An atomic watch doesn’t sound like something you’d want to wear on your wrist. Instead, it sounds more like something you’d need a radiation suit to protect yourself against.
In reality, an atomic watch is a marvel of modern technology – they also happen to be the most accurate time pieces on the planet.
If you’re a man who appreciates precision, an atomic watch might just be the perfect fit. Especially if you like the idea of having the watch everybody else sets their’s to.
In this guide, we’ll discuss what atomic watches are and how they work. We’ll also discuss who would probably get the most kick out of wearing them.
But first things first…
What Is An Atomic Watch?
If you’re guessing some type nuclear fusion fueled time keeping device, you’re not exactly wrong. At atomic watch does use the power of atoms, but maybe not the way you’re thinking.
An atomic watch is a watch that uses radio waves to receive signals from an atomic clock. The atomic clock determines the time and the atomic watch syncs itself with this time daily to ensure it’s always displaying the correct time.
Even as I write this, I can tell it sounds kind of confusing.
Atomic clocks are the most sophisticated time keeping machines on our planet. I’m not a quantum physicist, but generally speaking, these machines measure the oscillations of a caesium-133 atom to determine the exact length of a second.
If you assumed the second was determined by dividing down how long it takes the Earth t0 rotate, historically speaking, you’d be right.
But formally speaking, and for the sake of science and utmost precision, the International System of Units uses the atomic definition to determine the exact length of a second.
So, atomic clocks measure caesium-133 oscillations and somehow use this information to accurately measure each second (by the way, caesium oscillates over 9 billion times per second, crazy).
I don’t have the education to describe how these clocks operate, but it involves lasers, electrons, magnetic fields, and microwave-filled cavities.
The end result is the most accurate clock on the planet.
The United States has an atomic clock in Colorado and there are several others around the world. These atomic clocks are used to set GPS coordinates for satellites and even set wave frequencies for tv stations.
The atomic clock in Colorado is said to be so accurate that it would take 300 million years for it to lose a second.
Well, atomic watches sync their time with these atomic clocks daily to ensure they are keeping the most accurate time possible. That means when you’re wearing an atomic watch, you’re keeping the same time NASA is.
These watches communicate with the atomic watch in Colorado through a 60 kHz radio signal. Atomic watches have a small antenna built into them they can use to receive these daily signals and thus sync their time.
This means you never have to set these watches (theoretically, more on this later). And a lot of atomic watches don’t even have the mechanism to all you to set them.
Atomic Watches Aren’t Perfect
Ok, so now we know what these things are and we know that they keep the most accurate time. But even so, atomic watches aren’t perfect.
Keep in mind these devices are dependent on receiving a radio signal from the atomic clock they’re synced with to determine what time it is. What happens if they can’t receive this signal?
Well, simply put, they don’t get updated.
There are a few circumstances where you might find yourself in a position where you can’t sync up with your atomic clock.
The radio signal the atomic clock in Colorado uses can only travel 1,864 miles. This should handle most areas of the US, but if you’re outside of this radius, your watch isn’t going to receive its signal.
The same would be true if you were inside some heavily armored area that the radio signal couldn’t penetrate. Radio waves can go through most material, but if you were spending a lot of time in a bank vault or something like that, you might have syncing issues.
Of course as soon as you got back within range, the watch would receive its signal again when it was time to sync.
Another common issue would be when you traveled. A lot of atomic watches are designed to receive signals from the atomic clock in one country (different countries tend to use different signals).
So if you’re traveling between countries, your atomic watch might not be able to receive a signal until you return home. Although there are plenty of watches now that can receive multiple signals, allowing for uninterrupted travel.
Keep in mind too, your watch will continue to operate even if it isn’t receiving its daily signals from the atomic clock. The worst thing that could happen is that you may lose a second here or there until you sync back up.
Nowadays we are also seeing atomic watches that have been designed with GPS technology. These watches use GPS to determine where you are in the world and provide the accurate time in whatever time zone you happen to be.
Watches with GPS tech never require any setting. Ones without might require you to set a time zone here or there, so there could be a little bit of setting required of you.
Who Should Get An Atomic Watch
This is really a matter of taste. I don’t think anybody “needs” an atomic watch (unless you work at NASA or something), but there are some people that would get a kick out of owning one more than others.
If you’re into tech and enjoy owning the most advanced technology when it comes to phones or computers, an atomic watch might be up your alley because they represent the most advanced time keeping tech around.
An atomic watch would also be a good gift idea for someone who is all about punctuality. Your dad’s always late? Get him an atomic watch- then at least you know he knows what time it is.
I think an atomic watch would also work well for folks who are just into science. They’d probably enjoy knowing that their watch keeps the most accurate time in the world.
You might think that, because of the technology involved, these watches are really expensive. Believe it or not, atomic watches don’t really cost anymore than any other quartz watch.
Like any other watch, there are options available in all price ranges. You can get a decent Casio atomic watch for $30 or an advanced solar powered atomic watch with GPS for a few thousand bucks.
All depends on brand, features, and materials.
Big names in the atomic watch category include: Casio, Seiko, and Citizen. Citizen actually offered the first atomic watch back in the ’90s and they’re still going strong.
Overall, atomic watches represent the type of precision only advanced science can provide. These are the most accurate watches in the world and they definitely deserve a certain level of respect for that.
Few of us need this level of accuracy in a watch, but that doesn’t make having one any less cool.
Plus, if you’re wearing an atomic watch, you’ll always have a fun anecdote to break the ice at parties.