# Stupidest invention I've seen today **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 27, 2008, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-invention-ive-seen-today/469860 "2008-10-27T23:07:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2008, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-invention-ive-seen-today/469860/1 "2008-10-27T23:07:46Z")
The Wolf Designs [Advanced Watch Rotator](http://gifts.redenvelope.com/gifts/wolfdesignsadvancedwatchrotator-25852704?viewpos=16&trackingpgroup=rgato&cobrand=RED&catid=rgato). You know – for the man with an expensive kinetic watch who just can’t bear to let the thing sit still. ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2008, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-invention-ive-seen-today/469860/2 "2008-10-27T23:23:34Z")
I kinda want one just so I can see the expression of people’s faces as I explain what it is and what it does. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2008, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-invention-ive-seen-today/469860/3 "2008-10-27T23:25:40Z")
And it’s ugly, too. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2008, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-invention-ive-seen-today/469860/4 "2008-10-27T23:28:53Z")
Don’t click on this link [Shop by Category | eBay](http://shop.ebay.com/items/_W0QQ_nkwZwatchQ20winderQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_mdoZ) or you will think the world gone mad. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2008, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-invention-ive-seen-today/469860/5 "2008-10-27T23:36:50Z")
You can get them for less at Sears. For the man that has everything, including a collection of self-winding watches, there are [more expensive ways](http://www.jewelryboxes.com/watch-winders-&-watch-boxes/watch-winders/ragargenuineblackleatheruprightwatchwinderholds12.cfm) to keep those watches wound. [Much, much more expensive…](http://www.automaticwatchwinder.com/bergamo-custom-watch-winder-40.html) ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2008, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-invention-ive-seen-today/469860/6 "2008-10-27T23:40:05Z")
What next? A rifle made of chocolate? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2008, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-invention-ive-seen-today/469860/7 "2008-10-27T23:41:37Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > You know – for the man with an expensive kinetic watch who just can’t bear to let the thing sit still. I have a watch winder. I’d look pretty silly wearing four watches at a time, so I wear one and keep three on the winder. It’s not because I can’t bear to let them sit still. It’s that keeping them running is good for them. It keeps the lubricants moving. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2008, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-invention-ive-seen-today/469860/8 "2008-10-27T23:42:51Z")
A mains-powered emergency generator A fan-driven wind turbine An artificially-illuminated solar array ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2008, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-invention-ive-seen-today/469860/9 "2008-10-27T23:54:50Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > An artificially-illuminated solar array I’ve seen a picture of one of those. A farm of solar panels circling a very very bright light on top of a tower. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2008, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-invention-ive-seen-today/469860/10 "2008-10-27T23:54:56Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I have a watch winder. I’d look pretty silly wearing four watches at a time, so I wear one and keep three on the winder. I’d wear them all. Look silly! ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-invention-ive-seen-today/469860/11 "2008-10-28T00:58:01Z")
[DVD rewinder.](http://www.dvguru.com/2006/10/03/the-dvd-rewinder/) ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-invention-ive-seen-today/469860/12 "2008-10-28T01:05:44Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > You can get them for less at Sears. > > For the man that has everything, including a collection of self-winding watches, there are [more expensive ways](http://www.jewelryboxes.com/watch-winders-&-watch-boxes/watch-winders/ragargenuineblackleatheruprightwatchwinderholds12.cfm) to keep those watches wound. [Much, much more expensive…](http://www.automaticwatchwinder.com/bergamo-custom-watch-winder-40.html) Someday I’d like to have enough money that I’d need to buy something to display and wind forty watches at the same time. Not that I’d ever actually _buy_ forty watches that I need to keep wound. But it sure would be nice to have that kind of money to spend frivolously. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-invention-ive-seen-today/469860/13 "2008-10-28T01:09:18Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > I’ve seen a picture of one of those. A farm of solar panels circling a very very bright light on top of a tower. Bwuh? I’ve seen a farm of mirrors encircling a tower, reflecting natural light at it to heat it up (and in so doing, making it appear bright), but there would be no point at all in constructing the thing you describe. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-invention-ive-seen-today/469860/14 "2008-10-28T01:39:34Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > I’ve seen a picture of one of those. A farm of solar panels circling a very very bright light on top of a tower. Mangetout is correct. The panels are not solar, they’re mirrors. And the tower is not the source of light, it’s where the sun’s rays are reflected to, collecting solar energy. ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-invention-ive-seen-today/469860/15 "2008-10-28T02:25:17Z")
> [@LurkMeister](#): > > Someday I’d like to have enough money that I’d need to buy something to display and wind forty watches at the same time. > > Not that I’d ever actually _buy_ forty watches that I need to keep wound. But it sure would be nice to have that kind of money to spend frivolously. For us watch collectors, it’s not so frivolous. 😉 The watchwinders become essential for people who don’t wear the same watch every day. Some of my watches have several complications, such as day, date, month that are a pain in the ass to reset each time I get ready to wear them. The watchwinder keeps them ready to wear. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-invention-ive-seen-today/469860/16 "2008-10-28T03:23:32Z")
Oh, I understand why someone who collects watches that need to be kept running would need a watchwinder. And I certainly didn’t mean to imply that collecting watches is frivolous. Or at least no more than me collecting books, which is what _I_ would spend that kind of money on. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-invention-ive-seen-today/469860/17 "2008-10-28T10:27:24Z")
Well… opinions differ. I have a couple of nice automatic Swiss watches and wouldn’t mind a winder to keep them going. It’s not about laziness at all; it’s just more healthy for the movement if it’s running all the time, as others have already stated. Consider that a regular 3-year overhaul on a nice Swiss watch costs around $500, then you can see why you would want to care for them in the best way possible. Stupidest? In your opinion. This particular model may be silly, but the concept addresses a true need. The quality winders work on a schedule and rotate quite slowly; the cheap ones just run forever at a 1RPM rate or some such, and aren’t very good for the movements. Frivolous? Don’t know. I drive cheap beater cars and wear nice Swiss watches. It’s just what I like. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![Merhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Merhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merhouse)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-invention-ive-seen-today/469860/18 "2008-10-28T14:24:52Z")
> [@Hockey\_Monkey](#): > > For us watch collectors, it’s not so frivolous. 😉 The watchwinders become essential for people who don’t wear the same watch every day. Some of my watches have several complications, such as day, date, month that are a pain in the ass to reset each time I get ready to wear them. The watchwinder keeps them ready to wear. Well, yeah, this does make perfect sense. For me, I was just wondering why I’d spend $350 to wind the $50 battery operated digital Casio I own that I wear 24/7 except in the shower 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-invention-ive-seen-today/469860/19 "2008-10-28T16:26:25Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Mangetout is correct. The panels are not solar, they’re mirrors. And the tower is not the source of light, it’s where the sun’s rays are reflected to, collecting solar energy. I didn’t say the tower was the source. I just said “very very bright light on top of a tower.” ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-invention-ive-seen-today/469860/20 "2008-10-28T16:29:00Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > Don’t click on this link [Shop by Category | eBay](http://shop.ebay.com/items/_W0QQ_nkwZwatchQ20winderQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_mdoZ) or you will think the world gone mad. I picked up a couple of these at an estate sale about a year ago for a few bucks each. I listed them at $10 each. Each sold for well over $100. Yes, there is a market for them.