Why would skin PH have the slightest effect on a watch’s insides? I am assuming the back of the watch was not eaten through … ? Try turning the watch around your wrist so it’s on the inside, I bet it works fine since it’s now so much harder to knock against things.
To those who claim it’s electrical or magnetic in origin: why would any such effect happen to an electronic watch and not, say, a cell phone? The main difference of course is the presence of moving parts, meaning the problem is certainly mechanical in origin and not some mysterious force.
Why would skin PH have the slightest effect on a watch’s insides? I am assuming the back of the watch was not eaten through … ? Try turning the watch around your wrist so it’s on the inside, I bet it works fine since it’s now so much harder to knock against things.QUOTE]
As far as the pH level in the skin is concerned, perhaps you are right - I have no idea. As far as knocking the watch about, I am sure not. My 10-hour a day job is sitting at a computer doing research. Pretty hard to knock about a watch doing that. As far as wearing the watch on the inside on my wrist… have already tried it with the same effect. Thanks, though.
As far as the pH level in the skin is concerned, perhaps you are right - I have no idea. As far as knocking the watch about, I am sure not. My 10-hour a day job is sitting at a computer doing research. Pretty hard to knock about a watch doing that. As far as wearing the watch on the inside on my wrist… have already tried it with the same effect. Thanks, though.
That’s a lotta watches - especially as you imply there are more not to hand. And are you saying that all these watches lose time when you wear them?
I’d recommend getting a watch that never needs opening. As mentioned above, I’ve never had a watch last very long/work very reliably after battery replacement.
Sorry, I guess it is important to know that they are all quartz; stainless steel back; and analog (although I’m not really sure that’s important). There are only two with scratches on the crystal: the rest are in perfect condition. This only matters to say that they have not been banged up as the other chap was suggesting. Okay… now this is borderline obsession! I am just going to try attaching a piece of leather to the back of the watch so the metal back will not come in contact with my wrist.
Yes, each loses time when I wear it, but then starts keeping time again when I remove it. What type of watch never gets opened, and where do you find one?
If I had Vicory’s problem, I would apply for the Randi $1,000,000. It would take some time. And I’m not sure he could come to an agreement with the foundation. But there’s a big monetary upside and it would be a fun project regardless.
Where did you get the bolded part? If I could control it, I’d…well, I would have a nice looking watch to wear instead of this cheap Casio. I am not stopping them on purpose.
Also, I don’t get why you think this would be a fun project. Randi’s thing is on television, right? I can think of nothing more boring than watching someone sit around wearing a wristwatch for hours to make sure they haven’t done something to make the watch slow down/stop. Watching the watch tick away for many more hours on a dresser could at least be filmed automatically and then speeded up, but the part where you wear the watch, well, that would just be bad television.
I’m talking about fun to do, not fun to witness. To my way of thinking Suze and Vicory have super-powers: no watch can withstand them! Now I figure that there’s a mundane explanation for this, but the bearers of this talent believe otherwise. If I were them I’d be curious about what the heck is going on. And the possibility of a cool $1 mill is certainly an incentive. I mean if there’s really something in their arms that stops watches, then Science should learn about it. At least if there’s a possible book deal involved.
On my anomalies reports site, many of the “watch stopper” people report that they cannot own cellphones (which crash, the batteries rapidly drain, etc.) Some say they can’t own computers, or even have cashier jobs (crashing the cash register.)
Here’s a handfull of those stories about users w/computer problems from a library sci site:
Digital watches are very simple devices. They have a quartz oscillator which vibrates at a specific frequency, a circuit that counts the pulses from the oscillator, and a display unit.
The quartz oscillator could change its output based on temperature, mechanical stresses, and some other things. But nothing in the range of what can happen on your wrist. For instance, at 80 degrees C, a normal quartz oscillator slows by about 60 parts per million. Not only is 80 C a ridiculous temperature for a human, but 60 ppm is nowhere enough to account for losing a minute per hour.
The counting circuit could conceivably be disrupted by electromagnetic interference. But humans can’t produce radio signals, at least not ones strong enough to affect a watch. Temperature, moisture, etc. can’t affect the circuit unless you are so sopping wet that water invades the unit. And in that case you are more likely to see a total shutdown rather than a slowdown.
If you are producing strong radio signals, or better yet have a time modification field centered on your wrist, then it would by Randi’s standards count as a paranormal phenomenon.
The million dollar prize does not require something interesting for TV; only a suitably reproducible phenomenon and where the standards for “success” (agreed upon in advance) are met. Of course, it has to be done in a fashion that eliminates any possibility of cheating–Randi, being a magician, has a particular talent for using simple techniques for spotting cheats. If you have a real talent, you would have nothing to worry about here.
So all in all, you can win a million bucks for a day or two of work.
Bolded part was something like “physical processes you control.” That is not the case. I don’t even know it’s a physical process, therefore how on earth could I control it? It’s just pure luck that 9 out of every 10 watches I’ve bought have failed to keep accurate time or stopped altogether.
And if you think that sounds like I’ve bought a lot of watches–yes, I have. Just trying to find one that works. Which I finally did.
So “if you have a real talent” is kind of hilarious. This is not a feature, it’s a bug.
If it’s not a physical process, then you have an even greater claim to paranormal behavior.
By “control”, I meant in a general sense. You don’t consciously control your heart rate or temperature (although some people can with practice), but your body does. However, your body does not emit significant radio waves, either consciously or not.
You may view this talent as a bug, but you are greatly underestimating the magnitude of the discovery. It would rank among the most important discoveries of all mankind, and earn Nobel Prizes for any number of scientists. Many important discoveries started as an observation of a strange quirk of nature, and when investigated thoroughly opened up an incredible avenue of research.