Finding a analog watch that displays digital-like numbers.

March 16, 2021 3:22 PM

A long while back I read a magazine that featured an incredibly designed wrist watch. This watch had no digital elements, but the face of the watch used small bars, copper maybe?, to create digital style numbers. The watch display essentially looked like a classic digital alarm clock. My fuzzy memory tells me this was an engineer feat, possibly still under development, and outrageously expensive. I've searched for hours and cannot find anything. Perhaps you can help me can free me from this prison?
posted by dbbaily to Technology (6 answers total)

These folks make something similar to what you're describing
posted by SystematicAbuse at 3:29 PM on March 16, 2021 [1 favorite]

Was it perhaps a Devon tread-1?
posted by lucasks at 4:21 PM on March 16, 2021

This link led me here, which sounds like what you are describing- but it looks like it has not made the move from concept to design. I found it by googling “mechanical watch digital display” and looking at the image results, if that helps.
posted by AV at 4:25 PM on March 16, 2021 [1 favorite]

Found a couple listed here:

https://quillandpad.com/2019/02/24/a-watch-nerds-7-favorite-mechanical-digital-watches-reprise/
posted by kschang at 5:29 PM on March 16, 2021

Are you perhaps thinking of something with Nixie tubes?

See an expensive nixie watch eg on Etsy here.
posted by SaltySalticid at 6:05 PM on March 16, 2021

The Harry Winston in kschang's link looks like a match for you. I was familiar with this desk clock like you describe: Etch Clock but had no idea that there were 7-segment mechanical watches. Very cool!
posted by dbx at 4:41 AM on March 17, 2021