Features And Importance Of A Digital Watch

By John P Stevens

A watch is an essential accessory for most people. It is something that everyone needs, irrespective of gender or age. Although its basic function is to tell time, it is also used as a luxury item.

Over time, there have been many advances in watch technology. Traditionally, watches have been in an analogue form. Analogue watches have a numbered dial, and an hour hand along with a hand for minutes, which tells time. In the 1970s, watches with a new kind of display were introduced known as digital watches. A digital watch shows the time simply as a number displayed on the screen, such as 06:30 pm. There is no hour or minute hand, and one does not have to be able to tell time, as you can just see it on the display.

A digital watch works in the same way, as a mechanical watch, but it is powered by electricity. The source of this electricity is a small round battery, which powers the watch. A digital watch has an electronic time base, which is used to tell time accurately.

The display screen can be of two types, it may either be a light emitting diodes (LED) or a liquid crystal display (LCD). As compared to the mechanical watch, a digital watch has a counter that has the same function as that of a gearing mechanism in a mechanical watch. The counters functions in a way, that it produces numbers from zero to nine in a sequence, which enables it to keep track of the time.

The Pulsar division of Hamilton Watch Company were the first ones who introduced a digital watch in the year 1970. As it was a new technology, and was not produced in bulk, therefore it was very expensive, and was not affordable by everyone. Then in 1975, the mass production of the digital watches started, and they entered the affordable price range. At this time, the digital watches normally had a red coloured LED (light emitting diodes) display screen. A person was required to press down a button in order to see the right time.

It was in the 1980s that the digital watch industry saw many new developments. One of the most popular brands, Seiko introduced a new digital watch in the market, which had a television screen built in the display. Another famous brand Casio launched a digital watch, which could translate Japanese words into English, and had a thermometer in it.

Digital watches have seen much advancement over time. Some digital watches have a built in memory in which you can store a certain amount of information, such as telephone numbers. There are even some that have a built in calculator that can perform both arithmetic, and scientific functions. In the 1990s, digital watches were launched, which allowed users to download, and store data from external sources.

The digital watches are used just for telling the time, and they do not have much appeal, as a luxury item. Many expensive brands are famous for their analogue watches, and they even have their collection range. Still the digital watches have their own function and appeal and is still very useful as it has many features that an analogue watch cannot have.

About the Author: