Hugely popular original posting of this - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31261533
Mechanical Watch (2022)
71–80 of 168 posts
Re: Mechanical Watch (2022)
#72I have been torn between wearing mechanical watches and smart watches. I don't need/want/like notifications on my wrist, but I really enjoy the activity and heart rate tracking of the Apple Watch. I have been reluctantly wearing a Samsung Withings watch that looks mechanical but is actually smart, but a mediocre compromise (you need to wear it higher up the wrist than I usually do, and I don't believe it gives accura…
Is there any reason you don't just disable notifications? That's what I've done on my Apple watch and I've loved it.
I disabled all but the most important notifications (calls, texts primarily) and it's been great. I no longer have to drag my phone out of my pocket when someone calls me, and all unnecessary notifications can wait until I'm bored.
Re: Mechanical Watch (2022)
#73Incredible as usual. Like a visit to a science museum. Wikipedia should commission this guy to explain all the things in this intuitive, interactive, visual way.
He's not taking commissions, although maybe he'd make an exception for wikipedia.
Re: Mechanical Watch (2022)
#74I have a relatively inexpensive Seiko 5 mechanical watch that I really like, but as much as I love the idea of mechanical watches I simply don't have the patience to tend to it. Accuracy is a big problem (at least with my specific watch). Half of the time it's magnetized and running a few minutes fast per day, and the other half (shortly after de-magnetizing it) it's running a few minutes slow per day, meaning I need…
Half of the time it's magnetized and running a few minutes fast per day, and the other half (shortly after de-magnetizing it) Wow, that's bad. Do you know what is magnetizing it? A cheap Seiko 5 should be able to keep time within a few seconds a day. Minutes a day means it is broken. It isn't a just tuning issue, there is something else going on.
Yes, it sounds a degaussing and calibration. My simple Seiko 5 with 7S36C is within +/- 4 seconds per day, and I never adjust it except short-month skipping.
Re: Mechanical Watch (2022)
#75I have been torn between wearing mechanical watches and smart watches. I don't need/want/like notifications on my wrist, but I really enjoy the activity and heart rate tracking of the Apple Watch. I have been reluctantly wearing a Samsung Withings watch that looks mechanical but is actually smart, but a mediocre compromise (you need to wear it higher up the wrist than I usually do, and I don't believe it gives accura…
I was wearing a MiBand and getting ready to get an Apple Watch. Then my wife got me a Longines auto. I'll never go back to smartwatches again.
I'm not a collector when it comes to watches, and I can happily wear that Longines until the end of time, and will be happy.
Having a tactile watch with real hardware with no electricity inside brings me more joy than some capable electronic toy which needs constant tending and replacement.
If I was climbing mountains, maybe but mere outdoor activities I have a ProTrek. More than enough.
Re: Mechanical Watch (2022)
#76I've been a long time admirer of the interactive animations on this site. What tool/library would you pick to create similar ones yourself? Looking at the source [1], the author seems to hand-craft them using the canvas API, but man, that seems really difficult! [1] https://ciechanow.ski/js/watch.js
I agree with naet that threejs might be the thing to look at if you want to make 3d animations. My own interactive diagrams are 2d, and I often use svg with reactive data filling in the parameters. [1] I've also tried hand crafting and it's not so bad for pages like this. They're mostly write-once pages, not software that's being maintained for many years. Some of our intuitions are out of whack when they tell us that we need abstractions and frameworks for maintainability.
Re: Mechanical Watch (2022)
#77Earlier quoted context omitted.
They’re not complex, just easily taken apart and meant to be repaired by humans. The software isn’t particularly complex either, the reason for their surge recently was due to patents expiring for additive manufacturing. https://futurism.com/expiring-patents-set-to-improve-3d-worl...
Yeah, I suppose the software to control the printer is the relatively straightforward bit, the complex part is the software that slices the model and converts it into an efficient set of G-code commands for the printer. (That and the software used to create 3D models to begin with...)
That isn’t complex either. There was no reason besides patents that 3D printing could have been a reality decades ago. Simple math is all you need and gcode isn’t just 3D printing it’s also for CNC, something that was able to be done around that time.
Re: Mechanical Watch (2022)
#78Earlier quoted context omitted.
The Spring Drive movement is amazing, very accurate, very high quality and that smooth sweeping seconds hand is mesmerizing. Availability is good, and the price is a lot better than the high-end Swiss brands. Rolex these days is a joke, even the authorized dealers will rip you off shamelessly. They will either refuse to sell you a watch they have in store, or they will force you to buy 30 grand in extra jewelry just…
Since it has electrical components, I think Spring Drive isn't a mechanical movement.
[deleted]
Re: Mechanical Watch (2022)
#79I've been a long time admirer of the interactive animations on this site. What tool/library would you pick to create similar ones yourself? Looking at the source [1], the author seems to hand-craft them using the canvas API, but man, that seems really difficult! [1] https://ciechanow.ski/js/watch.js
I was hoping this is based on an open source physics engine, but apparently it's all handcrafted.
Re: Mechanical Watch (2022)
#80Earlier quoted context omitted.
Espresso machines, as well, and vintage stereo equipment. I have really come to appreciate the zen of user-serviceable physical stuff.
I can relate - i took repairing espresso machines as a hobby since the pandemic. The parts are not complex at all and even 60+ years old E61-machines can be serviced easily (apart from not so cool stuff like asbestos as boiler insulation, leaded solder for boiler + fittings and mercury pressure switches). But even todays machines (depending on manufacturer and origin) are very serviceable. Especially italian made one…
For sure I have a La Pavoni and I can get parts lists, diagrams, and everything else I need to rebuild the whole thing if I needed to. https://www.lapavoni.com/en/technical-documentation