Wrists of the world unite! You have nothing to lose but...

... your watches:



Focus: The Apple Watch. I am excited to once again hear people's opinions of how an Apple product is stupid, poorly designed, without a sufficient market, and doomed to be unsuccessful, only to see it somehow take off wildly.

Alt-focus: Watches in general. Do you wear one? Do you have a collection of multi-thousand dollar watches? Could you ever see yourself wearing a smartwatch?

Personally, I have a decent looking but not particularly expensive Seiko. I think it's starting to tell time a bit slowly after a few years of wearing it, and has developed some minor scratches on the surface. And it seems I've formed a bond with this watch: I've worn it through 4 continents now, so I'd probably be more content to repair it than replace it.

 

Re: Wrists of the world unite! You have nothing to lose but.

I don't have expensive watches, but I have a couple I like that were gifts from my wife. Today, I'm wearing this one:

Stauer Dashtronic

Another one she got me is this:

Fossil Nate Chronograph

She also got me a silver Fossil with a blue face where the hour and minutes are analog, but the face is digital and counts the seconds. Can't find a picture of it, but it's cool. So, generally, if the watch is different/unusual, I like it. Most everyone who sees the Stauer watch thinks it's very cool. The back is clear so you can see the gears, and it's self winding too.

 

Re: Wrists of the world unite! You have nothing to lose but.

I'm fairly badly allergic to nickel which rules out most watches with clasps or backs that aren't titanium or similar - even then it's not generally worth it for me to drop three digits hoping that people were honest in their marketing or having to coat that shit in clear nail polish.

When I turned 21 my grandparents gave me a monogrammed silver pocket watch that I thought was the coolest thing on earth because I was kind of a loser back then. I mean, I still am, but I was back then too.

 

Re: Wrists of the world unite! You have nothing to lose but.

I won't be getting the Apple watch. Nothing against Apple or anything, I'm just completely content with a smart phone and could likely get by just fine without that. Unless it can be used as a Bond-like device for laser tag, I'm sitting the smart watch era out.
As far as normal watches go, I've got a nice Cyma that was left to me by my Grandad. It is an old man watch to be sure, but in all fairness it was an old man's watch. It was about 20 years old when I got it, but one trip to the jewler and it was like new.
Now what wrist does everyone where there watch on? As a lefty I use my right, but it seems to be about 75/25 right/left amongst us southpaws.

 

Re: Wrists of the world unite! You have nothing to lose but.

I wear a G-Shock for no discernible reason, except that peering at my phone to see the time is occasionally rude. I want a "serious" watch, but I'd rather spend $4k on a motorcycle, gun or something harder for me to lose.

I wouldn't get a smart-watch mostly because I am not dexterous enough to make good use of it (if it were voice-activated, that might be different). I also don't care for a lot of the functions, like a calorie counter or pedometer.

With that said, I think the direction is heading towards wearable technology. An advanced version of Google glass and a smart watch will make for a better experience than the 5'5" glass panel we all tote around nowadays. Also, it might be possible for the things to be powered by body heat in the distant future, getting rid of the stupid, Goddamn, fuckshitcuntcocksucker batteries.

Apple has a knack for making technology with zero learning curve, and I think the smart watch is a decent first step to the next iteration of personal technology.

Fuck, laser tag. Is there an app for that shit? That would be awesome!

 

Re: Wrists of the world unite! You have nothing to lose but.

I thought this was going to be a masturbation thread. Okay, watches, whatever.

I'm a lefty. I don't wear a watch anymore, but when I did, it was on my left wrist. I remember being told to do that so that the knob you used for winding it up (shut up) was on the outside and easily accessible. I can't imagine wearing it on my right but I'm a little ambidextrous as I cut right handed and even apply mascara right handed (the talent is huge with this one).

I don't plan on getting the smart watch at this point. Maybe if I see the benefits of it, years down the road it might be an option. I do like the idea of not having to stick my phone in my back left jeans pocket, thereby saving me from getting cancer in my left butt cheek from all the harmful rays it emits.

 

Limp wrist

Of all the example activities, you chose cut? Alrighty then.

I think the best part of the Apple Watch will be the Apple Pay and Passbook features. Having all your financial information accessible like that will be convenient. Plus, Apple has demonstrated that they can be trusted to not let private information get into other people's hands.

\

So, which hand do you use? Or, is that what the ambidextrous comment was about?

 

Tick tock

When I was a kid, I found an article about how you could send off letters to request high end product catalogs - long before you could just get it all on the internet. I thought Aston Martin's were the most badass of all cars, and the information was in an article about them. I received a copy of the IWC (International Watch Company) catalog. It was a hard bound book, with slip cover. I thought the Grande Complication was the most awesome thing ever. They make 100 of them a year, and if you buy one, your name goes in a hand-lettered ledger or something.

Hmm, my birthday is coming up . . .

 

Re: Wrists of the world unite! You have nothing to lose but.

What was it Jobs said? The consumer doesn't know what he wants? I think this explains the smart watch to a large extent. I'm sure it will be successful and I am also sure I will have to be careful not to go blind from excessive eye rolling if and when I see people walking around talking to their wrists.

i wear a cheap Timex I've had for years. I like the stopwatch and use it all the time and I don't have to dig my phone out of my pocket to check the time.

 

Re: Wrists of the world unite! You have nothing to lose but.

When I was in my early twenties I bought a Rolex. Looking back on it, it was dumb, all the guys I worked with had them and it was just a status symbol. I still have it and don't wear it very often. It's a nice watch but I think there are other watches that are nicer looking for the same price. Maybe I will trade it and get something I like better or maybe just give it to my kid when I get old.

I do wear a watch everyday, it's just a rubber banded dive watch that I am partial to. It also allows me to stash a handcuff key in the band just in case. Otherwise I have a pathfinder that I wear semi-regularly as well. Thinking about it though, I don't really need it. My calendar on my laptop and phone kicks me in the ass throughout the day and prompts me to attend a meeting or appointment as needed, I hardly ever look at it.


I thought this was nice for only $901k. Practically a steal.

Spoiler

 

Re: Wrists of the world unite! You have nothing to lose but.

I have a near neurotic needs to cover my wrists. I have a variety of leather/woven bracelets I wear and have since I was in HS. I have a pair of watches. A heavier metal Armani watch I got for Christmas a few years ago and a white Lacoste watch that is more day to day. The latter is more casual and comfortable and pretty much my day to day watch, and the number of compliments I get doesn't hurt. The Armani watch is heavy enough that I always know I'm wearing it and I'm prone to taking it off and letting it sit on the table if I'm just sitting around, which is annoying, so I don't take it as much. I'm in the market for a slim, black banded "dressy" watch for more formal stuff, if people have recommendations, but not looking too aggressively at this moment.

As for the Apple Watch, I'm definitely not a front line guy for stuff like this. I'll wait and see. It seems a bit superfluous.

 

Re: Wrists of the world unite! You have nothing to lose but.

As a joke a few years ago my wife bought me a Casio calculator watch. I still proudly wear it. It will do math problems, holds 20 cell phone numbers and has a calendar function. It was so far ahead of it's time Apple is just now catching up.

The thing that Apple does very well is take existing ideas and implement them properly. I think that the first Apple Watch will work great, but it will take a few iterations of it to realize the full potential. Right now it will look rather gimmicky (like the iPhone 1 and the lack of apps), but eventually it will rock.

There were two things that kept me away from iPhones for the past few years. One was the screen size and two was the iTunes. They resolved half of that problem with the 6. I will think about giving it another try.

 

Re: Wrists of the world unite! You have nothing to lose but.

I like a watch, just a simple watch. I don't like carrying my phone in my pocket.....shoot 90% of the time I don't even have a pocket....and am crazy about always knowing what time it is. I can't see that I will ever jump on the iwatch train as I would rather have the watch do its one function (tell me the time while looking cute) and use by phone for other things. But never say never, right?

I have two watches in rotation currently, both nice enough but purchased at Nordstrom Rack. I guess they would be considered more "fashion" watches than nice watches. I cant see me ever dropping big bucks on something like a Rolex, but I do think I may get something like this next.
http://www.shinola.com/shop/watches...-band-watch-s022.html#color=THE GOMELSKY 36mm

 

Re: Wrists of the world unite! You have nothing to lose but.

In 1998, I had a Timex Ironman Triathalon Datalink watch. It had an optical sensor built into the front, so I could use a program to upload contact and calendar information. You had to have a CRT monitor, that would flash a series of lines to upload the information. Whenever I told people how it worked, they thought I was lying. But, nope.

A couple years later, I upgraded to the Timex / Motorola Beepwear Pro. I could get scores, stock quotes, and weather sent directly to my watch from some Yahoo satellite in the sky. My office could also page me.

I am also the only person I have ever known to have an Exxon Speedpass. I still have it on my keyring and use it anytime I get gas at an Exxon station. I also used to have a Timex Ironman watch that had the Speedpass built in. I had it when I was training for the last marathon I ran, and there was an Exxon convenience store on the route for my long runs. Several times I ran in, grabbed a Gatorade, swiped my arm and kept on going. I'm pretty sure they discontinued those.

All three of those technology watches were really cool (to me), but all three of them broke in some way.

 

Re: Wrists of the world unite! You have nothing to lose but.

Alt-Focus: I am not ashamed of my body at all, I'm fairly confident in my appearance, but the only thing I'm a little self conscious is about is that God gave me small, hairy wrists. Because of that, wearing a watch sucks. If it has links, like many nice watches do, I'm pretty miserable at the links will grab my wrist hair an yank it out as its moving around.

 

Re: Wrists of the world unite! You have nothing to lose but.

Focus: Will it be cool if someone gave one to me, yes. Will I ever spend money on one? No. People who hate Apple will hate this as well regardless what it does. People who love Apple will buy it because its Apple, regardless of what it does.

Alt: I really like watches, and I actually worked at a Fossil for 3 months (seasonal employee) that came with a 50% discount. I bought all my friends and family stuff, but never got me a watch. My gf at the time bought me this watch, which I loved and still wish she never bought me. No idea what it is about it, but I really like it.



I would like to get another watch but more as a gift. Buying one for myself seems silly as I already can tell the time. Then again if I saw a nice one for the right price I'd probably do it. Since I'm right handed, it'd go on the left wrist. Never your primary hand.

 

Re: Wrists of the world unite! You have nothing to lose but.

I love watches, and if I had more money I could easily see them being something I would collect. Right now, I have two. I have a small silver vintage-y looking one that has a few little diamonds in it for some sparkle. It's new, but looks like it's from the '20s. I bought it for myself as a replacement for the watch I'd had since high school graduation bit the dust out of nowhere, and as a gift for myself when I got a check from my favorite magazine. Then, on the opposite side of the spectrum, I have an old watch of my dad's, which has a big chunky face and a large leather band that I love. They're both mid-range brands. I wear my silver watches in the spring and summer and my leather watch in the fall and winter, because holy crap leather bands get stanky.

Speaking of stanky, does anyone have any tips for cleaning leather bands? Nothing I've tried seems to help. Or do I pretty much have to replace the band after it soaking up both me and my dad's wrist sweat for the past 15 years?