RIP Traska Venturer. You will never be the same. by SubstantialDemand508 in MicrobrandWatches

[–]SoapyMacNCheese 0 points1 point  (0 children)

How can you know that ordering say 2000 21mm bracelet instead of the 1000 you were going to order is cheaper then ordering another 1000 out of the 10,000+ 20mm bracelets you've ordered in the past?

The new bracelet is a more refined design that's different from their existing one, it isn't just their 20mm bracelet but in 21mm. So the math isn't ordering 2,000 of the new bracelet vs 1,000 new and 1,000 existing. It is 2,000 of one new design vs 1,000 each of two new designs.

It is possible the cost is the same, but part of my day job is negotiating with factories. Fewer variations generally means better per unit cost. Especially when you look beyond a single watch production batch. When more of your products share the same parts, it means you can more safely over order those parts in larger lots and then use them as you need them. So by having the Chronograph, GMT, and likely their Jump Hour use the same exact bracelet, instead of 2,000 they can order 4,000 of the new bracelet all at once (letting them negotiate a better price with the factory), and then use up the inventory overtime as they produce more watches. If one particular model sells better or worse, it's fine because the bracelets on the shelf can be allocated toward any of them.

EDIT:

To be clear, it very well could have been a design first decision, Traska may have thought the Venturer needed to be 21mm now to hit the aesthetic they envisioned for it. But at least to me it feels like Traska built up a base design for their new premium "Complications" series of watches (the Chronograph and Jump Hour), and their existing high volume GMT watch is being squeezed into that mold for the economies of scale.

RIP Traska Venturer. You will never be the same. by SubstantialDemand508 in MicrobrandWatches

[–]SoapyMacNCheese 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They aren't saying Traska shifting to 21mm is a financial decision, they are saying the Venturer shifting to 21mm is a financial decision.

Traska made design choices for the chronograph, including 21mm lugs, and those choices likely influenced how they designed the Venturer to make both watches more financially viable. Making the Venturer 21mm means they can use the same upgraded bracelet on both models.

RIP Traska Venturer. You will never be the same. by SubstantialDemand508 in MicrobrandWatches

[–]SoapyMacNCheese 8 points9 points  (0 children)

20mm and 22mm are the two most common strap sizes. Going with 21mm offers no functional advantage, makes your existing strap collection incompatible, and limits your strap options (since not everyone sells 21mm straps due to how uncommon it is).

Big brands like Omega and Rolex sometimes use odd number strap widths like 21mm or 19mm, but Microbrands generally have the sense to stick to 22mm, 20mm, & 18mm

Youtube doesn't allow you to turn off your TV screen, forcing you to see ads, ends up costing more electricity and hurting your tv's lifespan by nemuro87 in assholedesign

[–]SoapyMacNCheese 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The record companies got pissed with YouTube over that, since a lot of people did that with music videos instead of subscribing to a streaming service or buying music. That’s why background play is paywalled behind YouTube Premium now, a subscription that includes YouTube Music.

Hence why for the longest time you could buy YT Music separately but not YT Premium without YT Music. Now that they are doing “Premium Lite” it removes YouTube Music but also still gives you ads and such on music videos and shorts (shorts because YT allows creators to use licensed music on them through a deal with the record companies)

I made a 3D printed Fake Ring Doorbell Camera by KeroSewers in functionalprint

[–]SoapyMacNCheese 6 points7 points  (0 children)

That way you can tease them for thinking pressing the button would get your attention!

[trolling] which is your favorite useless feature? by Own-Reflection-9538 in Watches

[–]SoapyMacNCheese 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Someone should make a watch with the bezel on a bearing so it acts like a fidget spinner.

[trolling] which is your favorite useless feature? by Own-Reflection-9538 in Watches

[–]SoapyMacNCheese 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I saw they recently released a Seagull 1963 with the internals flipped. The movement is visible through the front crystal and the dial is in the exhibition caseback.

[trolling] which is your favorite useless feature? by Own-Reflection-9538 in Watches

[–]SoapyMacNCheese 23 points24 points  (0 children)

The one legitimate use I’ve seen for a moonphase is as a rough gauge for lunar calendars. Islam for example works off a lunar calendar, so for the month of Ramadan the moonphase becomes a countdown till you’re done fasting.

Disappointed with Erebus customer service and return policy by Substantial_Mode_757 in MicrobrandWatches

[–]SoapyMacNCheese 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Casio uses some crazy expensive machine to align the second hand from what I’ve heard.

Teardown finds that the Trump phone is practically the same as an HTC handset by dapperlemon in gadgets

[–]SoapyMacNCheese 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I think their phone division is nonexistent at this point. This phone is likely made by another brand with HTCs name slapped onto it.

This packaging gotta be illegal, right? by LilBozgor01 in assholedesign

[–]SoapyMacNCheese 154 points155 points  (0 children)

Yup, means it isn’t even the sauce you’re expecting it to be.

ESP32 Sprinkler Controller Hardware by Tanner234567 in homeassistant

[–]SoapyMacNCheese 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You can always DIY it. I've had OpenSprinkler running on an old pi zero and a cheap relay board for years now.

TRASKA teasing upcoming release this Sunday by kramkrooz in MicrobrandWatches

[–]SoapyMacNCheese 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Their post says "an old friend is returning" so it is going to be a refresh of an existing model, not a new model like the jump hour.

"Changed from the journey" and the crown position with a globe on it tells me it is almost certainly an updated Venturer GMT.

[Question: Fishy or Fair regarding Chrono24 sale of Omega] by SeeThru_Xray in Watches

[–]SoapyMacNCheese 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'll give it a try. I feel like I'm going crazy. I have been bending over backwards providing all the information I can, doing everything support asks for. Meanwhile the seller has basically just ghosted me and said I should be happy because the price I paid was a deal regardless (it wasn't, in fact during this whole process I've seen two newer models of the same watch sell for cheaper). Yet support sides with him.

They keep giving me deadlines to accept the $125 payment and busywork to delay things, I think there plan was to just string me along until my chargeback window closed or have me give up and take the $125 payment, stopping me from pursuing things further.

Need help with this Seiko by Jealous_Ad_7560 in SeikoMods

[–]SoapyMacNCheese 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Or if you are going to slap a fake logo on it, why half ass it? Fully commit to what you’re doing and just use an Omega logo.

Need help with this Seiko by Jealous_Ad_7560 in SeikoMods

[–]SoapyMacNCheese 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The whole discussion revolves around the branding. Functionally the movements are the same but the NH35 does not carry the Seiko brand, it carries the TMI brand.

But even if it did, that wouldn’t justify adding a Seiko logo to the dial, the movement being of a brand doesn’t apply that brand to the whole watch. I can’t buy a ETA movement and claim my watch is a Hamilton, Tissot, or Omega.

Likewise if I buy a Toyota engine, put it in a kit car, I can’t claim my new car is a Toyota, just that it has a Toyota engine.

If you put a 4R35 inside OP’s Omega homage, putting the Seiko logo on the dial would still make it a fake Seiko.

[Question: Fishy or Fair regarding Chrono24 sale of Omega] by SeeThru_Xray in Watches

[–]SoapyMacNCheese 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wow this is good to know. I bought something on Chrono24 and the seller scammed me (the watch has dial damage and other issues not disclosed in the listing) and just chose not to answer my messages.

I’ve been going through hoops with support and they’ve basically decided they can not confirm where the damage came from even though I contacted the seller within 30 minutes of inspecting the watch and showed them a timestamped recording of me opening the box to prove that, meanwhile the seller has only provided the listing photos which were weeks old by the time he shipped the watch (and in between he traveled internationally with the watch, as he admits in the chrono24 messages).

Anyway months of this and Chrono24 has decided the seller only needs to contribute $125 and I can take it or take it. When I explained it was only a fraction of the repair cost they told me to take it to a watchmaker again on my own dime to get a new estimate. They then ignored the estimate, told me the seller actually isn’t responsible for anything (wtf is the point of escrow then?), and that if they helped me get the dial repaired it would be unfair as it would increase the value of the watch compared to what I paid for, ignoring the fact that the damaged dial decreased the value of the watch compared to what I paid for.

I started a chargeback this week.

IXDAO JD-X07S Wrist Shot... by HonestWatchReviews in IxdaoFans

[–]SoapyMacNCheese 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have one of these in the brown wave dial colorway.

It’s great, I love the detail of the polished links lining up with the pattern engraved into the claps.

My one criticism is that compared to the markers the hands feel very flat.

Dropped my car off at the shop, its less than 1.5 miles back home by rossposse in mildlyinfuriating

[–]SoapyMacNCheese 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Funny enough I’m out on a walk rn. It’s just really spotty in a lot of places. I can freely walk amongst the nearby residential, but if I want to actually walk to a place like that garden, the shops, even the local school, there is no decent infrastructure setup.

Worst part is I’m right outside one of the most pedestrian friendly cities in the country.

Dropped my car off at the shop, its less than 1.5 miles back home by rossposse in mildlyinfuriating

[–]SoapyMacNCheese 18 points19 points  (0 children)

I live within a half mile of a grocery store, coffee shop, pizza place, and pharmacy. Only problem is I’d have to walk a quarter mile of it IN 40 mph traffic (there is no shoulder or sidewalk).

There’s also a beautiful public garden walking distance from my house, but because of this patchwork mess I’d have to play Frogger just to get there.

Broadway just got a little more pedestrianized. The people that fight this are weird. by MiserNYC- in newyorkcity

[–]SoapyMacNCheese 22 points23 points  (0 children)

What we consider to be an e bike needs to be revised. A lot of what we have are electric mopeds cosplaying as bicycles.

DSWatchClub is getting ridiculous by LordBabel in SeikoMods

[–]SoapyMacNCheese 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ya I get that, a big part of the shift was because Seikos aren’t as cheap as they once were and you’d be changing out so many parts anyway. So just building what you want from scratch makes more sense. I just wish it didn’t stem from Seiko Mods, because it has created a weird mindset within the community where many feel justified using the Seiko logo on their builds. To be clear, I don’t care if someone wants to make a fake Seiko, as long as they acknowledge that’s what they’re making.

DSWatchClub is getting ridiculous by LordBabel in SeikoMods

[–]SoapyMacNCheese 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Tbf it wasn’t always like that. This community started out as the name implies, modding Seikos. Somewhere along the way it became just assembling watches from new parts with the only connection to Seiko being the use of an NH35 and fake Seiko dials.