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Mechanical Watch

ciechanow.ski

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Re: Mechanical Watch

#41

Post by ghostbrainalpha »

causi wrote: post #21
aliljet wrote: post #4

This may not be the most valuable comment, but my goodness, the quality of this writeup and it's interactive descriptions of complex mechanical components AND their interactions is radically impressive. The treatment of complex topics in deeply visual and partially interactive ways, for me at least, is a remarkably helpful way to learn.

True multimedia is a lost art. We had it back in the 90s when software came on discs and it was a high-density, polished product that combined text, audio, video, and interactive elements on the same page. The internet taking over turned everything back into text, and then as bandwidth grew the only thing we thought to use it on was higher and higher bitrate video. When I was a kid I thought the future was going to b…

There is absolutely a market for your LOTR example. I think a kickstarter made LOTR or Harry Potter Interactive applications like you are purposing could charge $1,000 maybe.

And I 100% align with your 90's prediction. What we gained going from Encarta to Wikipedia was amazing, but we shouldn't forget that we lost some things too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=po3yW-wdLr0

Re: Mechanical Watch

#42

Post by criddell »

kijin wrote: post #35
criddell wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A mechanical watch needs regular service which is usually just cleaning, lubricating, replacing seals and springs. Eventually it will need replacement parts and that is probably the end of life for the watch. There are a some brands that will service every watch they've ever made, fabricating new parts as needed. Few of us can afford one of those.

The parts last quite some time if properly maintained. If you're worried about replacement parts availability, stick with the most popular movements such as the ETA2824/SW200 series or Seiko's NH35 series.

A lot of watch fans are happy when they see a watch brand use an in-house movement. I’m exactly the opposite for the reason you say - the popular movements are going to be easily and inexpensively serviced for much longer.

That said, a lot of in-house movements are little more than tweaks and high end finishing applied to existing commodity movements.

Re: Mechanical Watch

#43

Post by justusthane »

aliljet wrote: post #4

This may not be the most valuable comment, but my goodness, the quality of this writeup and it's interactive descriptions of complex mechanical components AND their interactions is radically impressive. The treatment of complex topics in deeply visual and partially interactive ways, for me at least, is a remarkably helpful way to learn.

His post on how GPS works is equally excellent[1] (as are, I'm sure, the rest of his posts).

[1]: https://ciechanow.ski/gps/

Re: Mechanical Watch

#45

Post by bambax »

aliljet wrote: post #4

This may not be the most valuable comment, but my goodness, the quality of this writeup and it's interactive descriptions of complex mechanical components AND their interactions is radically impressive. The treatment of complex topics in deeply visual and partially interactive ways, for me at least, is a remarkably helpful way to learn.

Came here to say the same thing. This incredibly well done, well written, well executed, well... everything. How does one find, not only the talent, but the patience to do such incredible work... Mind boggling.

Re: Mechanical Watch

#46

Post by kijin »

ghostpepper wrote: post #9
zppln wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

An SKX isn't gonna outlive you and once it fails they'll just replace the entire movement anyway. Mechanical watches are still indeed cool though. :)

As an owner of an SKX who doesn’t know much about watch longevity, how long can I expect it to last? Are there other automatics that will outlast a person’s life? It still blows my mind that you can take the SKX scuba diving, especially when you factor in the price. This may sound cynical but as I get older and see the world becoming more and more digital and connected, I find myself appreciating analog, mechanical t…

Mechanical watches can last a lifetime (or more) if properly maintained and periodically serviced, just like old cars.

People all over the world pass down their Rolexes and Omegas, still ticking, to their children and even grandchildren. Patek Philippe is well known for their slogan, "You never actually own a Patek Philippe. You merely look after it for the next generation," showing confidence in the longevity of their watches.

Of course those are very expensive brands, but I think part of what makes expensive watches last longer is that their owners take good care of them. Few people bother to get their SKX checked up on a regular schedule, on the other hand, because they're so cheap and easily replaceable by first-world standards.

Re: Mechanical Watch

#47

Post by 10000truths »

panzerboiler wrote: post #40
ThePhysicist wrote: post #31

I was curious how he did those visualizations so I looked at the source code. Turns out he codes everything by hand in WebGL [1]. Absolutely impressive stuff. Source code is non-minified so you can have a look and understand everything as well. [1]: https://ciechanow.ski/js/watch.js

He does it "the right way™". Use the platform. Don't use any framework or generic library. Go straight to the point and code what you need, when you need it. Don't minify or bundle anything, and let the people who are learning and courious a straightforward way to connect the dots, without forcing them into a github repository with 90% of the code unrelated to the thing and existing just to glue 1000 pieces written b…

I mostly agree with you, but I don’t mind minification when appropriate, as it can serve a functional purpose with tangible end-user-friendly benefits (less downloaded over the network = faster response times).

But if you want to be friendly to the tinkerers, you could always host both the *.js and *.min.js versions, and have the webpage just pull the latter - anyone who wants the unminified source can remove the “min” part from the URI, while the majority of end users will still benefit from pulling the minified js.

Re: Mechanical Watch

#48

Post by dutchbrit »

eggy wrote: post #28

I started with Greg Daniel's masterpiece: Watchmaking. https://www.amazon.com/Watchmaking-George-Daniels/dp/0856677...

I was about to post the same book. Pretty much a must have if you get into watchmaking.

Re: Mechanical Watch

#50

Post by kijin »

snemvalts wrote: post #29
criddell wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A mechanical watch needs regular service which is usually just cleaning, lubricating, replacing seals and springs. Eventually it will need replacement parts and that is probably the end of life for the watch. There are a some brands that will service every watch they've ever made, fabricating new parts as needed. Few of us can afford one of those.

A solar quartz fits this more. Those don't even require movement or correcting as often as with mechanical watches. Just light

The solar Casio I bought as a teenager stopped holding a usable charge after a few winters. Maybe it was just bad luck. I'll see if the new Citizen Eco-Drive in my collection lives up to the 40 years claim I saw elsewhere. :)
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