Let's Talk Watches...What do you wear???

[Chicago Sandy]

Now that the cast is off and I'm playing (carefully) again, I've gone back to wearing my Apple Watch on my L wrist (it was disconcerting to have it on my dominant hand all those weeks). But a couple of weeks ago I traded in my Series 2 GPS-only for a Series 4 with cellular. I've had arrhythmias crop up when I got near my target heart rate during training the past couple of years--to the extent that my primary care doc advised me not to attend a certain music conference in the Blue Ridge where I'd have been required to park at the bottom of a steep hill and drag my instruments & suitcase up to the conference center; he was concerned I might fall and break something (and not my guitar). We even discussed a Holter monitor, but the episodes didn't happen frequently enough to warrant it.

When my husband (a cardiologist) read about the watch's second heart sensor and upcoming EKG app (which can send a single-lead EKG as a PDF to one's doctor), he said I had his blessing to trade up. (Apple knocked $115 off the price of the 4 because I traded the 2 in).

But the real reason I love the 4 (besides the LTE, altimeter, larger display and compatibility with my collection of bands, and double the storage for my music library)? The built-in fall detection. Yup--unlike those ugly plastic "Help! I've fallen and I can't get up" pendants that scream "I'm an old fart" there's no monthly monitoring fee or household transceiver, and you don't have to tell it you've fallen because the gyroscope senses that. It will ask if you want it to dial 911, and you can either do it yourself by pushing a button, tell it no, or if you don't respond within a minute it will dial it and send your coordinates.

That's important to me because the reason I've gigged so seldom since Feb. was that I fell twice--leading to the orthopedic surgery that kept my fretting hand "imprisoned" for weeks. (Gory details on a separate thread). Still have to take my watch off to play, in order to optimize wrist flexion & rotation--had a false start to a song yesterday when I couldn't bend my wrist enough to make a certain movable chord up to the 12th fret (which chord is essential to the riff that forms the intro, solo & coda). But I took it off, stuffed it in my pocket, and all was well.

[Jeff Scott]

Originally Posted by Chicago Sandy

Now that the cast is off and I'm playing (carefully) again, I've gone back to wearing my Apple Watch on my L wrist (it was disconcerting to have it on my dominant hand all those weeks). But a couple of weeks ago I traded in my Series 2 GPS-only for a Series 4 with cellular. I've had arrhythmias crop up when I got near my target heart rate during training the past couple of years--to the extent that my primary care doc advised me not to attend a certain music conference in the Blue Ridge where I'd have been required to park at the bottom of a steep hill and drag my instruments & suitcase up to the conference center; he was concerned I might fall and break something (and not my guitar). We even discussed a Holter monitor, but the episodes didn't happen frequently enough to warrant it.

When my husband (a cardiologist) read about the watch's second heart sensor and upcoming EKG app (which can send a single-lead EKG as a PDF to one's doctor), he said I had his blessing to trade up. (Apple knocked $115 off the price of the 4 because I traded the 2 in).

But the real reason I love the 4 (besides the LTE, altimeter, larger display and compatibility with my collection of bands, and double the storage for my music library)? The built-in fall detection. Yup--unlike those ugly plastic "Help! I've fallen and I can't get up" pendants that scream "I'm an old fart" there's no monthly monitoring fee or household transceiver, and you don't have to tell it you've fallen because the gyroscope senses that. It will ask if you want it to dial 911, and you can either do it yourself by pushing a button, tell it no, or if you don't respond within a minute it will dial it and send your coordinates.

That's important to me because the reason I've gigged so seldom since Feb. was that I fell twice--leading to the orthopedic surgery that kept my fretting hand "imprisoned" for weeks. (Gory details on a separate thread). Still have to take my watch off to play, in order to optimize wrist flexion & rotation--had a false start to a song yesterday when I couldn't bend my wrist enough to make a certain movable chord up to the 12th fret (which chord is essential to the riff that forms the intro, solo & coda). But I took it off, stuffed it in my pocket, and all was well.

Does it have a watch function?

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by Jeff Scott

Does it have a watch function?

Coming from a guy who loves his Swiss and antique Bulova watches..... Yes, and they are really good watches.

I have different watch faces configured with different functions and colors that are ideal for the activity, time of day, or in some cases mode of dress.

[GTRGUY005]

Here's my everyday watch....

[H165]

I carry a Casio watch strapped to my backpack every day - everywhere.

If I ever wear one on my wrist again, on land it, will be one of two (if I can find them):

My dad's old Omega; 1958 Seamaster.

1971 Seiko - model(?) orange-faced self-wind.

I wear a Casio sports-proof rubber digital for snorkeling.

I am also fortunate to have four old family pocket watches. Useless but pretty.

[Murphy Slaw]

I just picked up this Bertucci. Awesome field watch.

Titanium, Sapphire, Plain & Simple.

[BrunoBlack]

It’s funny, I loved nice watches all my life and rotated between 3 or 4 for over 40 years. I felt “naked” without one on my wrist. I stopped wearing a watch the day I retired and haven’t worn a watch in over 3 years. All the batteries are dead and I don’t miss wearing one for a second. I use my phone if I need to know the time.

[DCCougar]

Originally Posted by Haasome

....I stopped wearing a watch the day I retired....

Pretty much the same here, but I'll wear it once in a while. I've got a nice Skagen blue face with a mesh band. Very thin! The mesh started to come apart and I finally looked to replace the band. Got a nice black mesh band off ebay for something like 7 bucks. Thought it'd be cool. It wasn't! Went back and ordered another one in silver. That works....

[Tnfiddler]

Just picked up me a Casio Rangeman and it’s my favorite watch now. It’ll do just about anything you need a watch to do!!

[BrunoBlack]

Originally Posted by Tnfiddler

Just picked up me a Casio Rangeman and it’s my favorite watch now. It’ll do just about anything you need a watch to do!!

Curious, does that come in a 4 wheel drive model

[Brucebubs]

Originally Posted by Tnfiddler

Just picked up me a Casio Rangeman and it’s my favorite watch now. It’ll do just about anything you need a watch to do!!

... and is that 'actual size' and is the clutch heavy?

[DCCougar]

Originally Posted by Tnfiddler

Just picked up me a Casio Rangeman and it’s my favorite watch now. It’ll do just about anything you need a watch to do!!

Is that the one with that new time travel capability?

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by Chicago Sandy

Now that the cast is off and I'm playing (carefully) again, I've gone back to wearing my Apple Watch on my L wrist (it was disconcerting to have it on my dominant hand all those weeks). But a couple of weeks ago I traded in my Series 2 GPS-only for a Series 4 with cellular. I've had arrhythmias crop up when I got near my target heart rate during training the past couple of years--to the extent that my primary care doc advised me not to attend a certain music conference in the Blue Ridge where I'd have been required to park at the bottom of a steep hill and drag my instruments & suitcase up to the conference center; he was concerned I might fall and break something (and not my guitar). We even discussed a Holter monitor, but the episodes didn't happen frequently enough to warrant it.

When my husband (a cardiologist) read about the watch's second heart sensor and upcoming EKG app (which can send a single-lead EKG as a PDF to one's doctor), he said I had his blessing to trade up. (Apple knocked $115 off the price of the 4 because I traded the 2 in).

But the real reason I love the 4 (besides the LTE, altimeter, larger display and compatibility with my collection of bands, and double the storage for my music library)? The built-in fall detection. Yup--unlike those ugly plastic "Help! I've fallen and I can't get up" pendants that scream "I'm an old fart" there's no monthly monitoring fee or household transceiver, and you don't have to tell it you've fallen because the gyroscope senses that. It will ask if you want it to dial 911, and you can either do it yourself by pushing a button, tell it no, or if you don't respond within a minute it will dial it and send your coordinates.

That's important to me because the reason I've gigged so seldom since Feb. was that I fell twice--leading to the orthopedic surgery that kept my fretting hand "imprisoned" for weeks. (Gory details on a separate thread). Still have to take my watch off to play, in order to optimize wrist flexion & rotation--had a false start to a song yesterday when I couldn't bend my wrist enough to make a certain movable chord up to the 12th fret (which chord is essential to the riff that forms the intro, solo & coda). But I took it off, stuffed it in my pocket, and all was well.

Sandy,

Last week I learned a high school classmate was found smashed into his bloody face soon enough and close enough to survive the heart attack and get hauled to the hospital. I could not help but think about the fall detection and the ECG because they've also had problems keeping the heart rate stable. He was asked if he was aware of a-fib but he was not aware. Basically he lived the two features brought to Series 4 but was lucky to have the incident in a garage where someone came upon him right away. What would have happened at his rural home?

A few weeks in I have to agree on the larger face and band collection. I love the extra fields and larger display of classic faces. With 4 family members in the Apple Watch thing we have some fun trading bands.

The other thing is Series 4 is just fast. It really does appear to have about twice the speed a 3 has. The crown works for heartbeat even if you're not using the ECG app so you can get a measurement really fast if you're wondering about a peak during exercise or your recovery rate.

I'm also very pleased with the Office 365 and other notifications. I'm less a slave or tied to work issues with the Series 4 and LTE. I get critical work messages. It's stress relief to not have to carry my phone all the time and satisfy work demands.

More and more I think I should find out if my kids want my nice mechanical watches some day or sell them now.

These are Apple stock images but ones I use often.

I keep versions of the Series 4 info graph for a quick swipe to concentrate on calendar, heart rate or stock market in center. They've squeezed enough pixels in to make that very useful for my old eyes. If I have distance only contacts or sunglasses I can still read the important stuff.



Yes my favorite Swiss watch matches about anything but it's fun to make this one match or complement your day's outfit or watch band.



No need for my bifocals here. Also easy to adjust the color to be best for your circumstances or outfit.

[viccortes285]

I wear the Iwatch 4 since I am 69

[FLRon]

I have some really nice watches including one very expensive Citizens. However I wear my Fitbit 99% of time now because it tracks my steps and heart rate.