Erick Ruiz de Chavez

Timey Wimey Watch Adventures

Published: 2025-01-28

During my life, I've used all sorts of different watches, from regular analog watches to modern smart ones. I stopped using analog watches a long time ago - I was never an "expert" watch reader capable of telling the precise hours minutes and seconds, but I used to consider myself a "normal" reader that could confidenly tell you the time rounded to 5 min intervals. When I started carrying around a mobile phone, specifically a smartphone, I decided to drop the watch. After all, I had a more reliable device that could do way more than just tell the time.

Fast forward through several smartphones, I discovered a Kickstarter project called Pebble. It was a smartwatch with an e-ink display (I think), a battery that lasted several days, and the ability to fetch live data from the internet and deliver notifications for calls, messages, and apps. The initial model wasn't appealing to me, but they later released a nicer-looking one, the Pebble Steel. That's when I decided to give it a try. I remember enjoying it a lot - customizable watch faces, apps, notifications - you name it, heck I even remember starting to learn how to code my own watch face!.

Then came the Apple Watch. I got one and enjoyed wearing it, but it wasn't as comfortable as the Pebble, mostly because of the sensor on the back. Still, I kept wearing it. Something I discovered was that my "normal" skill of reading an analog watch face was almost completely gone. I could still read it—I hadn't forgotten—but it took me longer than I'd like to admit to correctly figure out the time. Over time, I found my "sweet spot" for the watch band and wearing style, but I'd still get wrist pain. Sometimes I'd take the watch off for a few hours, a day, or even a weekend. I ignored the discomfort and kept using it - until last year.

Around this time last year, I decided to experiment. I completely stopped wearing the watch for a week to see how it felt. There were minor inconveniences, like typing my password every time I unlocked my laptop or password manager, but it wasn't too bad. That week turned into two weeks with no major complaints. By the end of the second week, I unpaired and erased the watch to make it harder to just throw it back on. By week four, I was sold - I didn't need the watch, and I wasn't going back. (Or so I thought... but more on that later.)

One thing I did notice, though, was that I needed a watch, just not a smartwatch. Even with my phone nearby, there were times I wanted to check the time without reaching for it. I started looking for light, thin, and inexpensive watches that looked like they were made for a grown-up, not a 5-year-old. That's how I stumbled upon vintage-looking Casio watches. I was thrilled! They were exactly what I was looking for: slim, light, nice-looking, and affordable. I got myself a Casio A700.

I loved it! It looked great and made me understand why people get into collecting watches - they're fun, affordable, and stylish. I started wearing my A700 daily and kept visiting the Casio website for more models. Eventually, I decided to get a second model for dressier occasions: the Casio A1100. It's a stainless-steel watch with a comfy wristband and easy-to-use buttons. However, it's heavier than I'd like, the numbers are smaller, and the date isn't visible by default. So, the A1100 became my "dress watch," and the A700 remained my daily driver.

Fast forward to September and Apple's event: a new Apple Watch, lighter, slimmer, with a slightly larger screen. The smaller model's screen is now as big as the original large model. I decided to try it again, this time going for the 42mm model instead of the 46mm. The size and weight were great, and the features were what you'd expect from Apple. But, once again, my wrist wasn't happy. It wasn't long before I stopped using it again.

Now I'm back to my A700. While browsing for more Casio models, I found a YouTube video showcasing a model I hadn't seen before: the A500. It has 5 independent alarms, a timer, a stopwatch, and an automatic calendar up to 2099, and a 10 year battery life (unlike the A700, which hardcodes February to 28 days, and a 3 year battery life). A quick search led me to WalMart, and long story short - it's on its way! I should have it in about a week.

Finally, this morning, I read a note in my RSS feed: Pebble is coming back! I'm not planning to get one right away, but I'll keep an eye on it. Who knows? Maybe next year I'll post another entry about how happy I am with my new Pebble - or how I gave it a try and ended up selling it or leaving it on my desk.

Erick Ruiz de Chavez

Timey Wimey Watch Adventures

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