Malaysia Watch Forum

Main Forums => General Discussion - Modern Watches => Topic started by: sshark on December 08, 2009, 07:37:29 AM

Title: Alternative Watch Power Source
Post by: sshark on December 08, 2009, 07:37:29 AM
Hi,

Since the introduction of Kinetic by Seiko and EcoDrive by Citizen (better efficiency solar power panel) these quartz watches are powered by rechargeable batteries and are charged by solar, hand movement and / or winding. The  rechargeable batteries in these "green" watches need to be replaced in every 5 years (much earlier Seiko Kinetic models), 10 or 20 years (later models). And replacing these batteries is not cheap and definitely not RM10~20. The ordinary battery will last for at least 5 years (10 years for some models e.g. Seiko Perpetual Calendar) and the cost of replacing them is less than 10% of the cost of replacing rechargeable battery.

The question is, is it cheaper (for consumers) and better (to mother nature) or just sound "canggih" (marketing hype) to use these technologies?

/lim/
Title: Re: Alternative Watch Power Source
Post by: patryn33 on December 10, 2009, 07:54:58 PM
today anything associated with green = costly.
care about mother earth pay the $$, love your wallet choose the other way.

mechanical watch also very green it cost alot more to maintain. the oil used in watch can be biodegradable.

new tech should batteries are replaced ever 10-20yrs. few batt => "greener"
with plenty of research going into green batteries, with time to come all batteries will be green.
a few mths ago I read some chinese company invented a battery for car which is so green, that the CEO drank the contents in a presentation!
Title: Re: Alternative Watch Power Source
Post by: sshark on December 11, 2009, 08:29:55 AM
I agreed. Anything green is costly and coincidentally the word greenback :)

Battery (for mass) technology has very little breakthrough in the last decades. We have been using NiCad for many years and been using Li-Ion in the last decade and still no new batteries technology to replace it.
Title: Re: Alternative Watch Power Source
Post by: terrenceterrence on December 11, 2009, 08:37:40 AM
i doubt any batteries can be termed as "green" . the real green power source would be micro bio fuel@"living" batteries.

Title: Re: Alternative Watch Power Source
Post by: chrisyen on December 11, 2009, 09:02:47 AM
use this better.... only energy used is during manufacturing it
(http://www.arcytech.org/java/clock/images/sundial3.jpg)
Title: Re: Alternative Watch Power Source
Post by: terrenceterrence on December 11, 2009, 09:07:01 AM
use this better.... only energy used is during manufacturing it
(http://www.arcytech.org/java/clock/images/sundial3.jpg)

wahhahah how to read the time at night?
Title: Re: Alternative Watch Power Source
Post by: terrenceterrence on December 11, 2009, 09:38:14 AM
the 101% eco-friendly watch
(http://asiafashion.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/sundial.jpg)
Title: Re: Alternative Watch Power Source
Post by: sshark on December 11, 2009, 11:35:58 AM
yea the renewable biofuel used during construction
Title: Re: Alternative Watch Power Source
Post by: chrisyen on December 11, 2009, 02:59:55 PM
wahhahah how to read the time at night?

night time go for just hear the UN minute repeater 8 positions lah!
Title: Re: Alternative Watch Power Source
Post by: patryn33 on December 11, 2009, 08:19:21 PM
Battery (for mass) technology has very little breakthrough in the last decades. We have been using NiCad for many years and been using Li-Ion in the last decade and still no new batteries technology to replace it.

little $$ goes into research in this area what to do.
we will see more breakthru in the next decade with cars going fuel cell, us/china pouring $$ in this area.