Astronomers timepiece?

[Peter Ward]

Seiko have just released their new "ASTRON" watch.

It is powered by light and will synchronise timezones and time via GPS anywhere in the world. Seiko claim provided GPS updating is available the accuracy is good to 1 second in 100,000 years.

Just the ticket for making sure you get ISS transits and Irridium flares nailed to the second. :)

[bartman]

Almost name copyright infringement there......... hey Astroron........hehehehehe;):P:D
Bartman

[mithrandir]

It might be worth the SRP of $1900-$2600 to never have to set the time or change batteries. Does it support governments around the world changing DST rules at their whim?

[Peter Ward]

The watch automatically updates to the required timezone, however the user has to select DST on or off, via a simple two button operation.

I've compared the watch to NMEA time and it is spot on.

For those not quite so conversent with GPS time, it's datum is accurate to within a 100 or so nanoseconds of UTC.

[stardust steve]

she's a beauty alright.
*adding to wish list* :prey2:

[bartman]

Sooo does that mean you have one????:D:thumbsup:
Bartman

[Peter Ward]

...let's say... I couldn't resist ;)

[Octane]

Do... want... and I never even wear a watch.

H

[bartman]

Awesome Peter!
Do they come in Fezza Red?......at that price ...you should ask :) :D

Bartman

[alocky]

Much as I love my speedmaster - this thing has my curiosity piqued. Does it have a chronometer function as well?
cheers,
Andrew

[brian nordstrom]

:D I also love my 'Seiko' as well its a ' Actura Kinetic' , Chronograph , beautiful watch as well that Ive had for years now and it keeps perfect time .No batteries in my baby .:lol: .either ..;) .
Seiko make great watches , yours Peter is awsome , a great watch .
Brian.

[Nico13]

I like watches :D :P :thumbsup:

[Peter Ward]

Sadly no other bells & whistles, just sublimely accurate time.

Actually I'm surprised at the interest in this post (I suspected the reaction to be very modest)

..hence I suspect I'm not Robinson Cursoe in having a penchant for fine time-pieces.:thumbsup:

[bartman]

Time will tell ........:thumbsup:
Had to say that........
Bartman

[JB80]

When I saw the thread title I was half expecting to see this....
http://hublotnation.com/2012/03/08/hublot-watches-blog-anticythere-antikythera-watch/

[OICURMT]

1969 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astron_%28wristwatch%29

2012 - http://www.seiko-astron.com/

[Octane]

There was also this beauty:

http://www.japantrendshop.com/astrodea-celestial-watch-2009-edition-from-citizen-p-413.html

Sold out. :(

H

[Barrykgerdes]

As someone who has not worn a watch for many years I often wonder why we need to know the time really accurately. TV programs run overtime. Public transport is hardly ever on time and then we spoil it all by introducing daylight saving which miraculously adds an extra hour of daylight in the summer. :lol::lol:

Barry

[Peter Ward]

Cool. Pity they are no longer available.

For those with way too much money there is this one:

http://www.gemnation.com/watches/Patek-Philippe-Sky-Moon-Tourbillon-5002P-1502.html

[Peter Ward]

Let me guess, you worked as a station master or in the public service?? :D

Fortunately, events of an astronomical nature have far more predictability

[Paul Haese]

I've had an Eco Drive watch made by citizen for 3 years now. Powered by light it initially had some trouble with the battery and would not keep time properly. Two warrantee trips later and it is working really well. Never need to worry about replacing a battery and fully pressure tested to 100m. Great watch.

A GPS function in my watch would be great, and this watch cost plenty but not $1900. I will wait a while to see how much the price drops. It would be functionally quite good but better if it synced up my computer at the observatory via bluetooth or wireless. Then it would be invaluable. Nice find Pete.

BTW, I bet it screws up the SA time zone being a 9.5 zone.

[Barrykgerdes]

Actually I did work in a section of the public service that did require extremely high accuracy and precision. It caused great consternation when my caesium beam frequency standard failed just as I was about to decode a realtime encrypted message.:shrug:

I would not buy one of those watches because I don't have a need for it but if you like to pass yours on I would most certainly cherish and keep it. :thumbsup:

I don't wear a watch since it was knocked off my wrist while playing cricket 50 years ago. The band broke and could not be repaired so I still carry the time piece around in my pocket and wind and set it when I need to know the time a little more accurately.

Barry

[Peter Ward]

Glad you took that with humor. "high accuracy and precision" makes me think with was either in Defence (signals) or media adviser for Caucus...ie release just enough factual information to make the spin look plausable :)

[avandonk]

All I can say is that when Peter is at 40,000 ft his watch will get the GPS correction signals before us landlubbers. So he will always be more correct than the rest of us! I have calculated this gap to be about 40 micro seconds.

This is close to the margin of being a winner in the Olympics and a loser!

Bert

[Peter Ward]

It's an interesting point Bert!

GPS clocks are indeed corrected for both special relativity and general relativity to account for their relative motion and height above the earth's gravity well.

As for that watch...won't be wearing it to work. Mickey's hands on my work-watch are far more readable :D

[alocky]

Well, a German equatorial capable of imaging is a sublimely accurate sidereal clock, right? Now if only this new watch could be persuaded to 'beep' like the old time signals it could be used for occultation timing.
On the other hand, Seiko do warn against prolonged exposure of the Astron to temps below 5 or above 35 - bit hard to avoid in WA! Ill stick with my hand-wound old dinosaur for now :-)
Cheers,
Andrew.

[Barrykgerdes]

Hi Peter

There is a long story attached to that. When I was in Scotland 35 years ago puting together our navy coms system to work on HMAS Otama.

Barry

[Benno18]

Because then we have an argument when program's run over time and the train is late!!!!

P.S. And just watch that extra hour of sunlight over in the east too. Don't want faded curtains or sour milk :P :P :P :P

[Peter Ward]

Oh ye of little faith.

Decided to read the manual today.

See attached

Should have placed a wager :lol:

[Ric]

An airline pilot with a Mickey Mouse watch :lol:

That tickles the funny bone. :D

[bartman]

You didn't like this one?
http://hublotnation.com/2012/03/07/hublot-watches-blog-big-bang-ferrari/
Bartman

[Osirisra]

hmmm this one does sidereal.

http://www.jaeger-lecoultre.com/US/en/luxury-watches/product/master-grande-tradition-grande-complication/ref/5023580.html

[gary]

The only thing one needs to be mindful of, however, is that at its heart it utilizes
a resonator with a standard 32kHz quartz crystal, which, like most most resonant
circuits of this type will be good to about +/-15 seconds every 30 days in the 5C to
35C temperature range. Worse case, that is about 1/2 a second per day.

One needs to either manually sync the watch to the GPS signal or expose the
watch to sunlight for the automatic GPS sync to take place. The automatic GPS
sync takes place at most once per day.

For nearly all practical purposes however, hardly a serious limitation.

[mithrandir]

Apart from not having Adelaide's timezone and GPS sync, my 15 year old Citizen does most of the same things. It keeps time to roughly 15 secs a month, and knows about 31 timezones.
It does need a new band - the catch only just holds.