I love this watch, but I think the biggest deterrent for most people is the uncertainty around the capacitor. The very least they could do, given how cryptic they are otherwise, is be transparent for the cost to service the watch when the capacitor inevitably does die out of warranty. Without the transparency, many people will not even buy the watch out of reasonably fear it'll become a shiny paperweight sometime after the 5 year warranty ends, and no watch this expensive and packed full of technology should ever become a paperweight.
I think your first explanation is essentially the correct one because like in a normal magnet and copper coil arrangement you have to have a DC charge to turn in one direction. Anl slow AC charge will cause a continuous reversal of direction (a guess). Having said that it's as much of a mystery to me! Looking into it I see that electrostatic motors have been around since Benjamin Franklin and predate the electrical motor. This seems to make sense because he was harnessing DC electricity with his kites. Electrostatic motors are also used in spacecraft ion drives, who knew?
Do correct me if I'm mistaken but I believe the reason it wouldn't work on a watch winder is due to the continuous rate of rotation? To generate electricity, you'd need to create potential difference within the conductor which is proportional to the rate of change of magnetic flux. If the generators spin at a constant rate (as if will in a watch winder), magnetic flux will be a constant value, meaning no potential difference across the conductor to 'generate electricity' despite movement in the generators.
6000 steps is insanely inefficient. Especially since I can’t put it on a watch winder. Not too enthused about jogging with such a timepiece either. Not sure how many shops will be able to service the capacitor.
Has anyone posted an extended wearer experience with the watch? Has anyone developed a winder, about the length of an average forearm with a 90 degree oscillating swing arc?
Man, curious about reliability reports considering we have some of these in use for 2yrs now. Curious about dealers that may not store them with the crown out when displaying, makes me think that potentially you can buy a new watch with a dead capacitor already or whatever stores the energy.
It seems to be dealer procedure on display quartz watches solely bcause of the drain on mini cell batteries in all quartz watches. I have bought watches from stock that have a disposable plastic spacer between the crown, fitted by the manufacturer. My Spaceview 2020 certainly had the spacer when it arrived by postal service. Dealerships near you may have a different policy.
@@rocketretro7200 I actually got the DNA from Accutron and it did not have the spacer ironically. Called and they said on some watches it does not come with it. Maybe just the 2020? Keeps excellent time. My wife actually gave it to me for my 40th but the chapter ring seems a hair off counter clockwise. If I purchased it I would have replaced it but sentimental reasons, I will keep it the way it is. If it ever gets serviced, then I will bring it up again lol. On a side note they did approve an RMA for it but I couldn't go through with it.
To me, the generators in this watch are Wimshurst Machines. That is, output voltage amplitude is dependent upon diameter and rotational speed, which explains why this Accutron contains two generators and requires one hour of exuberant arm-swinging walking to increase stored energy by merely one day. Hack this watch with insulated Frankenstein neck bolts? Strap it to a wide-arc clock pendulum? EDIT: The patent, US 10,222,761 B2 contains, "If the speed of the rotary member 4 rises, the amount of power generation can be raised."
Has anyone figured out how to charge this watch without wearing it? I know that a traditional watch winder won't work. I wonder if one of the Seiko Kinetic chargers would work on this watch.
@Jac ReviewsStuff unfortunately, the Spaceview 2020 offers no way to confirm its state of charge. I put my Seiko Direct Drive on a Seiko Kinetic charger and a quick glance at the dial tells me when it's fully charged.
It was ridiculously expensive, but I bought one of the seiko Kinetic charges from Ebay. They were never sold to the public, only AD'S and authorized repair facilities. Works great!
I love this watch, but I think the biggest deterrent for most people is the uncertainty around the capacitor. The very least they could do, given how cryptic they are otherwise, is be transparent for the cost to service the watch when the capacitor inevitably does die out of warranty. Without the transparency, many people will not even buy the watch out of reasonably fear it'll become a shiny paperweight sometime after the 5 year warranty ends, and no watch this expensive and packed full of technology should ever become a paperweight.
I think your first explanation is essentially the correct one because like in a normal magnet and copper coil arrangement you have to have a DC charge to turn in one direction. Anl slow AC charge will cause a continuous reversal of direction (a guess). Having said that it's as much of a mystery to me! Looking into it I see that electrostatic motors have been around since Benjamin Franklin and predate the electrical motor. This seems to make sense because he was harnessing DC electricity with his kites. Electrostatic motors are also used in spacecraft ion drives, who knew?
see Wimshurst machine.The spinning discs in this watch are very similar to that.
@22:26 the way you said this made me laugh, haha. Really engrossing video, nice breakdown of all the detail around this watches technology.
Thanks, Jordan. A most fascinating insight into its inner workings. 👍
Terrific review! Just what I was looking for to learn "what makes it tic". Thanks!
Do correct me if I'm mistaken but I believe the reason it wouldn't work on a watch winder is due to the continuous rate of rotation?
To generate electricity, you'd need to create potential difference within the conductor which is proportional to the rate of change of magnetic flux. If the generators spin at a constant rate (as if will in a watch winder), magnetic flux will be a constant value, meaning no potential difference across the conductor to 'generate electricity' despite movement in the generators.
So in this watch, energy is generated through acceleration, not movement, as it is in a regular kinetic watch
6000 steps is insanely inefficient. Especially since I can’t put it on a watch winder. Not too enthused about jogging with such a timepiece either.
Not sure how many shops will be able to service the capacitor.
Interesting run through, thank you 👍
I wish I could see the inner workings of one of these watches. Hopefully someone will do a teardown inside a clean, dry cabinet or something.
Accutron did not let us open the watch
Has anyone posted an extended wearer experience with the watch? Has anyone developed a winder, about the length of an average forearm with a 90 degree oscillating swing arc?
Man, curious about reliability reports considering we have some of these in use for 2yrs now. Curious about dealers that may not store them with the crown out when displaying, makes me think that potentially you can buy a new watch with a dead capacitor already or whatever stores the energy.
It seems to be dealer procedure on display quartz watches solely bcause of the drain on mini cell batteries in all quartz watches. I have bought watches from stock that have a disposable plastic spacer between the crown, fitted by the manufacturer. My Spaceview 2020 certainly had the spacer when it arrived by postal service. Dealerships near you may have a different policy.
@@rocketretro7200 I actually got the DNA from Accutron and it did not have the spacer ironically. Called and they said on some watches it does not come with it. Maybe just the 2020? Keeps excellent time. My wife actually gave it to me for my 40th but the chapter ring seems a hair off counter clockwise. If I purchased it I would have replaced it but sentimental reasons, I will keep it the way it is. If it ever gets serviced, then I will bring it up again lol. On a side note they did approve an RMA for it but I couldn't go through with it.
Thought I recognized you from an interview about CWC, what a coincidence!
Another interesting video. Thank you.
I want this watch so bad.
To me, the generators in this watch are Wimshurst Machines. That is, output voltage amplitude is dependent upon diameter and rotational speed, which explains why this Accutron contains two generators and requires one hour of exuberant arm-swinging walking to increase stored energy by merely one day. Hack this watch with insulated Frankenstein neck bolts? Strap it to a wide-arc clock pendulum?
EDIT: The patent, US 10,222,761 B2 contains, "If the speed of the rotary member 4 rises, the amount of power generation can be raised."
Has anyone figured out how to charge this watch without wearing it? I know that a traditional watch winder won't work. I wonder if one of the Seiko Kinetic chargers would work on this watch.
Shake it harder. Perhaps put the watch box on a washing machine or something haha
@Jac ReviewsStuff unfortunately, the Spaceview 2020 offers no way to confirm its state of charge. I put my Seiko Direct Drive on a Seiko Kinetic charger and a quick glance at the dial tells me when it's fully charged.
Move to Alaska and chop wood.
It would need some sort of a swing mechanism instead of something that spins like traditional watch winders
It was ridiculously expensive, but I bought one of the seiko Kinetic charges from Ebay. They were never sold to the public, only AD'S and authorized repair facilities. Works great!
Go to Home Depot and use their paint can shaker..😂😂
Amazing tnx!
👍🏻