Fashion
Watches
At the
end of the 20th century, Swiss watch makers were seeing their sales
go down as analog clocks were considered obsolete. They joined forces
with designers from many countries to reinvent the Swiss watch.
The
result was that they could considerably reduce the pieces and
production time of an analog watch. In fact it was so cheap that
if a watch broke it would be cheaper to throw it away and buy
a new one than to repair it. One of these Swiss watch manufacturers
(today named The Swatch
Group Ltd.) started a new brand, Swatch,
and called graphic designers to redesign a new annual collection.
This
is often used as a case study in design schools to demonstrate
the commercial potential of industrial and graphic design.
Dual-time Watches
A
dual-time watch is designed for travelers, allowing them to see
what time it is at home when they are elsewhere.
Collectible and Jewelry
Watches
Wristwatches
are often treated as jewelry or as collectible works of art rather
than as timepieces. This has created several different markets
for wristwatches, ranging from very inexpensive but accurate watches
intended for no other purpose than telling the correct time, to
extremely expensive watches that serve mainly as personal
adornment or as examples of high achievement in miniaturization
and precision mechanical engineering. Still another market is
that of "geek watches"-watches that not only tell the
time but incorporate computers, satellite navigation, complications
of various orders, and many other features that may be quite removed
from the basic concept of timekeeping.
Most
companies that produce watches specialize in one of these markets.
Companies such as Patek
Phillipe or Jaeger-LeCoultre
specialize in watches as jewelry or fine mechanical devices. Where
as companies as Rolex,
Omega, Tag
Heuer and Breitling
all make mass-produced watches, mostly done completely with machines.
Companies such as Casio specialize in watches as timepieces
or multifunctional computers. Since watches are considered by
many to be both functional and attractive, there are many types
and manufacturers to choose from.
Important
collectible American made watches from the early 20th Century
were the best available at any price. Leading watchmakers included
Elgin, Gruen, Hamilton,
and Illinois. Hamilton
is generally considered as having the finest early American movements,
while the art deco styling of The Illinois Watch Company was unsurpassed
worldwide. Early Gruen Curvex models remain very desired for how
they entwined form and function, and
Elgin made more
watches than anyone else.
Computerized Multi-Function
Watches
Many
technological enhancements to wristwatches have been explored
but most of them remained unnoticed. In 2005 for example, one
company marketed an alarm wristwatch with an accelerometer inside
that monitors the user's sleep and rings during one of his almost-awake
phases.
A
number of functionalities not directly related to time have also
been inserted into watches. As miniaturized electronics
became cheaper, watches have been developed containing calculators,
video games, digital cameras, keydrives, GPS receivers and cellular
phones.
In
the early 1980s Seiko
marketed a watch with a television in it, although at the time
television receivers were too bulky to fit in a wristwatch,
and the actual receiver and its power source were in a book-sized
box with a cable that ran to the wristwatch. In the early 2000s,
a self-contained wristwatch television receiver came on the market,
with a strong enough power source to provide one hour of viewing.
These
watches have not had sustained long-term sales success.
As well as awkward user interfaces due to the tiny screens and
buttons possible in a wearable package, and in some cases short
battery life, the functionality available has not generally proven
sufficiently compelling to attract buyers. Such watches have also
had the reputation as ugly and thus mainly geek toys. Now with
the ubiquity of the mobile phone in many countries, which have
bigger screens, buttons, and batteries, interest in incorporating
extra functionality in watches seems to have declined.
Several
companies have however attempted to develop a computer contained
in a wristwatch. As of 2005, the only programmable computer
watches to have made it to market are the Seiko
Ruputer, the Matsucom onHand, and the Fossil, Inc. Wrist
PDA, although many digital watches come with extremely sophisticated
data management software built in.
Space Watches
Zero
gravity environment and other extreme conditions encountered by
astronauts in space requires the use of specially tested watches.
The first Spacewatch is Poljot "Shturmanskie" manufactured
at the First Moscow Watch Factory (1-MChZ).
On April 12th 1961 Yuri Gagarin wore a "Shturmanskie"
wristwatch during his historic first flight into space.
In
the late 1970s, Poljot launched a new chrono movement: the 3133.
With a 23 jewel movement and manual winding (43 hours), it was
a modified Russian version of the Swiss Valjoux 7734 of the early
70's. Poljot 3133 were taken into space by cosmonauts from Russia,
France, Germany and Ukraine. On the arm of V.V. Polyakov, a Poljot
3133 chronograph movement-based watch set a space record for the
longest space flight in history.
During
the 60s, a large range of watches were tested for durability
and precision under extreme temperature changes and vibrations.
The Omega
Speedmaster was selected by US space agencies.
TAG
Heuer became the first Swiss Watchmaker in Space
thanks to a TAG
Heuer Stopwatch, worn by John Glenn in 1962 when
he piloted the Friendship 7 on the first manned US orbital mission.
The
Breitling Navitimer
Cosmonaute was designed with a 24-hour dial to avoid confusion
between AM and PM, which are meaningless in space. It was first
worn in space by US astronaut Scott Carpenter on May 24, 1962
in the Aurora 7 mercury capsule.
Since
1994 Fortis is the exclusive supplier of manned space missions
authorized by the Russian Federal Space Agency, with B-42 Official
Cosmonauts models.
China National Space Administration (CNSA) taikonauts wear the
Fiyta spacewatches.
FLIGHT-CERTIFIED
BY NASA FOR ALL MANNED SPACE MISSIONS:
