New Watch Tips

Tritium paint has been used on the hands and numerals of watches since the 1930’s. At first this technology was Top Secret and restricted to use on military watches.

Tritium paint on watches is a mixture of tritium and phospor. Tritium is naturally radio-active and needs no external source of light or charge to work. Tritium does not glow. As it decays, tritium emits beta radiation, which are a group of excited electrons that in turn excite the electron in the phosphor atoms making them emit photons, or light. As they return to their ground (non-excited) state, the phosphor glows. Phosphor can also be excited by UV light from the sun or other light sources. Thus, the tritium paint relies on tritium radioactivity to make the phosphor glow in the dark, not any charge from external light source.

Tritium, has a half life of 12.3 years, a half-life is simply the time it takes HALF of the tritium to decay. So as long as there is enough tritium in the paint, the watch will glow for years.

Due to the toxicity of tritium based paint, a new technology was developed by mb-microtec in Switzerland. This uses tritium gas sealed in vials. The principle is the same but the tritium gas causes the coating on the vial to glow. The levels of radiation are so small that they pose no risk to the wearer. This technology has been used in the Traser H3, Luminox and Marathon militarywatches. In recent years SRB of Canada have developed a similar system, this is used by manufacturers such as Smith and Wesson, Rescuer and NITE. SRB tritium is not as yet as well developed as the mb-microtec technology, only offering around 80 - 90% of the luminescence.

The main advantage of tritium in military watches is that there is no additional drain on the watch battery to power the night light source, however these watches do have a drawback in that they can be picked up at great distance by night vision equipment. It is therefore important that these watches are covered during military operations at night.

As the technology has become cheaper it is finding its way into the civillian market. Many sportsmen such as anglers and shooters wear tritium based watches with Luminox and Traser being the most popular.

Each year more and more manufacturers are bringing new tritium watches onto the market. As the tritium light sources from SRB become more popular and combined with cheaper production in China, it won’t be long before we see tritium used in purely civillian watches.

About the author:

Copyright 2006 Trevor Rowell

Trevor Rowell served for 16 years in the British Army and is currently involved in the development of new technology for military and police applications. The military watches mentioned in this article are available from http://www.telford-services.com

Written By: Trevor Rowell

Traditional mechanical watches had their origins in the 14th century. The mechanical watch is powered by a wound spring and the balance wheel regulate the time. The invention of the quartz watch in the 70’s has however dominated the watch market . Today , 90% of all watches manufactured are quartz watches. Quartz watches are cheaper, more accurate and reliable and require less maintenance. Quartz watches are 60 times more accurate than mechanical watches. A quartz watch lose or gain 1 second a week while a mechanical watch may lose 1 minute a week. This translates to bigger inaccuracies for longer period of time. In a month you would lose 4 seconds for a quartz watch while a mechanical loses up to 4 minutes in a month. The quartz crystal is accurate because of its extremely high oscillations of up to 32,768 cycles per second.

Quartz watches have few moving parts. Moving parts causes friction and wear and tear and as a result they are more prone to breakdown. By having less parts quartz watches do not have breakdown as often as mechanical watches. Also , the gear train of mechanical watches is under constant load from the mainspring. whereas the gear train in a quartz watch is not under any load.

Mechanical watches also require servicing every three years to keep the watch working in good condition and tell the time accurately.

Mechanical watches required winding upwhich provide power reserve of 40 hours. There are automatic watches that relies on the movement of the wrist to power itself. But still, if you do not wear it all the time and just wear occasionally, you will find the time on the watch has stopped and you need to adjust the time . A quartz watch powered by a battery is constantly powered and tells accurate time all the time and do not need time adjustment. Of course you do need the change the battery after two to three years.

Mechanical watches have a longer lifespan that that of quartz watches. Mechanical watch can last indefinitely with proper care and servicing. Should it break down , parts are always available for repair. Mechanical watches can become collectibles and they can fetch high resale value due to its rarity. Quartz watches on the other hand features electronic circuitry that have limited lifespan. You cannot repair it because the electronic components for them would be obsolete by then.

Lastly, a mechanical watch is not as sensitive to extreme cold temperature as quartz watches. In extreme cold, the mechanical watch still keeps working while the cold will temporarily shut down the battery of the quartz watch.

About the Author

The writer is the webmaster of understanding technology which explains to you the use of technology in your regular life.

Written By: ian tham

Finding the perfect watch winder to meet your needs is as easy as researching your options. How much is your timepiece worth, both in monetary and sentimental value? Do you want a simple, functional storage unit? Do you prefer an elaborate display case with all of the features available? These are questions you should ask yourself while determining which is the best watch winder. The Orbita watch winder is made in the U.S. and is considered one of the best watch winders available. It can be set to move at 500, 650, 800 and 950 turns per day. This particular brand has an auto-reverse feature and has a battery life of anywhere from 6-24 months. The Orbita watch winder is one of the less expensive models in their range but runs very quietly and does not over wind automatic watches. Orbita offers options of single, double and higher multiple heads to house the pieces and many of their products allow for programming of the turns per day. This company has also released a model that holds up to 24 watches at once and each watch can be set for different turns per day; this model has a retail value of $20,000.

Rolex also has a variety of watch winders available. These watch winders come in a variety of options from simple to beautifully crafted and elaborate. Most models can encase anywhere from one to ten watches in a single box. It is recommended that if you are unsure of the specifications of a particular brand of watch winders, you should consult with a jeweler or watch expert to help narrow your search.

The Steinhausen watch winder is a favorite among collectors. As with the other top brands, Steinhausen offers beautifully constructed watch winders with precise engineering. Designed to slowly, delicately and consistently wind your watch, Steinhausen guarantees your watch will be carefully wound, easily displayed and ready to wear at a moment’s notice. This brand of watch winder is generally equipped with a glass front for easy viewing and can keep your timepiece protected from dust. Owners of the Steinhausen watch winder enjoy the ability to store up to four watches in the same case and like that the motor runs very quietly.

Since 1834, Wolf Watches has practiced to perfect its winding products. Because of the careful design and elegance of these watch winders, Wolf has become a favorite among collectors. One of the newer products, Module 2.0, is capable of winding in three different directions: clockwise, counterclockwise or bi-directionally. This product also has a setting in which the watch is allowed to “sleep”; many collectors believe this to be a critical stage for any self-winding watch in order simulate normal wear (i.e. winding and unwinding). Consistent over winding can damage your treasured watch. This is among the many reasons people enjoy the features of the Wolf watch winder. The Underwood watch winder also offers many appealing features. The Rotogalble winder from Underwood is programmed to wind 30 minutes clockwise, 30 minutes counter clockwise and then a three-hour resting period before the cycle begins again. This feature is favorablesince most collectors understand the importance of delicate winding. Many experts believe the Underwood watch winder collection to be among the best on the market, however they are also among the most expensive.

The Rapport Company has been in the watch business for over one hundred years. Given the amount of time creating watches and accessories, it is no wonder they have some of the finest products on the market. Many prestigious collectors choose Rapport watch winders and consider them the best watch winders available. Rapport believes that the frequency, angle and speed of rotation are the key elements to crafting the ultimate watch winder. Along with high standards of craftsmanship, this company also believes in provided elegantly appearing cases for watch display and storage. This product also offers a choice of settings from a fast-winding mode to an intermittent mode with rotates both clockwise and counter-clockwise.

Eilux, the recently renamed watch winder from Everwell is considered an excellent choice as an entry-level or beginners watch winder. The Eilux is covered by a manufacturer’s warranty and is said to be a very dependable, although much less expensive than other brands, winder. This brand is programmed to wind in three directions: clockwise, counter-clockwise and bi-directional. It is important to note that the winder should be completely shut down before changing winding directions. One dealer likens this to changing gears in a moving car without stopping first. The factory default setting is to rotate bi-directionally for 24 minutes with a three-hour resting period before beginning the cycle again.

If you have a very large budget in which to purchase a winder and have a very valuable timepiece to store, a high-end watch winder can be a may be the right choice you. Although many of the best quality winders are pricey, brands such as the Eilux can be a good alternative to spending a thousand or more dollars. Precision in rotation is a critical factor and you should certainly take notice of the rotation cycles of any brand you consider purchasing.

Owners of valuable automatic watches obviously wish to protect their investment. Comparing the different brands of watch winders to find the best for your needs is important. Generally speaking, watch winder manufacturers create products based on different principles. It is probably wise to stay away from the cheaply made models because you run the risk of over winding your piece. The more intricately designed models may be significantly more expensive, however, you certainly pay for what you get in this market. To clarify, with a poor winder, your watch may even become disabled or damaged by over winding. Choosing a winder with finite workings is the best way to ensure your watch is properly wound.

About the Author

Watch Winders Info provides detailed information on automatic watch winders, boxes and cases, and other accessories. Watch Winders Info is the sister site of Rolex Replicas Web.

Written By: Marcus Peterson