Having a bit of an obsession with time, accuracy and without the faff of winding and correcting. Around 15 years ago, I bought myself a solar powered version Casio Wave Ceptor, with analogue digital display. This uses a rechargeable battery, solar panel built into the face, and mechanical analogue display, timed by a digital system, with a small digital display, which itself is recalibrated/corrected every 24 hours by means of MSF Anthorn. Basically the digital part has no idea where the mechanical hands are pointing, so if they get out of sync for any reason, the user has to manually correct the analogue display, to match the digital, after which it should keep perfect time, corrected by MSF.
That worked beautifully, for a good decade, until the analogue display began to slip behind time, a few seconds occasionally, but seconds add up to minutes. The manual suggest if the battery becomes low on charge, that it will shut down/stop the analogue drive first, then MSF reception, then finally the digital time keeping. The display always showed the battery to be fully charged, but none the less I bought and fitted a new rechargeable. That seemed for a while to fix it, but the analogue 'slippage' problem returned. It was by then quite battered and a shameful mess.
In the meantime, a friend sent me his Wave Ceptor, which he had tried to install a new battery in, but got in a mess with it. So he posted it off to me, as sort of free gift. It was a none solar type, needing regular battery replacements, but similar to mine - digital with a mechanical analogue display running off the back of the digital time keeping. I soon found this one likewise would randomly miss out seconds. It will keep perfect time for hours, then suddenly skip a few seconds with no obvious reason.
I just wonder if anyone else has noted similar problems with digital, mechanical analogue watches?
I have now given up on mechanical Wave Ceptors. I have now ordered an all singing, all dancing Casio Pro Trek to play with, digital only, with compass, barometer, altimeter, temperature display, solar charging and MSF timed. Due for delivery this morning.
That worked beautifully, for a good decade, until the analogue display began to slip behind time, a few seconds occasionally, but seconds add up to minutes. The manual suggest if the battery becomes low on charge, that it will shut down/stop the analogue drive first, then MSF reception, then finally the digital time keeping. The display always showed the battery to be fully charged, but none the less I bought and fitted a new rechargeable. That seemed for a while to fix it, but the analogue 'slippage' problem returned. It was by then quite battered and a shameful mess.
In the meantime, a friend sent me his Wave Ceptor, which he had tried to install a new battery in, but got in a mess with it. So he posted it off to me, as sort of free gift. It was a none solar type, needing regular battery replacements, but similar to mine - digital with a mechanical analogue display running off the back of the digital time keeping. I soon found this one likewise would randomly miss out seconds. It will keep perfect time for hours, then suddenly skip a few seconds with no obvious reason.
I just wonder if anyone else has noted similar problems with digital, mechanical analogue watches?
I have now given up on mechanical Wave Ceptors. I have now ordered an all singing, all dancing Casio Pro Trek to play with, digital only, with compass, barometer, altimeter, temperature display, solar charging and MSF timed. Due for delivery this morning.
