Digital Watches: Tech Evolution

When we look at the smart watch today, we see so many features crammed in. The humble digital watch evolved over a long time to incorporate all these elements, and this video will give you an idea of the history behind its evolution. Digital watches are one of the best examples I know of different technologies being combined together in an almost infinite variety of ways. This got me thinking of the advancement of technology as typified in the civilisation 2 tech tree which I’ve used as a theme for the video.
We will track the history of digital watch display, accuracy mechanisms (e.g. radio control , GPS ) , computation (calculators, memory, wrist computers etc) , power generation (battery power and solar digital watches) , sensors and entertainment. There is broad coverage of brands, including Casio, Seiko, Timex, Citizen, Orient, Ricoh, Sanyo, Omega, Junghans and more.
If you enjoy please do consider buying me a beer at: www.buymeacoffee.com/Illumina...
Key sections:
Digital watch display 0:56
Activity and sports 7:37
Accuracy (radio control, GPS) 12:03
Computation (calculator , memory , wrist computers) 14:37
Power (battery , solar) 19:17
Creative design 21:22
Sensors (temperature , pressure , compass ) 23:29
Sound and entertainment (alarm, radio, gaming, tv, camera) 28:26
Conclusions 30:54

[@IlluminatingWatches]

My digital watch iceberg is another video you may enjoy if you like this one -> kzbin.info/www/bejne/kHWcd2mZotSSmM0

[@yerkodiegoborjakvessitchva2183]

HI, FRIEND ! , VERY , VERY , GOOD , ENTERTAINING AND CULTURAL , THE SPACE ON YOUR CHANNEL OF THE TECHNOLOGICAL EVOLUTION OF JAPANESE DIGITAL WATCHES . IT HAS TRANSPORTED ME TO MY BEST PURCHASING TIMES OF SOME OF THESE WATCHES. GREETINGS FROM SPAIN, MY FRIEND ! . 👌😉👍🙋🏻‍♂️⌚🕒🕓

[@iandavidson99]

Your channel is such a gem! I really hope one of the big-boys of the watch KZbin world pick-up on your channel and give it a boost!

[@IlluminatingWatches]

Thanks man! I’m more than happy to be a little corner of YT - it’s just an outlet for my interest.

[@MrKrewie]

Ive had android and apple watches but nothing beats the simplicity and style of an old Casio digital watch ❤

[@GEMSofGOD_com]

This truly feels like the most perfect video of 2022's KZbin

[@FuglyStick]

Probably the best researched videos on the topic of digital watches on the entire internet.

[@IlluminatingWatches]

Thanks! I try my best!

[@toddp5026]

Comprehensive here. Great in many ways!

[@EcclecticNerd]

Very comprehensive look at all the different tech that’s been used over the years. The Citizen Ana-Digi Temp will always hold a special place for me as it’s what got me into watch collecting.

[@IlluminatingWatches]

It’s a classic but weirdly I’ve never owned one. There are some weird and wonderful ana digi temps within the “independent”. Covered in my video on citizen digitals

[@marioschristodoulou2390]

What an absolute marathon ! Well done sir - the research and pulling together of those threads - never mind the product shots and editing - I salute you - thanks

[@IlluminatingWatches]

Ha ha thanks yes! Potentially more than I bargained for, but once I’ve committed I’m committed!

[@garethsigrist8714]

What an incredible video! Love the Civ II reference too! It’s fantastic you have been able to amalgamate all of the extensive research for your other videos into this timeline of digital watch development. All in your usual detailed but accessible style! Phenomenal work as always Gordon!

[@IlluminatingWatches]

Thanks Gareth. I like trying to join the dots between things so glad to hear others are enjoying the fruits of that!

[@GeorgiGeorgiev-ne9ps]

That was unbelievable selection and information about so many niche watches

[@IlluminatingWatches]

Thankyou! I’m really glad you enjoyed. Plenty more videos where that came from :)

[@ericb8888]

TI Clepsydra… literally “ thief of water “ from the Greek water clocks . Incredible that you found that !! Thanks you so much ;)

[@IlluminatingWatches]

Love that reference too! The origin story of Kronos (time) as devouring his children (the future) to prevent his overthrow an interesting way to contextualise time too.

[@ericb8888]

@@IlluminatingWatches 💯

[@zornikzornuk3187]

Cool Civilization reference, you pack so much cool info. Did not expect to see so much German watch, get me interested in Junghans. Also very impress by the fact that the first solar is from 1973.... great video thank for sharing

[@IlluminatingWatches]

Ha ha Thankyou - yes solar tech goes back further than you think!

[@james4flix925]

That was just a small thank you for all the research and editing you have done to compile this video. and for including the links too. Casio and Seiko (James Bond era) have always been My favourite brands for innovation, quality and affordability. I used to wait for the latest Argos catalogue to come out so i could see the new Casio models. Telly Savalas wore the Hamilton Pulsar in the TV series Kojak, I remember going upto London at that time and i saw the watch in an Oxford Street Jewellers window, it cost thousands and looked so futuristic, i am pleased they have brought out a new version and it still looks good today. Once again thank you for the depth and detail of this video and i look forward to viewing more on your channel.

[@IlluminatingWatches]

WOW! Thank you so much! That absolutely made my day. I’m so glad the video was both a link to the past and useful from a references perspective. I’m very hopeful you will like some of my other videos too that are in a similar vein. Have a great day!

[@therodentryresistance95]

That's a lot of work you've put in. Congrats!!

[@IlluminatingWatches]

Ha ha yes probably too much work on this one. Don’t make it easy for myself!

[@francisfullam2015]

Such a great organizing framework for thinking about digital watches. I think the Synchronar may deserve more acknowledgement and perhaps the #1 spot on your list. They may have been been the first digital watch watch. The patent was filed May 3, 1971. It was clearly the first completely waterproof digital watch and the first watch capable of going to very deep depths. It had a feature to adjust the timing of the watch so make it more accurate.

[@MikeSmith-er1qs]

I’m seeing this late, but great video. Wanted to add that I have an early citizen ani-digi Skyhawk from around 2001. And, it’s still in working condition! :)

[@IlluminatingWatches]

Thanks so much! Oh nice!

[@Beechhill]

Loved the little running man on the Twincept chrono. Wish I knew where that watch went.

[@TickSweep]

That was brilliant love a long informative video!

[@IlluminatingWatches]

Thanks man. Obviously far too long to do well on KZbin but I’m pleased to have it in record now so I can refer back (and dump the facts out my brain!)

[@navyplumberboy8274]

Bruh your videos are exactly what ive been looking for. No gimmicks, straight to the point, fantastic watches, a lot of watches covered in a little bit of time. Im subbed. Will continue to watch your vids. Im all about it!

[@IlluminatingWatches]

Thanks so much! That’s just because I featured the ATC-1100 in both videos you saw ha ha. Welcome to the channel!

[@navyplumberboy8274]

@@IlluminatingWatches i looked a video up about protek casios and you popped up. Then saw your banger videos. My girlfriend and i just got done watching you!

[@stevenuk]

brilliant, just a brilliant video, so interesting.

[@IlluminatingWatches]

That’s so kind of you to say. Really appreciated and glad you enjoyed!

[@elamotorista8776]

Fantástico documental. Muchas gracias. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻😀

[@byronhagan82]

brilliant content. well done.

[@skipinkoreaable]

Wow! I am flabbergasted. This video is amazing.

[@IlluminatingWatches]

So glad you enjoyed. Civilisation II themed technology trees about digital watches a pretty niche area ha!

[@christianherrmann9615]

Amazing video !!!

[@eddiejones.redvees]

Back in the 70s one of my friends Bought himself one of the first LED watches he was changing the batteries every couple of months when LCD watches came out I got used to been able to setup the time most of my friends use to ask me to set up the watch’s when in my job we at to use handheld terminals guess who my work mates came to be shown how to use them

[@w.douglas5475]

Thank you for making this Video !!

[@IlluminatingWatches]

My pleasure - hope you enjoyed!

[@johanvandersandt8904]

I didnt really get into Civilization that much but played Alpha Centauri to death! Once more a superb video man! This is one hell of a tech tree!

[@IlluminatingWatches]

Civ 2 was my childhood!

[@tissapathiratna7761]

Good one. Thanks.

[@vintagewatches-pk]

Great Watches

[@masterwatch]

this is a great and informative video.

[@IlluminatingWatches]

Thankyou!! Worked hard on this one!

[@opera-eric-paris1586]

Excellent historical review....

[@IlluminatingWatches]

Thankyou so much! Was the culmination of a few different historical videos I have done

[@ednammansfield8553]

Fantastic video again. I wonder if Seiko will ever get back into the digital market again with some of their past watches or other brands. There is still a market for them as we have seen with Casio bringing back some of their previous watches as well as Timex.

[@IlluminatingWatches]

Thankyou! Yes I think seiko would do well to revive some of their classics!

[@TheMonsterHunterTV]

I've watched all of your videos about digital watches in the past 24 Hours. Incredible knowledge you have. i found myself a few new watches to hunt down on the internet and i hope i will be able to add them in to my collection. I've went down several rabbit holes when it comes to watch-collecting. Most recently on King Seiko - Watches that have a cult-folowing amongst the vintage-seiko collectors. I think that Casio will be my next project. I already have some nice pieces like the CFX-200 i mentioned in another comment, or the Casio DW-290 from Mission Impossible(and some more calculator-watches from Casio. I'm an electrical engineer so calculator-watches have always fascinated me, even if none of them is useful except for the CFX-200 that can actually solve stuff like trigonometry that i'm unable to calculate in my head as long as there are no common values in an equation like sqrt2 or sin30 etc. that every engineer should know) I'm also fascinated with watches that can do a bunch of stuff using old technology from the 80's or early 90's. Also i have the advantage that all my co-workers are nerds (something few people would be proud of), so my digital watches get a lot of recognition

[@IlluminatingWatches]

Welcome to the hobby!! Most of it wasn’t knowledge I had before I made the videos. I enjoy the research process and spend quite a bit of time there. I’ve built up a good base, but there are many who have much stronger knowledge than me. I’ve had so much fun doing it all so hope you do to. Big learning for me is that you don’t have to own every watch you like, knowing the history and the stories is it’s own fun!

[@TheMonsterHunterTV]

@@IlluminatingWatches Yes you are so right. I like to own some watches, that actually feel like they were made for me but i'm not the kind of collector that goes for everything for the purpose of owning a huge collection. even when it comes to luxury timepieces i stick to models i personally like the mechanics behind. For example i got myself an IWC Ingenieur Alarm Chrono. That's like the least popular watch from IWC's Ingenieur-line (and that's like the least popular from IWC's huge product lines) but i like the fact that they made a hybrid-movement with an servicable quartz-movement that is combined with an mechanical movement for the stopwatch-function it also features an alarm and fits in a 34mm case with an Gerald Genta design. I like watches that just feel like tools and cand do a bunch of stuff. That's why Casio interests me that much. I spent a lot of time working on embedded systems and microprozessors that i just adore the functionality of those old models when that stuff they did with that was just groundbreaking technology.

[@pauldoe1628]

Brilliant and very interesting video; well done.

[@IlluminatingWatches]

Thankyou! The research on this one took longer than I should admit!! (Got a bit carried away)

[@pauldoe1628]

@@IlluminatingWatches you really done a great job , and I will be viewing it again for sure.

[@Daud76]

Well researched and narrated as always! Thank you for your upload. Edit: So many watches you featured on this video are personal grails of mine. 😉

[@IlluminatingWatches]

That is because you are a man of taste sir! Thanks as always for watching

[@e28forever30]

Some of the Casio watches featured here are in my possession. Brand new from an old jewellery. Just let me know if I can help you out.

[@Capt620]

I’m only 2:30 into the video and am really appreciating the research you put in. I’m currently reading a book called Mr. Liquid Crystal which is a must read for anyone interested.

[@IlluminatingWatches]

Yes indeed - I’ve read it!! My last video on LCD displays looked into the whole ILIXCO - Roche - Texas Instruments legal less

[@Capt620]

@@IlluminatingWatches Oh awesome! I will absolutely be watching that after I finish this video. Thank you for such great content and really diving deep into the research. It really is appreciated.

[@davidcrandall4958]

fantastic!

[@IlluminatingWatches]

I got carried away with the civilisation II theme on this one ha ha

[@Baruch-Hashem]

Great video, a small miss in your sensor watch history, the geiger counter digital watch. I believe there where several models, my friend owns one he wore at Chernobyl after the disaster. Thank you again for the great video, this was no small accomplishment.

[@IlluminatingWatches]

Yes I know the one! I’ve mentioned in other videos but definitely should have included here.

[@immortalbeing196]

wonderful channel and i subscribed. from India

[@IlluminatingWatches]

Welcome to the channel! And hello from the Uk 🇬🇧!

[@franciscom.e.9780]

Congratulations! It's so interesting! I thought I had too many watches… My father had a Compuchron in the seventies and I longed for a led watch until I could buy a Hamilton PSR. I recently have serviced his (now mine) 1962 Bulova Swiss made automatic. Watches are one of the very few things that still have a seismographic function.

[@IlluminatingWatches]

Never too many watches as long as you are having fun and not over stretching the finances!

[@RestorationAustralia]

I love them too.👍

[@jamesblonde2271]

F,ascinating overview, thanks mate.

[@IlluminatingWatches]

Ha ha thanks i semi believe you!

[@jamesblonde2271]

@@IlluminatingWatches Oh, there were spuds.......

[@IlluminatingWatches]

@@jamesblonde2271 that’s more like it. Must admit some of the bulkier ones are proper pipers

[@jamesblonde2271]

@@IlluminatingWatches That double square GPS one...🤣

[@artkingofwholefoods74]

If Aliens found this video, they would know everything there is to know about the “Watch”. GREAT JOB. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@IlluminatingWatches]

Thankyou!! Worked hard on this one

[@fubaralakbar6800]

I always thought the Casio Marine Gear was pretty slick

[@IlluminatingWatches]

I don’t hear about it so much. Yeh it’s very cool!

[@ericb8888]

Braun designs could be 1970 or 2070 ;) Thanks again for a great vid !

[@IlluminatingWatches]

Ha ha i know. Retro future!

[@AltraCiviltaVideo]

Casio Databank era is my favourite

[@IlluminatingWatches]

Yes that was a cool era!

[@kadembensalah6382]

Please show us all Casio products from the first piece that came out of the company to the last.

[@dimonchik9171]

Электроника 5 my favourite ❤

[@james4flix925]

thank you.... more to say in next comment

[@IlluminatingWatches]

I said it in my other reply . But I’ll say it again. THANKYOU!!

[@monsterquinn30]

what watch I really like is the watch from knight rider

[@tlaxcalacrew8831]

hi please could you make a vídeo with current digital watches brands for sport style? something different to casio and Gshock please

[@IlluminatingWatches]

Hi there - I’ve probably covered most of them in other videos. Some options: Freestyle , Nixon , X-watch , Skmei, Armitron , Timex, Alba , Lorus , seiko wired , polit, adidas , speedo , fossil , Q&Q , Levi’s , fila , diesel . There are loads more Chinese and fashion brands , but hopefully a helpful starting list!

[@tlaxcalacrew8831]

@@IlluminatingWatches yeah but all of them have the same quality? or what could be your ranking? quality/price

[@IlluminatingWatches]

I’d be too scared to advise! I don’t worry too much about quality. I’m more about the story of the watch / brand. Being honest there aren’t too many really quality low cost sport watches outside of casio. Let me know if you do find any good ones though after looking at the list

[@James-el6lj]

I LOVE CASIOS

[@krissjacobsen9434]

Just gonna mention that there are PKCELLs at 29:40

[@IlluminatingWatches]

I’ll take that as evidence that you watched all the way through!

[@edwardfletcher7790]

Ummm the Timex Data-Link used flashing lights from the PC's CRT monitor, not Infrared. That Uranus watch is well named. LoL

[@IlluminatingWatches]

Damn! Clearly I’m an idiot. Ha ha the solar one they do is a bit of an icon

[@nsfeliz7825]

when i first learned electronics first major project ,a digital clock.

[@IlluminatingWatches]

Since I’ve got more interested in digital watches I’ve thought about doing some basic electronics. Jealous of the vintage digital watch channel and his ability to tinker around with the watches. I’m clueless with that stuff!

[@mrzulu1568]

I have 2 casio protrek ptr50 Twincept And two Casio protrek ptr 60 The step counter. Two are limited editions Box fresh From 1997 They are for sale Or available to review

[@Emilmarch]

Anyone has HBX-100 drivers :( desperately searching for the drivers. The PAD-1 is also not working on 98.

[@IlluminatingWatches]

Awesome watch. Has some space heritage too

[@Giorgionsen]

⌚♥️🙋‍♂️

[@muhammadshifan7335]

Casio f91w

[@IlluminatingWatches]

Great watch!

[@alexcheetah79]

I can't believe you emulated the poor framerate of early PC games at the end.

[@manusverzoni2384]

My grandmother Marion Morrison had a Montecarlo and lost all of her family fortune.

[@IlluminatingWatches]

I never knew!!!

[@manusverzoni2384]

@@IlluminatingWatches Check Marion Morrison.

[@IlluminatingWatches]

@@manusverzoni2384 I did :) I never knew that was his name!

[@manusverzoni2384]

@@IlluminatingWatches Sorry. Don't know why but I thought that you believed I had a grandmother called Marion. 😆

[@IlluminatingWatches]

@@manusverzoni2384 ha ha ha well I suppose it’s possible that John Wayne was your grandmother ….

[@davidzimmerly7354]

WARNING ⚠️ This video is not safe for watch enthusiasts who spontaneously purchase cool vintage watches

[@aaron2709]

You could have split this into 8 separate videos, talking slower and spending a bit more time on each subject. Great stuff but too much for one video.

[@MoeLarryTheCheese]

You smoke too much your voice is shot