
Ask HN: What are some geeky wrist watches? - theinterjection
I&#x27;m looking for a digital watch that has functionality like an hourly chime, alarm clock, and reminders. When looking purely at functionality, I have no trouble finding this, but there are some aspects of regular watches that I don&#x27;t want to give up either.<p>Functionality-wise: I want to hold on to the long battery life of regular watches. It doesn&#x27;t need to last a year on a charge, but longer than a month would be nice.<p>In terms of style: a lot of the watches are designed to look expensive. I&#x27;m talking about things like glossy screens, fancy modern designs, and metallic bodies. These are things I want to avoid. I like the retro designs of the watches listed here[1], for example, with black, plastic bodies, and low-resolution screens.<p>Basically, I&#x27;m looking for a computer watch, which was the precursor to smartwatches. Is anything akin in that vein still being produced?<p>1. https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.pcmag.com&#x2F;feature&#x2F;265834&#x2F;12-ultra-nerdy-watches-of-yore
======
begemotz
Casio still makes many versions of the databank watch and, imo, you cant get
geekier than that.
[https://www.casio.com/products/watches/databank](https://www.casio.com/products/watches/databank)

~~~
theinterjection
This is what I was looking for, thank you. I'm getting the DBC-32-1AES. It
gives me extra nerd cred for having a model that ends with "AES".

~~~
sova
Elliptic Curve Cryptography is the only standard I believe in :P

------
joekinley
Currently on IndieGoGo which I am totally rooting for:
[https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/watchx-wearable-
developme...](https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/watchx-wearable-development-
platform-arduino)

~~~
TomK32
Looks awesome for hackers, specially if you add some decent case and
protective glass to it.

~~~
palyancodr
We will provide the exact 3D model of watchX. 3D model has everything
including resistors and capacitors on the real watch. We encourage you to draw
the case you need based on your application. Please see this video:
[https://youtu.be/bHaP2b0yczk](https://youtu.be/bHaP2b0yczk) it's an
interesting use of watchX. You can also see the 3D model on the video. We will
provide different reference designs on our web site as well.

------
posnet
You kids can keep your integrated circuits.

[http://www.cathodecorner.com/nixiewatch/](http://www.cathodecorner.com/nixiewatch/)

------
Tcepsa
I just got a Pebble 2 SE and loving it so far. I even wrote a little timer app
for it; getting set up was comparatively straightforward and the API seems to
be really well designed. Fun to be doing something in C again, though there's
also a JS route for folks who are more comfortable with that path. The company
was recently purchased by Fitbit and they are going to end official support
for the Pebble devices so things like voice recognition are going to stop
working. However, they released a firmware that removed the dependencies on
their servers and there's a pretty substantial grassroots effort to keep
things moving forward. I like it enough that I'm thinking about buying a
couple more to keep in deep storage for when my current one dies. I imagine
it's hard to find a more capable watch for $60, though I haven't done a super
exhaustive search.

[https://www.pebble.com/pebble-2-se-smartwatch-
features](https://www.pebble.com/pebble-2-se-smartwatch-features)

[https://www.amazon.com/Pebble-Technology-
Corp-900-00057-se/d...](https://www.amazon.com/Pebble-Technology-
Corp-900-00057-se/dp/B01KM4NFD2)

------
noipv4
Casio Gshock solar powered watch with an actual GPS chip and radio receiver.
[http://www.casio-
intl.com/asia/en/wat/watch_detail/GPW-1000-...](http://www.casio-
intl.com/asia/en/wat/watch_detail/GPW-1000-1A/)

------
mwexler
Geeky in a very different way: I get a kick out the true atomic watches ala
Bathys [https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/introducing-the-bathys-
ces...](https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/introducing-the-bathys-
cesium-133-atomic-clock-watch), though Hoptroff begs to differ...
[https://www.hoptroff.com/collections/atomic-
timepieces/produ...](https://www.hoptroff.com/collections/atomic-
timepieces/products/no-10)

Not radio controlled, but actual atomic-based frequency drivers.

I know, not really what you mentioned, but cool nonetheless.

------
brudgers
What could be more geeky than a red LED Texas Instruments $9.95 watch from the
1970's?

[http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Texas-Instruments-
Series-500...](http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Texas-Instruments-
Series-500-LED-Watch-Working-/182757625081)

[https://www.ti.com/corp/docs/company/history/timeline/eps/19...](https://www.ti.com/corp/docs/company/history/timeline/eps/1970/docs/75-first_led_watches.htm)

~~~
HeyLaughingBoy
Hmmm. I wonder if there'd be a market in recreating that style of push-button
LED watch.

Nah.

/me thinks about how much volume it would take to make it worthwhile selling
at a $100 price point.

~~~
mpcovcd
Casio still makes the "casio classic" which is exactly what you're thinking
about and is still a pretty popular watch.

------
danieltillett
I have a Hamilton Pulsomatic [0] in my collection and for geekiness it is
pretty high up the tree. A digital watch that you don’t need batteries for is
very nice and it gets a huge amount of (male) attention.

As an aside I have never had a woman ever comment on any of my watches - it
really is a male thing.

0\. [https://shop.hamiltonwatch.com/hamilton-
collection/american-...](https://shop.hamiltonwatch.com/hamilton-
collection/american-classic/american-classic-timeless-classic-
pulsomatic-h52585339.html)

~~~
dagw
Or, if you have happen to have infinite money lying around, a Hublot MP-07 :)

~~~
danieltillett
Well I am a few zeros short of infinite, but my hamilton does come with a 120
day power reserve :)

------
vram22
This is not the same as what you want, but I'm mentioning it here because it
is about watches, and a bit cool (IMO):

A while ago I needed a new watch, walked into a Tata Titan showroom (India)
and saw some kids watches of a Titan brand or line called Zoop. Liked the
bright colors and the simple designs of some of them (they have more complex
ones too), and bought a couple of them to use.

Googling for "Titan Zoop watch" and clicking the Images tab will show some
examples.

Might be able to get them outside India too, via Amazon etc.

------
Jeremy1026
I have a couple of old (now discontinued) Tokyo Flash[1] watches. They are
pretty neat and unique.

[1][https://www.tokyoflash.com/](https://www.tokyoflash.com/)

------
anfractuosity
'Click watch' seem to make some amusing looking ones [http://www.click-
watch.com/shop_cat.php?CatID=1](http://www.click-
watch.com/shop_cat.php?CatID=1)

I think the nixie watch from
[http://www.cathodecorner.com/nixiewatch/](http://www.cathodecorner.com/nixiewatch/)
seems my favourite though.

------
workmandan
An old school Casio is a great choice. I've had a F91W for ages and the
battery last years. Cheap too.

[https://www.amazon.com/Casio-F91W-1-Classic-Resin-
Digital/dp...](https://www.amazon.com/Casio-F91W-1-Classic-Resin-
Digital/dp/B000GAWSDG)

It has an hourly beep and an alarm but no reminders.

~~~
mcjiggerlog
What I'm really waiting for is the F91W of smartwatches. I want subtle smart
integrations like sleep tracking, heartrate monitoring etc but with a simple,
always on screen and hardware buttons.

The Pebble watches were getting close but they were still way too big for my
taste, and still too expensive.

~~~
szemet
DIY? Found this:
[https://github.com/carrotIndustries/pluto](https://github.com/carrotIndustries/pluto)

But they've made different design decision:

 _Q: Why is there no accelerometer? A: Accelerometers are the most useful when
they 're permanently active for applications like sleep trackers, pedometers
or features like "shake to do something". Unfortunately, even accelerometers
marketed as "ultralow power" draw approx 30 µA when running, draining the
CR2016 coin cell in less than half a year. So we decided to dedicate the
available space to a digital compass._

------
the_arun
I've this -
[https://www.adafruit.com/product/495](https://www.adafruit.com/product/495)

Google showed me this -
[https://www.tokyoflash.com/en/watches/](https://www.tokyoflash.com/en/watches/)

------
simple10
This one just came up on Kickstarter today. Long battery life of 2 years.
Hybrid analog + digital.

[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/858167610/swings-
worlds...](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/858167610/swings-worlds-first-
smartwatch-with-2-year-battery)

------
neillyons
I have the Casio B640. Has a countdown timer and the current time is shown in
the top right when in the other modes.

[https://www.casio.com/products/watches/classic/b640wb-1bvt](https://www.casio.com/products/watches/classic/b640wb-1bvt)

------
kowdermeister
Try searching for binary watches.

[http://www.ebay.com/bhp/binary-watch](http://www.ebay.com/bhp/binary-watch)

This is also a goldmine:
[https://www.tokyoflash.com/watches](https://www.tokyoflash.com/watches)

------
palyancodr
Hello, This is Mustafa, Co-Founder of watchX,
[https://igg.me/at/watchx/x](https://igg.me/at/watchx/x) . watchX is
definitely a geek watch. I would like to answer your questions if you have
one.

------
palyancodr
Hi, This is Mustafa, Co-Founder of watchX:
[https://igg.me/at/watchx/x](https://igg.me/at/watchx/x) . watchX is
definitely a geek watch:) I would like to answer your questions if you have
one.

------
mmjaa
I wish this thing had made it out of crowd-funding hell:

[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/920064946/oscilloscope-...](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/920064946/oscilloscope-
watch)

Sure would love to wear it!

------
mehs
Doesn't have your requirements but cool as hell Urwerk UR-202
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5MExuc0hxg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5MExuc0hxg)

------
j45
The casio database is probably what you're looking for. They had a few
different models but most deleted your list above. Luckily Casio still makes
them, should be easy to find on eBay.

~~~
j45
Typo* Casio Databank: [http://www.shopcasio.com/category/watches-databank-
watches](http://www.shopcasio.com/category/watches-databank-watches)

------
dagw
Casio's g-shock line of watches should have something that matches your needs.
Or perhaps a Casio Protrek PRW 2500. These watches also have solar cells so
the batteries last for ages.

------
colinbartlett
Does anyone remember Timex Datalink? You held it up to a CRT (only works with
CRT!) and the screen would flash some kind of coded lines which the watch
would read to transfer your data.

------
Spearchucker
Nixon Dictator -
[https://www.stuff.tv/nixon/dictator/review](https://www.stuff.tv/nixon/dictator/review)

------
mtmail
I used to have the Casio Flip-Top Database watch (first entry on the pcmag
list). The flip mechanism wore out after a couple of months so I wouldn't
recommend such a mechanism.

------
qiv
I have a Junghans solar powered radio controlled watch. Plainly black, but
it's made from space shuttle grade ceramics and it's only nerdy once you talk
about it ;-)

~~~
vram22
Just googled and read about it (to get what radio-controlled meant), sounds
really cool.

[https://www.junghans.de/en/junghans-news-
press/artikel0/36/N...](https://www.junghans.de/en/junghans-news-
press/artikel0/36/News/detail.html)

------
homero
I wear
[http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/ivsp/](http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/ivsp/)

~~~
m-p-3
That watch skipped the forehead and jumped to fivehead.

------
lowry
Chronos from TI is a great hackable watch cf.
[http://www.ti.com/tool/EZ430-CHRONOS](http://www.ti.com/tool/EZ430-CHRONOS)

