Category: Photo Life

こんばんは。

Today’s photo is of my Nikon F and Seiko SKX007. What they have in common is that they are both purely mechanical devices. They don’t have any electronics or need batteries.

We are so used to relying on a power source to keep our devices running, but there is a charm to precise machines that rely purely on craftsmanship and physical design. The Nikon F has an adjustable shutter speed just like modern digital cameras, but the speed is not controlled by circuitry. It’s all gears and calibrated springs. I think it’s amazing that you can choose between 1/1000 of a second up to 1 second, with half-stops in between.

Similarly, the mechanical watch is fascinating in that it can keep a “power reserve” in the form of a spring, which will power the movement of the watch to an accuracy of +/- just a few seconds per day. I can’t imagine the amount of design it must have taken to invent such an accurate timepiece. It boggles the mind. And did you know that these mechanical watches have precious gems as part of their inner workings? I guess most use synthetic rubies (commonly referred to as jewels in watch specs) at points where durability is most critical. But including gems as part of the mechanical design is pretty damn cool.

Thinking about it, all mechanical clocks are astounding. Clocktowers? Wow!

Anyways, I think that batteryless devices are so cool. It also feels good to use a device that won’t produce toxic waste in the form of spent batteries.

All this talk about non-electric things makes me want to light some candles and read a printed book. 😄

Have a good evening!

おやすみ