Orient was ranked number three when it came to watch companies.
Mechanical Watches
"What sets Orient apart from other watch companies is really the fact that Orient has always been focusing on making its mechanical movements better and more reliable. It is unusual today to find a watch company that makes its own movement selling watches at prices offered by Orient."
- Discount Watch Store web site, July 2006
From the early beginnings to today, Orient Watch has been focused on making the best mechanical watches that money can buy. The history of Orient Watch is interesting because Orient Watch is a company that started out with a good idea, and never once veered onto a different course. The long years have helped Orient Watch to produce high-quality, long-lasting watches that anyone can afford.
The History of Orient Watch, Today
"In 1985 Orient and Seiko established a joint factory. Orient produces a range of automatic and quartz watches ranging in price from reasonably inexpensive (about 50USD / 50Euro) to very expensive (7000USD). Orient Star and Orient Star Royal are the middle and high-end brands, with the Royal Orient being their flagship line."
- Orient Watch Company, Wikipedia, July 2006
Today, Orient Watch is known all over the globe. With manufacturing facilities in Singapore, Brazil, and Japan, Orient Watch today offers more styles and types of watches than ever. Today, Orient Watch offers watches in many designs including quartz, light powered, and of course mechanical.
"In the Japanese market, we supply high-quality watches, such as "Orient Star Royal," our prestigious mechanical watch series, which our customers want to carry with them for many years. In overseas markets, our strategy is to develop new outlets for our products mainly in countries and areas with high potential economic growth, and increase our sales of budget-price watches."
- Mitsuo Mimura, President Orient Watch, Orient Watch web site, July 2006
Orient Watch
For more than a hundred years, Orient Watch has been a well-known and respected name in the watch making industry. Today, many other companies try to reach the success and the high standards that Orient Watch has set. When it comes to mechanical watches, Orient Watch is the first name in the business. For high quality at an affordable price, Orient Watch is one of the better choices in watches. But don't just take my word for it. Let the history of Orient Watch speak for itself.
- Discount Watch Store web site, July 2006
Orient Watch was founded in Tokyo by Shogoro Yoshida, more than a century ago in 1901. And though the world was a very different place back then, everyone still needed to know what time it was - much like today's world.
In those early watch making days, Orient Watch had some competition in the watch industry at home. Seiko and Citizen were big names in the watch making industry, and for many years Orient was ranked number three when it came to watch companies.
Mechanical Watches
"What sets Orient apart from other watch companies is really the fact that Orient has always been focusing on making its mechanical movements better and more reliable. It is unusual today to find a watch company that makes its own movement selling watches at prices offered by Orient."
- Discount Watch Store web site, July 2006
From the early beginnings to today, Orient Watch has been focused on making the best mechanical watches that money can buy. The history of Orient Watch is interesting because Orient Watch is a company that started out with a good idea, and never once veered onto a different course. The long years have helped Orient Watch to produce high-quality, long-lasting watches that anyone can afford.
The History of Orient Watch, Today
"In 1985 Orient and Seiko established a joint factory. Orient produces a range of automatic and quartz watches ranging in price from reasonably inexpensive (about 50USD / 50Euro) to very expensive (7000USD). Orient Star and Orient Star Royal are the middle and high-end brands, with the Royal Orient being their flagship line."
- Orient Watch Company, Wikipedia, July 2006
Today, Orient Watch is known all over the globe. With manufacturing facilities in Singapore, Brazil, and Japan, Orient Watch today offers more styles and types of watches than ever. Today, Orient Watch offers watches in many designs including quartz, light powered, and of course mechanical.
"In the Japanese market, we supply high-quality watches, such as "Orient Star Royal," our prestigious mechanical watch series, which our customers want to carry with them for many years. In overseas markets, our strategy is to develop new outlets for our products mainly in countries and areas with high potential economic growth, and increase our sales of budget-price watches."
- Mitsuo Mimura, President Orient Watch, Orient Watch web site, July 2006
Orient Watch
For more than a hundred years, Orient Watch has been a well-known and respected name in the watch making industry. Today, many other companies try to reach the success and the high standards that Orient Watch has set. When it comes to mechanical watches, Orient Watch is the first name in the business. For high quality at an affordable price, Orient Watch is one of the better choices in watches. But don't just take my word for it. Let the history of Orient Watch speak for itself.
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