Holy horology Batman, I think I found my next watch

[Platapus]

Lately I have been getting the itch for another watch. I am especially interested in one of the newer watches that receives updates from GPS instead of from WWVB (which may be going away)

The Seiko Astron and the Citizen Satellite wave were interesting and I was leaning toward the Citizen.. then I found Trume.



BTY, that's probably a life size image as this is a BIG watch

It is made by Epson which is owned by the same company that owns Seiko. It is a JDM watch but there are international sales.

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/epson-t...-analog-watch/

This watch comes in two basic groups of models. The first comes with a rather silly external sensor pack that connects to the watch by Bluetooth. Not interested in that one. The one I am interested in is is the TR-mb7001 non bluetooth model.

This analog watch has some pretty interesting and unique functions for an analog watch.

-GPS time sync
-Chronograph
-Titanium case with 100m WR
-Altimeter way cool on an analog watch but probably not very practical
-Compass which is way cool on an analog watch and probably very practical
-Barometer, which like the altimeter is cool but not all that practical
-Two point way point tracker. Allows you to set a base location and then from a second location it will tell you the distance and the LOS direction. This I think is the coolest function. Don't see that on an analog watch!
- 11 entry log of some of these functions. Can't imagine ever using that, but a cool feature.
- A nice, to me, uncluttered dial as compared to the Astron and the Satellite wave.

All this for a slightly unreasonable price of about $2,200 which is expensive but not that out of the line compared to the Seiko and Citizen and they don't have these features.

If you spring for the Bluetooth model you get all these features plus

- UV level sensor
- Temperature sensor
- Pedometer
- Calorie burning calculator

None of these really interests me and besides I can't take a bluetooth device to work.

Because this is a JDM watch, there is little advertisement here in the US.

I am doing some serious horological drooling here. Getting the itch bad.

[JU_88]

Is it actually the size of kitchen clock like it is on my screen
If so, remind me not to pick fight with you
Joking aside - very nice!

[Mr Quatro]

Nice watch Platapus a little too expensive for me (that's a down payment on a car)

I like this one more to my speed and only $34.95 includes free shipping



https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...358539011&th=1

[Commander Wallace]

A man was moving and carrying his grandfather clock to the moving truck at the curb and ran into a man on the sidewalk. They both fell to the sidewalk. The guy who was carrying the clock yelled, " why don't you watch where you are walking. "


The man who was run over yelled back, " why don't you wear a wrist watch like everyone else. "


The watch looks like a great watch but how well does it keep time ? I would consider the Invicta Rolex style watch for 100.00 dollars or the Seiko diver watch for about 250.00 dollars.

[Sean C]

Originally Posted by Platapus

-Chronograph
-Titanium case with 100m WR
-Altimeter
-Compass
-Barometer
-Temperature sensor

I have a Casio digital with all of the above features. I wore it daily for a few years and I still really like it. It also has a relatively large case, but - being made of titanium - it is still one of the lightest watches I own. I never actually used any of these features*, but I did enjoy playing around with them from time to time. Just keep in mind that, if the Trume is similar to the Casio, the altimeter works by measuring barometric pressure - so it needs to be calibrated based on the current local conditions. Otherwise, it really only shows the difference in altitude between locations, as opposed to accurate absolute ASL altitude.


The compass is also sensitive to interference from any nearby magnetic material. (As is any magnetic compass.) So you need to be aware of any potential sources of interference. This includes large deposits of iron in the surrounding area. You will also need to be aware of the magnetic declination in the area you intend to use the compass. (My Casio has the option of manually correcting for declination.) The compass could be re-calibrated fairly easily by the user, though.



I have also been interested lately in watches which update via GPS. The potential shutdown of WWVB being the primary reason. (I own several watches which use this signal.) However, I think it is ultimately unlikely that the station will be shut down, given that most [if not all] radio updated clocks in the U.S. use this signal. Also, one thing I have discovered is that receiving the GPS signal seems to be a big drain on the battery. My Casio is solar powered (and still going strong after several years), so I never had to worry about the battery.


I must say though: the Trume is a very smart looking watch. And if it makes you happy ... go for it. I love all of my watches - for different reasons - but still, I love them just the same.

Originally Posted by Commander Wallace

The watch looks like a great watch but how well does it keep time ?

This was my primary reason for buying the watch I currently wear: a Bulova Precisionist. When it was first introduced, Bulova claimed an accuracy of ± 10 seconds per year. They later backed off of that statement a little - changing it to something like "seconds per year" (i.e. less than a minute). Careful observation of my own Precisionist indicates a constant rate of about +0.2017 seconds per day ... or about +1m13s per year. Still pretty good if you ask me. And keep in mind this is without radio or GPS updates.


*I did use the barometer - rather successfully - to get an idea of the weather in the near future.

[Sean C]

Oh ... one more thing: also keep in mind that if you want to measure the temperature of the air where you are - you will have to take the watch off and leave it sitting for some time before taking the reading. Otherwise, you will be taking the temperature of your wrist ... which is not very useful.

[Jimbuna]

Nice looking watch but I guess I'll stick with the one my wife gave me for Christmas (Seiko 7T92).

[Onkel Neal]

Nice watch, Plat. That's some crazy good tech and quality. I also like the black face model. Wouldn't do for me, though, it would get all beat up and I would end up hanging myself.


Does it light up in the dark like a Timex Indiglo where you can read it?






I like the idea of a Trume, though. I can see where it would be handy. Say I got into a heated discussion with someone, I could pull back my sleeve and show the watch, they would fall to their knees in submission. Nice!

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by Nathaniel B.

Oh ... one more thing: also keep in mind that if you want to measure the temperature of the air where you are - you will have to take the watch off and leave it sitting for some time before taking the reading. Otherwise, you will be taking the temperature of your wrist ... which is not very useful.

That's why the temperature function is only available with the bluetooth models that come with that rather silly external sensor pack.

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by Nathaniel B.

I have a Casio digital with all of the above features.

The Casio G-Shock line is probably the best value watch if you are looking for function. I just don't care for how a lot of the Casio hybrid watches look, but that's just a personal preference. The MTG is a nice one too.

If it were not for the looks, I would have no issue buying some of the Casio's. They are very good watches.

Concerning the Bulova Percisionist, They are using a quartz frequency that is about 8 times faster than more traditional quartz watches. Faster frequency means that individual variations are more easily "averaged" out. It is a less expensive way to get close to the thermally compensated quartz watches in the HAQ (High accuracy Quartz) family of watches.

HAQs are more accurate, but also more expensive. Longenes VHP will run you about $800 and that is about as cheap as you can get for HAQ's of any quality.

Watch accuracy is a constant leapfrog of technology.

The best mechanical watch for tens of thousands of dollars can be less accurate than the worst quartz watch for a few dollars.

But what does accuracy really mean?

Accuracy only applies when compared to an external source. What people generally consider accuracy is actually variance. How many seconds does the watch vary from day to day.

The terms are often used interchangeably but they are, in fact, different concepts.

Your best mechanical chronometers will have a variance of -2/+2 seconds per day when new. A traditional quartz watch will have a variance of about -15/+15 seconds a month. Temperature has the biggest effect on the variance of quartz movements. HAQ's use a thermal compensator to mitigate the variances due to temperature changes.

Higher end quartz movements (Sometimes referred to as "culled and cooked") have a variance of about -5/+5 seconds a month.

HAQ have a variance of about -10/+10 seconds a year. The Longenes VHP claims -5/+5 seconds a year and testing seems to support this.

The practical aspect of variance is how long can your watch operate between synchronization to another source (time signal for example) and therefore remain "accurate".

All watches are accurate just after synchronization

If you could sync a watch every second, any cheap watch on the market would be accurate. But syncing that often is difficult and counter productive.

The advent of the radio and GPS updated watch is to make it easier to sync the watch. That's what that technology does for you.

Something to keep in mind. A radio or GPS watch is not more accurate than any other quartz watch. It is just that a radio or GPS watch is easier to sync more often. If you manually sync a mechanical or quartz watch as often as a radio or GPS watch, the relative accuracy will be about the same, depending on the quality of the quartz or mechanical movement.

Manually syncing a watch is .. ahem.. time consuming and not alway convenient.

For example, the Seiko Astron uses a traditional quartz movement and has a variance of -15/+15 seconds a month
The Citizen Satellite wave watch uses a "cooked" quartz movement and has a variance of -5/+5 seconds a month.

That means that if, for some reason, both watches are synced at the same time on the first of the month only, by the end of the month, the Astron has the potential of being less accurate than the Satellite wave.

But of course the whole idea of a GPS watch is to be able to either automatically sync or manually sync to the GPS signal quickly and easily.

Some of the GPS watches can update the time only in about 3-6 seconds which is pretty quick and easy. You can sync your watch every time you walk from your car to your building....I can't imagine why, but you could.

After syncing, both watches will have the same accuracy. As long as each watch can sync every few days, the differences in the variance between the two watches will be insignificant.

Trapped in an endless staff meeting, and both of these expensive GPS watches will be just as accurate at more traditional and less expensive watches.

(TLDRBHCPIAPJAJWSU*) Variance only effects how often you need to sync your watch in order to keep it accurate enough for your purposes.

Radio and GPS watches are not more accurate but are more easily synced.


*TLDRBHCPIAPJAJWSU - Too long Didn't Read Because Holy Crap Platapus Is a Pompous Jerk And Just Won't Shut Up!

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by Onkel Neal

I like the idea of a Trume, though. I can see where it would be handy. Say I got into a heated discussion with someone, I could pull back my sleeve and show the watch, they would fall to their knees in submission. Nice!

Unfortunately, you would have to get in to the habit of wearing the Trume on alternate wrists. That way both arms get a workout!

But seriously, the only practical use of this watch is being able to walk in to a horology meeting, push a button and then tell all the people who have multi-thousand dollar mechanical watches:

"Hey dudes, just for your information, this IS the correct time, Bye!"

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by Platapus

Unfortunately, you would have to get in to the habit of wearing the Trume on alternate wrists. That way both arms get a workout!

But seriously, the only practical use of this watch is being able to walk in to a horology meeting, push a button and then tell all the people who have multi-thousand dollar mechanical watches:

"Hey dudes, just for your information, this IS the correct time, Bye!"

Yeah, but this is a pretty cool thread, thanks for starting it.

[Platapus]

This is what I am wearing now. Omega Seamaster 2254


To me, it is one of the nicer looking watches that Omega made. I was looking at getting one of the new co-axial Seamasters, but I just don't like the skeleton hands. I much prefer the "sword" hands on the 2254. Omega stopped making the 2254 about 10 years ago.

If they could take the 2254 and put the new co-axial movement inside it would probably be one of those

"Shut up and just take my money!!


Moments.

Friends don't let friends get into watches. It is a terrible mental illness.

[Aktungbby]

MY FIELD WATCH ON DUTY AND WORLD TRAVEL COMPANION IS THE GEORGE J VON BURG 'TRIPLE DATE' WITH CHRONO, MOONPHASE DATEHAND AND 24-HOUR AND SMALL SECONDS HAND AT THE 9 O'CLOCK POSITION-11 FUNCTIONS ON A MECHANICAL WATCH ! ON A FABULOUS VALJOUX 7751 MOVEMENT. I'M ALREADY INTO IT FOR ONE MAINSPRING ($700) REPLACEMNT AND RECENTLY HAD TO REPLACE THE DOUBLE- STITCH CROC BAND WITH A SLIGHTLY INFERIOR ONE AFTER OVER A DECADE OF CONSTANT WEAR. THE GERMAN FLIERGER STYLE HANDS ARE EASY TO READ AT NIGHT AND THE WHOLE PIECE JUST 'SINGS TO MY WRIST'! ONLY FIFTY WERE EVER MADE. FRANKLY IT SAVES ME MONEY; I SEE OTHER WATCHES OF INTEREST THAT MAKE ME DROOL HOROLOGICALLY BUT THEN SENSIBLY CONCLUDE "I'M ALREADY WEARING IT" THE OTHER OF MY FAVORITES WAS GIFT FROM A LOCAL JEWELRY SHOP OWNER WHO LEFT THE KEYS IN HER SHOP'S FRONT DOOR ABSENTMINDEDLY. IT IS MY '60'S WAKMANN ON A VENUS 178 MOVEMENT. WHAT IS CHARMING ABOUT THIS ONE IS THE THREE SUBHAND-DIALS ARE ALL DIFFERENT! THEY DON'T DO THAT LITTLE STUFF ANYMORE. < THIS PUPPY SITS BY THE COMPUTER AND GET WOUND MANUALLY ....EVERY DAY! I TEND TO FROWN ON ALL THE NEW APPLE WATCHES NOT BEING ENTIRELY A 'MAN OF THE 21ST CENTURY' BUT I WOULDN'T HESITATE TO WEAR ONE IF ENTERING A SAUDI EMBASSY

 

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/15/khashoggi-apple-watch-recording-in-saudi-embassy-nearly-impossible.html Two senior Turkish officials revealed the existence of an object that may provide important clues to the fate of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist who disappeared in Istanbul last week: The black Apple watch he was wearing when he entered his country’s consulate.
The watch was connected to a mobile phone he left outside, Reuters quoted the Turkish officials as saying on Oct. 10.

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by Aktungbby

GEORGE J VON BURG 'ON A FABULOUS VALJOUX 7751 MOVEMENT.

Nice!! What year?