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The wrist watch.

Edward

Bartender
Messages
25,081
Location
London, UK
Here is my new watch !
It's the same watch as Russian cosmonauts/pilots from 1960's : Poljot "Strela" chronograph cal.3017 (year 1966)

attachment.php

I've got a Poljot somewhere, a more basic one, but a nice watch. Also fond of my Vostoks. Very affordable - I think I paid thirty quid for my last Vostok about ten years ago - but solid, reliable, and no worries about taking them out and wearing them.
 

Raul

One of the Regulars
Messages
115
Location
Italy
I love vintage watches, here is an Eterna Kontiki first series from 1958 (my birth year) with radium indexes, in wonderful conditions for a 60+ years watch:
VyaSrWN.jpg


And here it is with his brothers Kontikis from mid 60s and early 70s (this last one found in NOS conditions):

R2EtZeU.jpg
 

regius

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,299
Location
New York
My question about watches may not qualify a post here but won't hurt to try, :)

It's about the low end solar watches by Citizen, Seiko etc. that don't have a battery status indicator. It's just a basic watch with three hands, so, how would I know the charging status?
 

Seb Lucas

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,562
Location
Australia
My question about watches may not qualify a post here but won't hurt to try, :)

It's about the low end solar watches by Citizen, Seiko etc. that don't have a battery status indicator. It's just a basic watch with three hands, so, how would I know the charging status?

Not sure what you mean by 'charging status' but they basically run until they don't. When they stop (after a few months in the darkness) they can be made to live again by sticking them on the window sill.

My Dad's Citizen solar watch has run without any issues for 20 years. My suspicion is the minute hand will skip to every second second when the battery is no longer charging properly in a decade or two.
 

regius

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,299
Location
New York
Thanks Seb, by charging status I meant the battery life/status (like, how many bars is left), it is solar but still involves a energy storage unit, so it is not a binary thing, "has electricity" vs "no electricity". But I understand that it'd run normally as long as there is some electricity.
 

Seb Lucas

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,562
Location
Australia
Thanks Seb, by charging status I meant the battery life/status (like, how many bars is left), it is solar but still involves a energy storage unit, so it is not a binary thing, "has electricity" vs "no electricity". But I understand that it'd run normally as long as there is some electricity.

Yep - that's what I thought you meant. :D Maybe I expressed my response badly. The watches don't tell you what charge there is as this doesn't really serve a practical purpose. The thing will run in the pitch black for months before it goes dead. It needs almost no light to function fully. The only thing you need to know with these things is when the capacitor is no longer charging in a decade or two.
 
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regius

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,299
Location
New York
Thanks Sebs. A little update, so, I aggressively charged my Seiko Astron, via an Amazon LED charger, combined with sunlight. Interestingly, after hours and hours of the LED, the indicator FINALLY moved from E to the middle. However, after that, it stayed at the middle. Then, miraculously, after an afternoon of sunlight yesterday, it pointed to F. However, after the watched came indoor for a while, the pointer went back to the middle again?????
 

Seb Lucas

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,562
Location
Australia
I think watches with fewer complications are best - unless it's a Casio G-Shock (ugly as sin but with a huge fan base), which is all about the complications. I guess your indicator is not working properly. :D
 

William G.

One of the Regulars
Messages
158
Thanks Sebs. A little update, so, I aggressively charged my Seiko Astron, via an Amazon LED charger, combined with sunlight. Interestingly, after hours and hours of the LED, the indicator FINALLY moved from E to the middle. However, after that, it stayed at the middle. Then, miraculously, after an afternoon of sunlight yesterday, it pointed to F. However, after the watched came indoor for a while, the pointer went back to the middle again?????

This is going to sound weird, but there are certain types of batteries that have a much longer life if they don't stay fully charged. Some hybrid cars, for instance, charge their batteries to 80% capacity and no higher, to promote longevity. It could be that your watch is designed to keep from overcharging the battery, and the power reserve will mostly stay in that middle area.

If this is a watch you've had for a while and this power reserve behavior is different than normal, you might want to contact Seiko customer service or take it to an authorized dealer.
 
Messages
12,967
Location
Germany
Grabbed a nice new no-bullshit ladies quartz, today! :D
 

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