Timepieces

[AngryScientist]

UPDATE:

In the past, i have jokingly voiced disapproval at a "day" complication. "Does anyone really need to look at their watch to know what day of the week it is?"

Well, well into the pandemic, my calendar cleared of all travel, commuting, etc, and things on the homefront in a monotonous routine - i have seen the light. I now need to be reminded what day of the week it is several times a week!

[Blue Jays]

/\/\/\

So very true, @AngryScientist. Excellent observation that you have made.
We are indeed missing many of the subtle "calendar cues" we used to receive.

[Matthew Strongin]

UPDATE:

In the past, i have jokingly voiced disapproval at a "day" complication. "Does anyone really need to look at their watch to know what day of the week it is?"

Well, well into the pandemic, my calendar cleared of all travel, commuting, etc, and things on the homefront in a monotonous routine - i have seen the light. I now need to be reminded what day of the week it is several times a week!

At this rate, we'll need perpetual calendars so we know what year it is too.

[NYCfixie]

UPDATE:

In the past, i have jokingly voiced disapproval at a "day" complication. "Does anyone really need to look at their watch to know what day of the week it is?"

Well, well into the pandemic, my calendar cleared of all travel, commuting, etc, and things on the homefront in a monotonous routine - i have seen the light. I now need to be reminded what day of the week it is several times a week!

Glad you have come to the dark side.

At this rate, we'll need perpetual calendars so we know what year it is too.

Now I finally have an excuse to get that Patek.

[dgaddis]

A modern Rolex is so well built that you can absolutely wear it all day, every day.

I mean, that's true of nearly any watch. At least, it should be IMO.

[AngryScientist]

I mean, that's true of nearly any watch. At least, it should be IMO.

nah, i disagree, depending on what your "every day" looks like. that gorgeous patek posted a few posts above for example would not like my daily life, especially in the summer. i wouldnt wear that on a surfboard for a long session of getting beat up in the waves. on the other hand, i know for certain i have spent at least several Mondays in the office picking surf wax out of my submariner's bracelet with a paper clip.

[Matthew Strongin]

I mean, that's true of nearly any watch. At least, it should be IMO.

It's not, unfortunately. Not just the dress watches like Angry points out with the Patek above, which really aren't built to take abuse (nor should they be). There are plenty of luxury watches that just aren't up to the task of daily wear and tear. You see it a lot with things like bracelets and clasps, where they stretch or loosen over time. Rolex used to have issues with this too. But all those small moving parts on a modern Rolex are so well built that even after a decade of daily use you wouldn't be able to tell much of a difference.

[NYCfixie]

I mean, that's true of nearly any watch. At least, it should be IMO.

Not true.

This has watch taken more than 25 years of abuse and was sent for regular services. This is a picture of when it returned from the most recent service and the only parts that have ever been changed are the crown tube and seals which are routine and I chose to have the metal fixed bezel replaced because all the black enamel used for the numbers had finally worn off so I could no longer read the numbers. Had I not sold last year, I am sure it would have given me at least another 25 years of faithful service.

As I mentioned earlier, this watch was not a safe queen but rather something I wore every day and was abused without concern.

[funcrusher]

casioak...managed to snatch one earlier this week before they sold out again...giving it to my son

[IMG]IMG_20200326_152036 by W L, on Flickr[/IMG]

[boots2000]

Is that a GA-2100? Do those have a stopwatch timer function?

casioak...managed to snatch one earlier this week before they sold out again...giving it to my son

[IMG]IMG_20200326_152036 by W L, on Flickr[/IMG]

[dpcompt]

Do these G-Shock watches need to be recharged? They have so many functions.

[dpcompt]

I have a Stainless/gold Date that my wife bought for me in 1977. I have had it rebuilt twice. The first time was just a cleaning and a new crystal. The second required a few extra parts. Like a daily driver car, I wear it everyday including bicycle rides. Since it was new, it loses 30 seconds a month. It's had the same level of imperfection for 43 years. I also have a President day date that my wife bought for me in 1991. I have had it rebuilt once, basically, cleaning and it still keeps perfect time.I don't wear the President very often. The band on my Date is more comfortable. The good thing is that almost all the riders in my group have no idea how valuable these watches are or how much it would cost to replace them. Politics be damned.

[Blue Jays]

My preference is to wear a Casio G-Shock or similar "soft” watch for riding and running. My nicer watches for other times.
Not due to watch value...more because I don't wish a metal watch tapping a tube while reaching for a water bottle or whatever.
I might be convinced otherwise if it was a quality metal watch on a silicone strap as our watches face away from our bicycles.

[funcrusher]

Is that a GA-2100? Do those have a stopwatch timer function?

Yes...I haven't played around with it but my son was saying it has all the functions

[dgaddis]

Do these G-Shock watches need to be recharged? They have so many functions.

Depends on the model. Many are solar powered and will run for 15+ years on the same battery with no maintenance. Some are not solar powered and battery life varies between 10yrs and 1.5yrs depending on the functions and how often you use them all. The one posted here is non-solar powered, I'm not sure anyone really knows the real battery life on them yet because they're so new, but I would imagine a few years at least.

They have a new smart-ish watch that is solar powered and also USB rechargeable. Normal timekeeping functions, going about normal day to day life solar power will handle that. But if you use the step counter/HR monitor/GPS you'll need to top it off via the USB charger ever so often.

Casio to Release G-SHOCK Watch with Heart Rate Monitor and GPS Functionality

[AngryScientist]

GPS you'll need to top it off via the USB charger ever so often.
]

likely you'll need to charge it every day, just like any other GPS watch if you use the GPS to train heavily. The solar charging may be nice if you dont use the GPS functions often, but then again, why buy such a powerful watch if one doesnt plan on using the GPS, which is a huge power hog. Right now my main running watch is a Suunto-9, which probably has the best battery life in class, and i have to charge it every 3 or 4 days. i would expect the casio above to be about the same, solar charging wont do much if the GPS is run often...

Training mode (continuous GPS measurement) + heart rate monitor function: maximum of about 14 hours

[dgaddis]

likely you'll need to charge it every day, just like any other GPS watch if you use the GPS to train heavily. The solar charging may be nice if you dont use the GPS functions often, but then again, why buy such a powerful watch if one doesnt plan on using the GPS, which is a huge power hog. Right now my main running watch is a Suunto-9, which probably has the best battery life in class, and i have to charge it every 3 or 4 days. i would expect the casio above to be about the same, solar charging wont do much if the GPS is run often...

Yeah, all comes down to how much you use it. But it is nice that that it can do regular watch duty without the need to plug it in. It'll be interesting to read people's real world experience once these hit the market.

Over the next few years Casio is planning to invest pretty heavily in the smartwatch space, and do more 'full metal' watches which were big sellers for them last year. Or at least, that was their plan, pre-COVID-19 depression. Who knows now. On one hand I think a proper G Shock smart watch would be cool, on the other hand I have no desire for a smart watch haha.

[AngryScientist]

agreed. garmin has their flagship fenix watch with solar now, for a hefty pricetag. it does serve to extend the life for the ultra endurance guys, which is a plus.

i use my GPS watch a ton, i would love for some really great solar tech to come out to allow me to wear it comfortably on week long business trips and use it without the worry of charging.

that's if i ever get to travel again, lol.

[boots2000]

Thanks for the inspiration. I ordered a GA-2100 in throwback colors with a purple bezel!
Found it on Amazon.
BTW- This site has a bunch of really cool G-Shocks. JDM (Japanese Domestic Market).
CASIO G-SHOCK

Yes...I haven't played around with it but my son was saying it has all the functions

[boots2000]

The GA-2100 showed up in about 3 days from Japan.
Crazy how light and thin this watch is compare to other G-Shock models.
Very comfortable on the first too- Stays put better than my last Timex Ironman.