Hacker News Reader

Comment by EarthIsHome | Hacker News Reader

If you like quartz watches that expose their circuitry, you'll definitely enjoy some of Accutron's watches: https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/introducing-accutron-314

While usually not on display, the quartz movements of Grand Seikos are beautifully finished:

* https://i.imgur.com/sJXfmg1.jpeg

* https://i.imgur.com/BucSW15.jpeg

* https://i.imgur.com/xVd04BM.jpeg

* https://i.imgur.com/wuRSif1.jpeg

View on HN

Accutrons and tuning fork watches are amazing. They have an incredibly unique sound/hum due to the tuning fork oscillating at 360 hz and the most smooth glide you'll ever see in a watch. Recommend a ESA 9162 or ESA 9164 over a pure Accutron for beginners though, a bit more resilient and far more affordable, though they don't have the exposed dial.

I believe this is why all modern digital watches use a 32768.0Hz crystal resonator, it's a power-of-2 frequency above the 20Khz top end of the range of human audio perception, to avoid the whole 'tinnitus on your wrist' thing.

Also a tuning fork cut for a lower power-of-two would be a bit bulky for a compact wrist watch.

I have an Accutron 214 and I swear it sounds higher pitched than 360Hz (sounds to my ear higher than A440, which I'm very familiar with). Maybe I'm hearing an overtone?

you could measure it.

using an app with a Fast Fourier Transform (e.g. https://github.com/woheller69/audio-analyzer-for-android ), you can visually compare the sounds of your watches

I know it is at 360Hz, since it keeps time well.

what do you want?

imgur makes me sad these days :( https://help.imgur.com/hc/en-us/articles/41592665292443-Imgu...

Reply on news.ycombinator.com