# are you sick of the same old braille watch too?

Category: accessible Devices

## Post 1 by SilverLightning (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Sunday, 16-May-2010 4:50:28

Ok, I personally love braille watches over talking or vibrating watches, so I'm not going to talk about the latter two. If you like them fine, I don't, moving on.
Is anyone else sick of the basic, thrown together, crappy braille watches you get from the lighthouse and other such places? Why don't we have nice watches that we can be proud to wear? Why don't they make a diamond braille watch? I realize we're blind and it doesn't matter what it looks like, but am I the only person who feels that having nice things, makes you feel better; whether you can see them or not? Why don't we have nice bracelet bands for men's watches? Why do we have to settle for elastic bands or basic leather or velcro.
I only know of one quality braille watch, and its swiss and cost about 200 dollars. Its completely worth it though, I have it and have never had a problem with it. I just wish I could get one that is nice looking, that I can be proud of. One that stands up to the copious amounts available to the sighted community.
Anyone else sick of this? Anyone know of any high quality watches that I don't know about? Anyone think I'm crazy? Advice and comments welcome.

## Post 2 by Nicky (And I aprove this message.) on Sunday, 16-May-2010 6:50:06

I was given a braille watch that is mettel silver stretchy band. I like it, but it is a bit big on me so I have to wear it a bit high on my arm: about an inch or os from my hand. I wanted one when I got one that had a leather band, but it was a gift and i could not be picky. The person who got it for me for my birthday said taht they picked the one I got becaus water and leather don't go together. I have thought about getting myself a new one. Have to have the money first.

## Post 3 by SilverLightning (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Sunday, 16-May-2010 8:12:18

I used to have a metal elastic banded watch, but I'd rather have a bracelet band. 've never found one though.

## Post 4 by Thom3of5 (Do the Doo.) on Sunday, 16-May-2010 9:41:41

Can you change the band? I know that most jewlery stores carry replacement bands.

## Post 5 by Big Pawed Bear (letting his paws be his guide.) on Sunday, 16-May-2010 10:03:03

i have a silent t, but the watch is such a shit to change the battery in, noone will do it. and sending back to the rnib is such a fucking pain.

## Post 6 by SilverLightning (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Sunday, 16-May-2010 10:03:28

You can, but the chance of finding a replacement band that fits the metal of your watch case, is rather slim. Plus, with bracelet bands, it has to be fitted perfectly or it won't fit in the connetion. That is why they are reserved for higher end watches, because they are matched for the specific watch.

## Post 7 by faithful angel (I'll have the last word, thank you!) on Sunday, 16-May-2010 14:21:15

I have a braille watch, and I get compliments all the time on how nice it looks. Honestly, watches are kind of going out the window. Most of my friends (sighted friends), don't wear a watch. They depend on their phone. Honestly, I refuse to spend 200 dollars on a watch. I'd rather buy a nice dress or some clothes. Trust me, sighted people look at your clothes more than they do your watch unless you're some big superstar.

## Post 8 by Nicky (And I aprove this message.) on Sunday, 16-May-2010 15:15:20

I like my watch better than my phone because it is less ovious in class that I am checking the time threw my watch under the table than my phone, witch by the way I usually keep at home. I only live less than half a block so running home to grab it is easy. I do have a pacmate that I use in class I sometimes will use it for the time but for the most part i use my watch. I use it when waiting for the bus after shopping to and many other things. I use it a hole lot.

## Post 9 by Nicky (And I aprove this message.) on Sunday, 16-May-2010 15:18:03

OH, on ILA I found a mans watch that is two toned adn comes with a leather band its a braille watch. I want it I think, it cost about $65. they have a hand full of watches on those sight ILA, maxyaids, braille book, and so on but like the first poster said, not a large celection. Wonder how hard it would be to buy a band seperate to fit a watch? Lots of store sells bands seprate.

## Post 10 by faithful angel (I'll have the last word, thank you!) on Sunday, 16-May-2010 17:26:30

Well, to poster 8, I'm just saying that's what most sighted people do. To be honest, to me, this isn't a big deal. I have a nice braille watch that has a stretch band on it. I know you can buy those at walmart with no problem. I'm not sure about the other kinds of bands though.

## Post 11 by PorkInCider (Wind assisted.) on Monday, 17-May-2010 7:10:03

I have a braille watch supplied by RNIB with 17 artificial diamonds for the dots. it comes with a couple of options for straps, but I'm pretty certain I could find suitable replacement bracelets from a reputable jewelers if I didn't like the one I have. I currently have a nice crocodile effect leather strap, and have replaced the strap a couple of times.

## Post 12 by Reyami (I've broken five thousand! any more awards going?) on Wednesday, 19-May-2010 12:44:12

To poster two, if the band is too big, you can take it to a jewler who can remove links from it to size it to your wrist. I did that with mine when I got it a couple of months ago. I siltl have the old watch I used for damn near fourteen years, but the battery has died. I'm only keeping it because the person who gave it to me passed away a couple of years ago. sentimental value, I suppose.

## Post 13 by The SHU interpreter (I just keep on posting!) on Tuesday, 24-Aug-2010 0:29:52

yeah it's like me and my roomate from college went to new york to the lighthouse to get some stuff i needed. She bought me a pack of touch duts in different colors for the microwave because i needed them instead of the boring colored ones. she once said "can't blind people have cool stuff as the sighted person, Wht's up with that. Not being able to see doesn't mean that you can't stand out like the rest of the world." Even she's sick of the small selection of stuff and she's fully sighted.

## Post 14 by flcomputergeek (Its my opinion, take it or leave it. ) on Tuesday, 24-Aug-2010 15:30:09

I just took my braille watch to a jewelry repair place in the mall and had them replace the battery and the watch band.. I use a leather band and I let my sister pick out a color for me that would look nice.

## Post 15 by BryanP22 (Novice theriminist) on Tuesday, 24-Aug-2010 18:54:37

Ugh. I hated those metal elastic bands. It seemed no matter what I did they always pinched my wrist. So I fitted my current watch, which I've had for about ten years if I'm not mistaken, with a traditional leather band and then just poked an extra hole in it since I have very small wrists. THe dots on most watches were too close together for me to read effectively so I got one where they're spaced a little further apart.

## Post 16 by SilverLightning (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Wednesday, 25-Aug-2010 14:08:17

you know there is a third kind of band. Its called a bracelet band. It looks just like a bracelet, it has links that bends to form to your wrist and are made of all kinds of metals, from steel to pure gold in some very expensive cases. However, i have yet to find a braille watch that comes with one. You can't even get silver on a braille watch, its all silver paint, which is just tacky. I hate that.

## Post 17 by The SHU interpreter (I just keep on posting!) on Saturday, 11-Sep-2010 23:29:52

brian i'm with you on that one. I have very small wrists like 5 and a half inches if i'm wrong. both wrists measure that. and it's hard to find bracelets that can fit them except the elastic ones.

## Post 18 by Thunderstorm (HotIndian!) on Sunday, 12-Sep-2010 11:54:43

I do love wearing braille watches. we get only brand here and which is made by Hindustan machine tools. (HMT) India.
I'm on the same boat. while sighteds are wearing different different watches as matching their clothes which they are wearing, why not we blind people?
I hate metal staff which pinches my hair in my hands.
give me sites where they sell good braille watches in different designs.
Raaj.

## Post 19 by Eleni21 (I have proven to myself and the world that I need mental help) on Monday, 13-Sep-2010 8:39:23

I've never thought of this and have always found the basic braille watches to be fine. In fact, most are a bit expensive, and the fancier ones go over $100, which I think is ridiculous for a watch. Actually, I have a weird problem with the ones that I've tried. They all stopped working. I'm not sure if it was my heart (yes, Mom had a friend who really did have that happen to her with every watch she owned) or if I wasn't careful enough when touching the hands. But I've never tried to have them fixed. Does anyone know how much a place like Maxiaids would charge to have a watch repaired? I know the regular jewellers won't do it. They even refused to fix my talking watch and all it needed was a button replaced. Speaking of talking watches, and I'm sorry if this is slightly offtopic, but who else hates that squeaky female voice on the really cheap ones with the bell? They're so loud and obnoxious. Even many of the more expensive ones have similar voices. I like one with a male voice that has the date, time and alarm, but the only place where I've found one like that is Cobolt Systems and it's over $70 when converted from pounds to dollars.

## Post 20 by SilverLightning (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Tuesday, 14-Sep-2010 7:14:48

if you want a talking watch, go to radio shack, you can get them there sometimes, personally I hate all of them and think they should be banned. I've never heard of a jeweler fixing a braille watch, if you buy the one that is an actual watch. They won't fix your talking watch because its digital, and they will only replace the batteries on those. You shouldn't buy watches from maxy aids, every one I've ever had, broke. 100 dollars is not that much for a watch, its actually pretty normal unless you buy a crappy one from walmart.

## Post 21 by Eleni21 (I have proven to myself and the world that I need mental help) on Tuesday, 14-Sep-2010 10:56:58

Unless I'm wearing it with a suit or something, all I really need a watch to do is to tell me the time/date etc. I don't wear it to impress. So $100 is a bit much, though I suppose that it makes sense for one for the blind, since pretty much everything we get is always more expensive than average. Still, that Cobolt one is very tempting, particularly if it will last a long time. I had no idea that Radio Shack still sells talking watches. I once knew someone who had one of their older ones and it was very nice. There are some jewellers who will work with braille watches. I had one change the face on one of mine, since it was a bit large for me and he also changed the band from leather to an expansion band.

## Post 22 by SilverLightning (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Tuesday, 14-Sep-2010 13:21:30

I have jewelers work on my watches all the time. There is only one difference between a braille and regular watch, and that is that the face is hinged, they still work the same.

## Post 23 by chelslicious (like it or not, I'm gonna say what I mean. all the time.) on Tuesday, 14-Sep-2010 15:55:46

I used to use talking watches, cause I found it didn't take much to move the hands around on the braille ones; I always seemed to accidentally move them, so decided to stick with talking ones. now, though, I'm perfectly happy using my phone to tell the time.

## Post 24 by OceanDream (An Ocean of Thoughts) on Tuesday, 14-Sep-2010 16:04:32

I like the faces from MaxyAids, but I really don't like leather straps. I don't know why, but I really don't, so I usually end up bying a bracelet band, like the one I have now. It's pretty good, and like I said, the face is awesome, but it doesn't stay shut very well. Anyone else have that problem?

## Post 25 by LeoGuardian (You mean there is something outside of this room with my computer in it?) on Tuesday, 14-Sep-2010 17:45:44

The next one I get is gonna be a pocketwatch. I use mine as that now, because from typing for so many years my wrists occasionally act up. But more and more people just use their phone: My wife, daughter, and nieces all do.

## Post 26 by Eleni21 (I have proven to myself and the world that I need mental help) on Tuesday, 14-Sep-2010 20:20:56

I think there's something to a watch that a phone just can't match. It speaks of tradition and is good when you don't have your phone with you or if the battery dies. I've also toyed with the idea of a pocket watch but those are usually very expensive and I'd be afraid to forget it in the pocket of my pants, shirt or jacket.

## Post 27 by chelslicious (like it or not, I'm gonna say what I mean. all the time.) on Tuesday, 14-Sep-2010 20:27:27

I disagree; the battery could die in a watch too. I, like others, prefer to use my phone cause it has proven to be quite efficient. also, checking the time with my phone is less noticeable to others, which I absolutely love.

## Post 28 by Eleni21 (I have proven to myself and the world that I need mental help) on Tuesday, 14-Sep-2010 21:59:48

Batteries in watches are changed every few years or so whereas the ones in phones have to be recharged every few days (I've heard that the Motorola Motofone, which is the one that I have, can last for up to 12 days) but that's only if they're not used for calls. So it's far less likely that your watch battery will die than that of your phone. That and most phones that work with screen readers are expensive, even if you somehow manage to obtain a free reader. I don't usually mind if people notice me, unless I'm supposed to have my attention turned towards a speaker or need to be excessively quiet for some reason. The only time when I might get embarrassed, with regard to watches is if I had one of those ridiculous loud ones that alerted everyone within earshot that I was checking the time. But a braille one is nice and quiet.

## Post 29 by Jeff (the Zone BBS remains forever my home page) on Wednesday, 15-Sep-2010 0:18:35

I want a braille watch you can take swimming, under x feet of water, and still be able to use it. I even want a cheepy 5$ one to that you can use with the rubber strap exetra. Also a ditgital one would be sweet.

## Post 30 by OceanDream (An Ocean of Thoughts) on Wednesday, 15-Sep-2010 8:19:59

I've never heard of a digital braille watch. If you're going for digital, I would suggest a braille note, a Pac Mate, or your phone. Of course, I wish there was a digital braille watch. I've seen waterproof ones in the Maxy Aids catalogue, but they're ridiculously expensive. I'd rather just take mine off when I go in water, because I'm not willing to pay $400 or more just to have the convenience of waterproof.

## Post 31 by starfly (99956) on Wednesday, 15-Sep-2010 8:46:45

I concur with fighter and love that using your phone seems like the way to go as far as checking the time. I bet if you look at my hands with the HTC touch pro2 I doubt you know what I am doing. Yet I digress because I do not like things on my rist. Heck I can use the jesters "hold quondren 3+ tap quodren 2 to check the time. :)

## Post 32 by OceanDream (An Ocean of Thoughts) on Wednesday, 15-Sep-2010 10:40:21

Yes, it can be kind of annoying to have things on your wrist. I find my watch often gets caught on things, so I just keep it in my purse, which comes with me whenever I leave the house. At home, I just use the computer to tell the time. I knew a few people who said that using digital clocks to tell time was just being lazy, but I can't agree with that, since it's so much easier to do it that way, not to mention digital is becoming the way of the world.

## Post 33 by SilverLightning (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Wednesday, 15-Sep-2010 14:02:28

I like my watch because its always on. I don't have to wonder if my comptuer is on or my phone is on when I wake up, I just reach for my watch and flip it open. As for people noticing, I had a person ask me for the time yesterday, I checked my watch and told them, and they asked how I knew. People don't usually notice you touching your opposite wrist.
I used to have a problem with the hands moving when I touched them, but the watch I have now, which granted was hugely expensive, I've never had a single problem with.

## Post 34 by synthesizer101 (I just keep on posting!) on Wednesday, 15-Sep-2010 15:36:15

I have a pocket watch that I use all the time, and its really useful. If you want, I can figure out what it is and tell you.

## Post 35 by Eleni21 (I have proven to myself and the world that I need mental help) on Wednesday, 15-Sep-2010 22:53:34

Yes, please do. I'm very interested in that and the one that SilverLightning has. It's nice to know that some things are still analogue.

## Post 36 by OceanDream (An Ocean of Thoughts) on Thursday, 16-Sep-2010 8:36:18

I do like the convenience of a watch, too. The only problem is that after a year or so of it working, I end up forgetting that the battery exists, and then when it dies, it takes me a couple hours to figure out why I'm missing appointments by five hours. I can't count all the times I was late for school because of that. I actually had a watch that wound up. I'm not kidding. I'd never heard of such a thing before, but there was no electrical parts to speak of. I just wound it up every night before I went to bed, or every morning when I woke up. It's not much more inconvenient than charging your phone. One wind-up would last up to two days, but I always wound it up once a day, just to make sure.

## Post 37 by Eleni21 (I have proven to myself and the world that I need mental help) on Thursday, 16-Sep-2010 10:12:54

Yeah. I've got an amazing wind-up braille clock. They're almost impossible to find, and to this day, I've only seen one site that has it. The markings are nothing like on a braille watch. They're on the inside edges of the clock and are basically long/short lines. I wish they had made it more like a watch. But it's got the bells and ticking of the really cool print alarm clocks and is only $20, so that makes up for it. Anyway, here's the link. If anyone knows where I can find a wind-up watch, let me know.
http://www.shopsftb.org/servlet/the-264/Braille-Clock/Detail
That site has alot of neat stuff and their shipping is free!

## Post 38 by OceanDream (An Ocean of Thoughts) on Thursday, 16-Sep-2010 14:48:26

Tiffanitsa, I got my wind-up braille watch from Maxy Aids. I don't know how much it cost, however, because it was given to me as a birthday present.

## Post 39 by Eleni21 (I have proven to myself and the world that I need mental help) on Thursday, 16-Sep-2010 22:56:02

Oh wow! I'll check it out. Thanks.

## Post 40 by Jeff (the Zone BBS remains forever my home page) on Thursday, 16-Sep-2010 23:12:53

One thing I have its 99 dollars its called the Zeitgeist Talking Time Machine. Its a lot, but it tells the time, date, also tells you international times once your time is set. It tells you cool things along with the date like the astrological sign, elament, days to the end of the year, don't know why but the moon if its waxing exetra. It has like 10 alarm jingles, you can schedrule appointments, wake up calls. It has a timer, stopwatch, coocoo clock option, and more! It fits in your pocket or hangs around your neck the voice is a male with a British accent. They have a spanish one too. Check it out here.
https://shop.aph.org/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=11051&krypto=w%2FE%2FZ6s4BbOO2k9nJUCt5FraA%2B6Y59m6PUkOFU%2FWtRaisc%2FdnE89FDb6IhhIV6a4gw8UrH6zS7%2F3%0D%0AV89Utnz9FdxEkJ4kUJwC4QaaFroC6O80Vma8pHcYHojhmSAaf98s%2FMWCixonjWb450CV%2FGIl3V%2FG%0D%0Aje2vIwJa2L9GfGSCN%2B6FjqG5j6FYUepzD8dRu%2FVzil4XJWWKjGFMSw0x7McXGIWgKiTgHc%2Fli0%2F1%0D%0AXvUdhRsfA6ZRc%2FSKqr79XuVMeb0L0kFhscuESyf3xbM8yvMNDlp1AHpFg0CAHvApWiU7a%2Fvh3eUf%0D%0AKyYz%2BWPwb%2BZh86AoWbzEpFx5UrK2Puqb%2Fbwqjw%3D%3D&ddkey=http:ProductDisplay
Also does anyone know if they make talking watches with a British voice?

## Post 41 by Twinklestar09 (I've now got the bronze prolific poster award! now going for the silver award!) on Friday, 17-Sep-2010 4:49:59

To Post 37:
That's cool to know another place that sells tactile clocks! *smile* Future Aids also sells one; that's where I found and am getting mine from, as I used to have one that had been given to me and loved it but had no idea where they got it from. I was so excited to learn that they still existed and were being sold! *smile* Anyway, the site for Future Aids is at:
http://www.braillebookstore.com/
. I will also check out the site you mentioned, as it sounds interesting and I always like browsing thru online catalogs/shopping places to see what they have. Thanks for that. *smile*
To Post 38:
That's cool to know about the wind-up watch; thanks. I'll check that out too. *smile*

## Post 42 by Eleni21 (I have proven to myself and the world that I need mental help) on Friday, 17-Sep-2010 10:54:50

To Jeff: Wow! That sounds perfect. So I could check the time here and in Greece, work on my astrology and keep track of the moon phases and maybe start following my Athenian calendar and keep track of lucky/unlucky days, ritual days etc. Plus, I can set alarms for all sorts of things and I don't have to listen to an annoying voice! I too would love a watch with a British voice, but I've only seen clocks with them. To GemiMoonTwinkleStar: I've heard of Future Aids but didn't know that they had a clock too. I felt exactly the same as you when I heard that these still existed. I'd heard of them but never saw one until I got mine. I've always loved the printed ones made in that style and was totally surprised and elated when the braille one turned out to be made the same way.

## Post 43 by synthesizer101 (I just keep on posting!) on Saturday, 18-Sep-2010 15:46:04

Unfortunately, I can't figure out where the watch came from, because I recieved it for a present 2 years ago, the person who gave it to me has died, and there is no print label on the watch. By the way, if you've heard of Steve's talking clock, you could ask the clock people where the "Brit Watch" voice came from.