# Aestus - a Nixie watch with custom made nixie tube



## vladimirVD

Hi All,

I am starting a new thread that is just continuing on my previous one: https://www.watchuseek.com/f77/first-true-nixie-watch-concept-1482449.html

We have a new design concept that I want to present, and I would appreciate some comments. So far, some people think that it is excellent and some think it is not so good, but this what we have right now. There is some room for improvements, especially in the dial area - we might need to chose different materials or shapes, so any suggestions are welcome.

Don't look too much at the buckle or strap - they are not fully designed yet. Pushers will be changed too - we might even go for capacitive touch ones.
As you can see, charging port is changed, it is not USB anymore, we will have magnetic charging cable to be attached on the caseback.

The size of the case is still big, but not to big: 46mm width, 58mm lugs to lugs, 15mm of total thickness, 24mm strap width.

Only high quality materials will be used: 316L stainless steel case, sapphire crystal, carbon fiber dial, Italian rubber band or/and a genuine leather strap.

All internal mechanics are sorted out, electronics and batteries too, and the only thing left is to finalize the tube productions process.

As for tube production progress, it is still slow, due to very long lead times for any parts that we order (in months  ). But, we had a major breakthrough last week and that was the last technical obstacle we had, so now I need to wait for couple of months for the new parts to make a new prototype.

Be patient guys, it is going to happen!


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## The Guvnah

You did it, fantastic! I've had my fingers crossed for you seeing this one to completion.:-!:-!:-!

Styling = Yes. I'd wear it in a heartbeat, size = not too bad at all, I've been wearing an Orca today and it seems to be in the same size range as that apart from the lug to lug dimension and that wears very comfortably to the degree that I barely notice it. Truly excellent work on the tubes V, much kudos is due to you duder. And so we come to the question of where do you think the likely price point will be???

|>Guv|>


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## nixiebunny

Nice looking design. It should be quite comfortable to wear. 

Curious that it's almost exactly the same size as my two-digit square Nixie watch that uses old, glass Nixie tubes.


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## vladimirVD

Thanks for your comments, guys.

I just had this case 3D printed and it sits on the wrist pretty nice, even on my thin wrist. I need to do it in stainless steel too, to see is it really good or not, hope I'll manage it soon.

As for price, I am not sure - I had to improve some of the technologies that I use, some parts I have to source from US instead from China, which makes it five times more expensive. But that is the only way to do it. Many technologies I use are just for military or space applications, so it makes everything very expensive. But, my idea is not to make limited edition of crazily expensive watches, I want to make it affordable enough for the most of the people who would be interested in it.
So I hope that, at the end, price will not be more than $1500, and if I manage to set it around $1000 I will be satisfied. But it all depends on many factors that I have to calculate in following period.


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## Chascomm

That's definitely taking Nixie watches to the next level :-!


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## watchobs

This mishmash of different designs characteristics IMHO absolutely works! Really liking how the nixie's contrast against that industrial styled case! Will look forward to see where your slight tweaking brings you, but so far so good!


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## ADAM Watches

Nice case! I would definitely drop in a nice automatic movement and a detailed dial to even make this more beautiful.


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## sgrenald

Very cool! Please keep us updated!


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## ronalddheld

sgrenald said:


> Very cool! Please keep us updated!


Yes what he said


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## vladimirVD

Here are a couple of updated renders.














We have good news regarding the our nixie tube itself - we finally have a fully hermetic tube with all components sealed inside. The lead times for any part of the tube are huge (90+ days) but finally we managed to design, assemble and weld a perfect tube, and to stabilize the production process.
We are a couple of months away of fully functional prototype.


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## pIonEerOFtHeNiLe

this is very cool. part of me wishes that the time is on a single line, but your dial/face does look like it supports it well


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## vladimirVD

I do have some plans for a nixie watch with 4 digits in line, that will be my next model. It will be made as 4 very small separate tubes. But, I won't start the development of that model for at least a year.

Anyway, one more info, we'll most probably use a full titanium case.


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## watchobs

Based on necessity for length of case to accommodate tubes it makes total sense to go with the lighter titanium for this piece. Keep those updates coming ;-)


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## pIonEerOFtHeNiLe

i really like this watch. you say the price is going to be 1-$1500? any chance at making the price lower?


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## R2rs

Wow, cool design! That's real electronic watch!


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## vladimirVD

pIonEerOFtHeNiLe said:


> i really like this watch. you say the price is going to be 1-$1500? any chance at making the price lower?


Ah, the price... the parts and the whole production process is very expensive. To make this tube, I'm using some of the technologies used for military and space applications. If we make a KickStarter campaign, there is a possibility of reducing the price under $1K during the campaign, but not too much. It will depend on the goal quantity, since there is a huge difference in price of the parts for 100 and 1000 pieces.


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## Kai Schraml

Pretty unique and sharp. Well done! I look forward to seeing where it goes from here.


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## rmcsherry

Great job, the case is nicely designed and very unique. The contrast on the dial shown in your first post (second render) is cool, much more interesting than a flat single colour dial. This is definitely the first nixie tube watch I'd consider, and hats off to you for commissioning custom tubes! 

Sent from my LG-H850 using Tapatalk


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## watchcrazy007

I like it. Keep us updated when is available.


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## carpeeyon

the concept is awesome. 
how well do you think it will deal with bangs, small drops etc?


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## vladimirVD

Thanks for your comments!

Finally I have a major update - all the issues are sorted out and the tube is finally working as it should be. We have managed to get perfect parameters of the tube, similar to those of old nixie tubes (breaking voltage, minimum current for the glow, etc.)

Here is one photo of the tube working:
- I took this photo with the phone camera so the digit glow is oversaturated, but in person, it looks much more natural and more even (I'll have some professional photos soon, as soon as we fin all in the prototype case)


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## dadog13

I like this one A LOT!!! Any updates available?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## NixieLover

Hi Vlad and everyone else.

I just registered so I can just drop in and say: Wow this project is awesome. I love the design, minimalist and sleek, and the progress so far. I'll be following this thread closely. Any progress since your last update Vlad?


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## vladimirVD

NixieLover said:


> Hi Vlad and everyone else.
> 
> I just registered so I can just drop in and say: Wow this project is awesome. I love the design, minimalist and sleek, and the progress so far. I'll be following this thread closely. Any progress since your last update Vlad?


Thanks for your comment! I am in finalizing state now, where I work on many detalis of the watch. I had to redo the rubber band design since we had one very complicated design at some point. Now we are near our final model, I am just about to print it, and if we are satisfied, I'll order my first titanium samples of the case from the factory.

Regarding the nixie tube itself, we have finished and defined the whole production process, and we are just waiting for the case design to be finished so we can have our full prototypes.

Once we have the full prototypes (in 3-4 months probably) we will make it official.


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## vladimirVD

Here is one new render of the latest case, band and dial design. All comments are welcomed.

Materials: Titanium case, rubber band and sapphire crystal.


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## Gunnar_917

I love the idea of this watch!

i prefer your initials design. Smoothing out the sharper edges make it look a bit too much like a fitness watch where as the earlier ones it subtly has more presence. I do like the new band though. 

Maybe throw in in a bit of orange/yellow on the band to complement the nixie digits


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## Denesenko

vladimirVD said:


> View attachment 11059266
> 
> 
> Here is one new render of the latest case, band and dial design. All comments are welcomed.
> 
> Materials: Titanium case, rubber band and sapphire crystal.


I like this design
What size of the case?


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## vladimirVD

Denesenko said:


> I like this design
> What size of the case?


The case is 46mm wide, 57mm lug to lug and 14mm in thickness.

It is big, but not too big, I think.


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## Denesenko

Thanks for the info.


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## bobijoe

Interesting concept, I love the picture of the actual tubes 
Would you have an exploded view, or a rendering of the case alone? Do you know how you will produce it?


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## vladimirVD

bobijoe said:


> Interesting concept, I love the picture of the actual tubes
> Would you have an exploded view, or a rendering of the case alone? Do you know how you will produce it?


Thanks! Well, I won't show the insides of the tube, since the construction itself is part the patent that I am about to file.

I am working with some case manufacturers right now, tying to agree on all details and to get a prototype. It is a long process, with many changes along the way. Big challenge here is also the inside construction of the case, where all should fit - the tube, batteries, electronics and charging port, but it is all sorted now.


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## stonehead887

It is great to see this concept coming along. I followed the original thread and hoped the tech difficulties could be overcome. Kudos for perseverance. I love the design, it modern without being quirky. Dimensions are large but it's a small trade off for such an interesting and unique watch. This is watch I would love to have in the collection. I shall be awaiting updates eagerly. Well done.

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk


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## NixieLover

Good to see everything is coming along Vlad. I like the new design but I think I liked the previous one more, more contrasting lines and slightly less round. Any new updates since march ? I'm looking forward to more info


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## vladimirVD

NixieLover said:


> Good to see everything is coming along Vlad. I like the new design but I think I liked the previous one more, more contrasting lines and slightly less round. Any new updates since march ? I'm looking forward to more info


Actually, you are right, I had a problem with that design. We developed it for too long, trying to compensate the size and about 3 weeks ago I rejected it completely and started all over again.

I downsized the tube a bit and batteries too to be able to have a better design. This time we went for lugless design, no bezel and 4 crystals instead of one, no dial too. I will post some renders here during the week.

Regards,
Vladimir


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## NixieLover

Oooh interesting I'm looking forward to the new renders then ^^. How are the supplier deals going, and are you nearing a prototype ?


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## pIonEerOFtHeNiLe

interested in seeing the new version. will it be smaller than the last one?


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## vladimirVD

We are working on couple of different concepts of the case. At one point we went maybe too far and came up with this retro-future model. What do you think guys? It is in development, we need to work on many details. But please share your thoughts.

New dimensions: 43 x 51 x 14mm


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## Jeff Scott

Very cool! Neil Armstrong would have worn this to the moon. :-!


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## stone1

A very nice update. Looks very futuristic...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## pIonEerOFtHeNiLe

b


vladimirVD said:


> We are working on couple of different concepts of the case. At one point we went maybe too far and came up with this retro-future model. What do you think guys? It is in development, we need to work on many details. But please share your thoughts.
> 
> New dimensions: 43 x 51 x 14mm
> 
> View attachment 12206378
> View attachment 12206386


i can't speak for all but it appears the second design version isn't nearly as nice and as practical looking as the first. you're already dealing with unusual, why make it more than that. you have to focus on what people would be willing to wear. not some art object or space odyssey watch.


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## vladimirVD

Thanks for your comments guys!

Actually, I agree with the last comment - I have this struggle myself, whether to go with unusual design like this or with a classic one where nixie display itself would be the unusual part. I am working on this for some time (2 years  ) and I must say that it is very tricky to achieve something good in both direction. One of the problem is that watch designers are a bit confused how to approach such an unusual display. It is hard to find a balance, and I still don't have an optimal solution.
In last couple of months I am working with one Swiss watch design company I am hopping to get better output and ideas.

I'll post soon as I get the updates myself.


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## iltl32

Damnit. Now I want one. What would battery life look like?


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## stonehead887

Glad to see things are progressing. Really interested to see this one finalised. I prefer the original design and renders. The latest version for me is a bit too futuristic. Looks like part of a Batmobile. I appreciate the watch is all about the tubes but I would still prefer to have sort of face or dial as opposed to apatures where the digits show. Looking forward to the next update 

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk


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## vladimirVD

iltl32 said:


> Damnit. Now I want one. What would battery life look like?


Don't worry too much, I still like it, although it is obviously a not good design for the first version. I will release limited edition of the futuristic case at one moment, I have to . I have 3D printed the case, and people either like it very much or don't like it at all.

Next week I am meeting my Swiss designers in person, they will start the work soon. My work with them so far seems very promising. I'll keep you updated.


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## vladimirVD

And yes, about battery - from the current calculations, with normal usage, 1-3 months per one charge.


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## papou.79

Hello,
Almost one year already without news, could you give us some information on the progress of your project.
Regards.


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## BlueSmokeLounge

I'm also curious as to the status of this project. Would love to get an update.


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## vladimirVD

Hello guys, it has been a long year! 

Last year in July I started to negotiate with my new Swiss designers. We started to work on the new concept of the case in September but it didn't went that smooth as I expected. Thanks to them, I was forced to change almost everything regarding the design of the electronics and batteries, and also some things regarding the tube itself so we could get the optimal size, proportional to the display - and after a lot of work and different ideas we have a good solution.
I will not yet post the case design, until it is fully finished - will be done in one month or so.

The nixie tube itself is working fine, I am using this time to perfect the production and aging process and the driving of the tube. Lately I was again working on my power circuit and I managed to make it 87% efficient.

To remind you, any change regarding the tube costs me a lot of time and money, since minimum lead time for parts is 4 months. Anyway, in June, I will assemble my final tube prototype, fit the latest electronics and custom made battery and then wait for prototype cases.
For cases I will need to wait at least 3-4 months after the design is done.

So, let me give you some rough estimation: I think that it is realistic to have full prototypes of the watch by October. After that I will promote the watch in one way or another and try to run the full production in 3 months after that. So it might be a Kickstarter campaign or some other way to pre-sale it, or not pre-sale it at all, we'll see.
Anyway, by this timeline, the first shipping of the watch might happen in February 2019.

You probably noticed that I move this dates freely - the reason is that I am not rushing to the market, I often discard big chunks of previous work for a better idea, perfecting the watch over time.

Please have patience and when the time comes, support me by purchasing the watch - I plan to expand this company and brand and to make more unique and new designs based on nixie technology, but not just nixie, I have many ideas, you'll see


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## A.J. Franzman

vladimirVD said:


> We are working on couple of different concepts of the case. At one point we went maybe too far and came up with this retro-future model. What do you think guys? It is in development, we need to work on many details. But please share your thoughts.
> 
> New dimensions: 43 x 51 x 14mm
> 
> View attachment 12206378
> View attachment 12206386


I love it! To me, it is reminiscent of the Ragen Synchronar a.k.a. Sunwatch.

But I like the other shape too, and am not so fussy that any of the revisions seems much better or worse than another. One thing that bothers me with it is the possibility that it will need a custom-molded rubber strap. In my experience, the usual polyurethane rubber is not good for daily wear beyond about 10-15 years before it starts to disintegrate. When that happens, how will wearers get replacements? I have noticed that this exact problem frustrates collectors of some mass-production watches such as Casio's G-Shock models. Just when the majority of users (who haven't previously broken or severely injured theirs in accidents) start needing replacement rubber parts due to age deterioration, Casio has discontinued them and they're no longer available.

I guess I'm in the minority also, that I would like this watch with the original round case design too. But I'm one of those freaks who occasionally wears David "Nixiebunny" Forbes's original round nixie watch (the same one Woz is famous for, but I wear mine on a wide leather "gladiator"-style strap, wider than the watch, like those that were somewhat popular in the 1970s) and I like it. And I have worn a G-Shock Raysman as my daily watch for decades.


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## usa-60

Great project, wish you success!


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## watchobs

Hopefully, you're still on point for getting this concept to production, it's been awhile since previous update? Would also like to see an update on how some of your other project/concepts are shaping up? I'm also hoping the grind of getting a intricate project such as this off the ground, hasn't discouraged your initial initiative of seeing this wonderful project/idea through to reality.


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## Shogun506

I don't understand.. is this in production?


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## vladimirVD

Hello all,

Again, it has been a while since my last post - the reason for that is mostly my full engagement in my daily job. Among other stuff, I am currently managing one big IoT project with development, production and deployment of tens of thousands of devices for underground vaults security. So I was quite busy last year and I had very little time to work on my watch - which was very frustrating. I need to finish it fast, I has been too long, 6+ years...

Anyway, last time I mentioned I hired new Swiss designers which were supposed to deliver the final design. Again, it was challenging, but we had a lot of good results - the case size was quite reduced and all internal mechanics were solved, much better than I expected. I had to redesign the tube itself which took away couple of months for new parts to arrive and new tubes to be assembled and tested.

However, the style and design of the case turned out to be a bit problematic. We had a good idea, good story, good inspiration and I liked initial renders, but when I did 3D prints, I figured that the design gives a different impression. So I took it upon myself to figure out what to do with the design since most of the watch designers struggle with the nixie display - it is just not what they are used to, there are no dial, hands, no circular movements, there is depth in the stacked numbers, odd ratio of the display size and case size, the thickness - all that needs to be solved and in the style of the story that inspires it.

So, I played with the design and currently I am working on this one:






















Clasp is just just grabbed from GrabCAD 

There is still a lot of work to be done here. And I am not even sure I am on the right path - but hopefully it will be clear soon - comments are welcome.

The dimensions are:

Width - 39mm
Length - 49mm
Thickness - 14mm

So I would say it is not over-sized anymore.

I hope I will have more for you soon.

Also, I did some negotiations with case manufacturers, but if anybody can recommend a reliable manufacturer (Chinese or European) I would appreciate that very much! One could never have too few good contacts!


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## vladimirVD

Shogun506 said:


> I don't understand.. is this in production?


It will be soon


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## Hands of Time

This is an interesting concept! I have some ideas but need to know a bit of the requirements here.

Now this is the most fundamental question: Do the numbers have to be aligned like that? IMO it is rather distracting/hard to read. If they were from left to right like a digital watch, that would be more familiar and more in line with the nixie philosophy I think (means more cool at the same time). This is a small customer base watch and it is not going to be bought by your average Tag Heuer wearer. It is a steampunk-ish attention catcher. You should not be concerned about going over the top or too weird with the design. Of course it should be stylish and classy in the way it is supposed to be. Did you have a story for the design? Or general outlines for the style? Right now, it looks a bit like an amped up smartwatch with a bit of a space/sci-fi vibe. If this is what you're going for, then awesome. I'm just wondering if I could make suggestions.  Function-wise, I'm concerned about the visibility of the numbers from an angle, this is why I would suggest a more open case. Or do you want it to have these deep windows? That's a cool thing too, they "shine from the depths of the watch".  Anyway, let me know if you want some suggestions or talk about the design, would be more than happy to help. Btw, I'm a designer.


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## watchobs

vladimirVD said:


> Hello all,
> 
> Again, it has been a while since my last post - the reason for that is mostly my full engagement in my daily job. Among other stuff, I am currently managing one big IoT project with development, production and deployment of tens of thousands of devices for underground vaults security. So I was quite busy last year and I had very little time to work on my watch - which was very frustrating. I need to finish it fast, I has been too long, 6+ years...
> 
> Anyway, last time I mentioned I hired new Swiss designers which were supposed to deliver the final design. Again, it was challenging, but we had a lot of good results - the case size was quite reduced and all internal mechanics were solved, much better than I expected. I had to redesign the tube itself which took away couple of months for new parts to arrive and new tubes to be assembled and tested.
> 
> However, the style and design of the case turned out to be a bit problematic. We had a good idea, good story, good inspiration and I liked initial renders, but when I did 3D prints, I figured that the design gives a different impression. So I took it upon myself to figure out what to do with the design since most of the watch designers struggle with the nixie display - it is just not what they are used to, there are no dial, hands, no circular movements, there is depth in the stacked numbers, odd ratio of the display size and case size, the thickness - all that needs to be solved and in the style of the story that inspires it.
> 
> So, I played with the design and currently I am working on this one:
> View attachment 13778259
> 
> View attachment 13778261
> 
> View attachment 13778263
> 
> 
> Clasp is just just grabbed from GrabCAD
> 
> There is still a lot of work to be done here. And I am not even sure I am on the right path - but hopefully it will be clear soon - comments are welcome.
> 
> The dimensions are:
> 
> Width - 39mm
> Length - 49mm
> Thickness - 14mm
> 
> So I would say it is not over-sized anymore.
> 
> I hope I will have more for you soon.
> 
> Also, I did some negotiations with case manufacturers, but if anybody can recommend a reliable manufacturer (Chinese or European) I would appreciate that very much! One could never have too few good contacts!


Personally I like what you've accomplished in regards to your most recent changes. The styling of case looks good, and I'm also okay with the Nixie tube stacking look, it has a suitably "military 24hr. time" look. Would it look better to have all the Nixie's to line up in succesion, yeah, probably, but, based on what I think your attempting to do by making the case size not too look to large and/or cumbersome, then I completely understand why you would go with the "stacked" look of the tubes. The only thing I would like to see tweaked involves using either a black IP and/or bronze/brass alloy for the case, that way the tubes would have a more harmonic look with the case. Outside of that I think you are on point with the direction you're leaning towards.


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## vladimirVD

Guys, thanks for your comments! I spoke to so many people over last couple of years (which is not very good for finishing the design  ) and I found many thoughts and opinions useful which made me change the design a lot (as you can see from first posts).

Anyway, I am pretty open with my progress and work and I feel free to discuss it. I'll try to answer most of the questions.

Regarding 2x2 digit alignment, that is the only mechanical solution for multiplexed nixie tube which is made as metal header with hermetically sealed window on top (insanely expensive process, btw). If I place 4 digits in a raw I would need to use much more space for the tube itself and the case design would be much more difficult. Also, in this custom made tube, there are no actual tubes, it is rectangular header 31 x 31 x 8.5 mm. Glass window is on top and the digit stack can not be viewed from a side. That is a trade-off to space, and I believe it is a good one.
However, I do have plans to make very small glass tubes (<10mm dia. ) and to make a new watch using them. In that case, stacked digits will be 4 in a raw and completely open. But developing that is a very long process. I want to launch this one first.

I don't think anybody will have any problem to read it. Like with any watch with unusual display (Urwerk, SevenFriday, etc.), you need to adjust for the first time and then it is easy.

I do have a story developed, and we did started from it. The story is about alternate future - How would digital watch look like if the nixie display was the only digital display available (no LED or LCD) - So it would be an alternate present/future similar to pre-war Fallout world. Initial inspiration for the case was artwork from 40s and 50s about future vehicles, as they imagined it (flying, nuclear, rocket cars and spaceships). This particular design went a bit more to sci-fi (inspired more with 80s artwork of small spaceships), but it works better with the nixie display than initial ideas. The story itself and marketing material will try connect it all together.

The main problem in design, mechanically is a couple of things - The watch has to be big enough to be able to contain the tube battery and electronics. So first, we need to have a good ratio of size of the digits, crystal and case. Second thing, it's thick - 14mm. With this thickness and the size of the digits, you quickly see that the design of outer shape and opening is very limiting and you quickly end up in something that doesn't fit. When watch designers start to work on it, usually their ideas are not even close to be applicable. Once you satisfy all ratios and sizes, it is something completely different.

The thickness made me go for sort of lugless shape, otherwise it is too bulky. To make it less bulky you need to make it more wide, and then you screw the ratio between digit and case size. Lugless design lead to too much metal so I compensated with these vertical cuts on the case and black details, which actually go along with the story, I would say.

I am doing a 3D print tomorrow to see will it really work, if I like it, I'll continue with this design.

@Hands of Time, thank you for offering your suggestions, I appreciate that! PM me, we'll go from there.

@watchobs, once I finish the design I'll make different versions with different materials, we'll see what works the best - bronze and brass would add to the steampunk spirit - although I am trying not to come too close to steampunk due to limited market interest in that.

I did one interesting render - remember how newer nixie tubes had red foil over glass to filter out the blue mercury glow - I can use red tinted crystal, which would go great with black PVD case:


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## dspt

nice developments!

the new renders leave the impression the digits are very deep inside. there's a feeling it's possible to shave a lot of height by bringing the crystal down. this might be just an illusion, though, as you can't quite see on renders how the tubes and electronics fill the space.

apart from that, the new case is a bit too symmetrical to my tastes. adding subtle asymmetry (besides the buttons) to top and bottom parts could add some character, imho


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## papou.79

Hello everyone,

What I'm worried about is not the look of the watch, it's the *Nixie display*.
Indeed it's the most sensitive part in the life watch.

The hermeticity of the passage of the inner electrodes to outside the Nixie tube is fundamental and represents a great technical complexity.
Neon gas leaks over time are a very difficult parameter to control at this level,
even Dalibor Farny on his big series had had problems in production?

Do you have pictures of your Nixie display to tell us how you solve 
these reliability issues over time on very small runs.

Thank you in advance for your information.
Papou.79


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## vladimirVD

dspt said:


> nice developments!
> 
> the new renders leave the impression the digits are very deep inside. there's a feeling it's possible to shave a lot of height by bringing the crystal down. this might be just an illusion, though, as you can't quite see on renders how the tubes and electronics fill the space.
> 
> apart from that, the new case is a bit too symmetrical to my tastes. adding subtle asymmetry (besides the buttons) to top and bottom parts could add some character, imho


I can say that the digits are as minimally deep as possible and I spent a lot of time to make sure that is accomplished. There are several reasons for digits depth:

1. Sputtering - Digits need to be away from the glass so that the glass is not affected by sputtering effect. In regular round nixie tubes you have this too, but since the tube is all glass, it is not that noticeable.

2. Thickness of the glass - we need the window glass on the hermetic seal to be thick to be sustainable to mechanical shock and to have more surface to seal to the surrounding metal frame. Hermetic sealing of the glass and metal is science for itself and this is the part where I researched, tested and invested most of my time and money. Thickness of the window glass is 1.5mm

3. On top of the tube we need a dial and a crystal. I kept it as minimal as possible, but some depth for these elements is needed too. Space between the tube and the crystal is less than 1mm.


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## vladimirVD

papou.79 said:


> Hello everyone,
> 
> What I'm worried about is not the look of the watch, it's the *Nixie display*.
> Indeed it's the most sensitive part in the life watch.
> 
> The hermeticity of the passage of the inner electrodes to outside the Nixie tube is fundamental and represents a great technical complexity.
> Neon gas leaks over time are a very difficult parameter to control at this level,
> even Dalibor Farny on his big series had had problems in production?
> 
> Do you have pictures of your Nixie display to tell us how you solve
> these reliability issues over time on very small runs.
> 
> Thank you in advance for your information.
> Papou.79


Good question, but no worries. As I said in my previous reply, I spent most of my time on this issue. BTW, that is why the case design is so frustrating - it is just the looks, but it will be crucial to the market response. As an engineer, I felt that my job was done once I finished the work on the tube, but oh no... the troubles just started 

I don't want to reveal all my secrets regarding the tube, but I can reveal the obvious ones. I spent first 2 years just researching and testing many different technologies to make such a small tube with 4 digits, and another 2 years perfecting the technologies I chose.

I use kovar (cobalt nickel and iron alloy) headers with glass feedthroughs for my electrical connections (these are used in military / space technologies and in microwave circuits). Those are very durable and leak proof. They will not leak to spoil the noble gas inside, in 100 years.
For windowed lid, I use the same technology but instead of feedthroughs the whole window is sealed in the kovar frame. Very few companies in the world make those, especially large windows like mine. These technologies are meant for lasers and such stuff where openings are much smaller, so it is expensive.
I have developed additional features for vacuuming, gas and mercury dosing and activating the getter inside without RF power, but I can't reveal all specific procedures.
The construction inside is made of stainless steal and zirconia layers with some PVD coating on some parts.
Lid and header are laser welded together and the whole tube is tested and proven to be leak proof below 10^(-12) mBar l/s. That is the minimum my equipment can measure.

Small run or big run, the process is the same.

Is my answer good enough?


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## dspt

I have no clue how it works for nixie tubes, but for regular digital watches there's no empty space between the crystal and the LCD/LED screen. They are just stacked one on top of another. And there's no dial, usually. just a thin film or coat of paint on the inner side of the crystal.


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## t3tan3k

This is really cool, but I strongly prefer the original case design you posted, that or the one on page 3 of this thread. Basically, I think that to me, a watch like this in a lug-less case would look cheap... Jut my 2c. Good luck with this!

t3tan3k


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## A.J. Franzman

One thing I like about the most recent case version from posts #53 and 57, is that it seems to use a strap attached by conventional watch strap spring bars. The strap and clasp may be custom-made, but if (when) they fail, there will always be lots of possibilities for replacement if originals are no longer available.


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## dec

REALLY waiting to see how this turns out! I feel your pain with the design side... I'm wondering who the intended market is? Is it tech guys, who know about nixies, and might be convinced to buy a fun watch to wear a lot? Or is it watch collectors looking for an ultra-cool oddity to add to their rotation? Like a lot of people here I have a ton of normal dress/sport/vintage/etc watches, for me the reason I would buy this watch would be if it creates a strong Nixie-Punk / retro-future aesthetic. The design of #37 captures this best for me, but still a bit safe for my tastes. I might be unusual in that! It's a little bit like the challenge facing designers of modern vinyl record players! Several different markets/price brackets/aesthetic approaches...


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## DECO665

That is one sweet watch.


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## Tienenaar

If the black PVD case will be available and have a good price I might be tempted to buy one. Would just need to have a black Milanese strap on it and it would be perfect for me.


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## vladimirVD

Hello everybody,

I just wanted to drop in to say hi, and to tell you that we just have ordered our first batch of watch case samples. The design of the case does not look like anything I showed here earlier - simple the search for the right designer was a long and costly one, but finally it paid off.

I can't post my designs here yet, since we need to protect it first - anyway, I'll post some pictures once the case is finished - unfortunately, it will be in 4 months because manufacturer's lead time is very long.

There will be three variants, with one fully black PVD included.


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## watchobs

vladimirVD said:


> Hello everybody,
> 
> I just wanted to drop in to say hi, and to tell you that we just have ordered our first batch of watch case samples. The design of the case does not look like anything I showed here earlier - simple the search for the right designer was a long and costly one, but finally it paid off.
> 
> I can't post my designs here yet, since we need to protect it first - anyway, I'll post some pictures once the case is finished - unfortunately, it will be in 4 months because manufacturer's lead time is very long.
> 
> There will be three variants, with one fully black PVD included.


Good to read that you're concepts are coming together, and production of this projct is soon to realized. Do you have a general idea in regards to how many of each variant might be produced? General price point? Will you be using a "crowd funding" vehicle to help defer the cost, or, are you going to take on the project cost on a more personal level?

Even if this project ends up out of my budgetary restraints, I'm really happy that you've persevered to bring this project to this point, and I'm really excited to see it realized!

Will now look forward to the next update, in what appears to early Spring.


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## nr77v

Hi VladimirVD, is there any update to this project? surely looks amazing,


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## pIonEerOFtHeNiLe

it's been a while. good to see things moving along


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## tritongh

Looks nice!


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## MichaGue

vladimirVD said:


> Hello everybody,
> 
> I just wanted to drop in to say hi, and to tell you that we just have ordered our first batch of watch case samples. The design of the case does not look like anything I showed here earlier - simple the search for the right designer was a long and costly one, but finally it paid off.
> 
> I can't post my designs here yet, since we need to protect it first - anyway, I'll post some pictures once the case is finished - unfortunately, it will be in 4 months because manufacturer's lead time is very long.
> 
> There will be three variants, with one fully black PVD included.


Hi Vladimir, I am curious about the status of the watch. Can you tell us something new? Thanks.


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## papou.79

vladimirVD said:


> Hello everybody,
> 
> I just wanted to drop in to say hi, and to tell you that we just have ordered our first batch of watch case samples. The design of the case does not look like anything I showed here earlier - simple the search for the right designer was a long and costly one, but finally it paid off.
> 
> I can't post my designs here yet, since we need to protect it first - anyway, I'll post some pictures once the case is finished - unfortunately, it will be in 4 months because manufacturer's lead time is very long.
> 
> There will be three variants, with one fully black PVD included.





vladimirVD said:


> Hello everybody,
> 
> I just wanted to drop in to say hi, and to tell you that we just have ordered our first batch of watch case samples. The design of the case does not look like anything I showed here earlier - simple the search for the right designer was a long and costly one, but finally it paid off.
> 
> I can't post my designs here yet, since we need to protect it first - anyway, I'll post some pictures once the case is finished - unfortunately, it will be in 4 months because manufacturer's lead time is very long.
> 
> There will be three variants, with one fully black PVD included.


Hello Vladimir, Nixie watch your project is still alive, no news since 15 months. Regards.


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## vladimirVD

Hello everybody,

Let me give you an update. As you can imagine the process for industrialising this watch is very complicated, full of risks and hidden costs. It also requires a lot of time.
I finished the case design and I produced the case prototypes with two revisions of the dial - this alone took a year of my time mostly for talking and waiting on the manufacturers.

I also worked on setting up my new lab and workshop dedicated just to this watch, purchasing and installing new equipment (you should see my happiness when I install something new in my lab )

I also have a full time job as a director of engineering in a company with 50 engineers, so that takes most of my time, especially in these troubled times.

Anyway, I slowed the development a bit, but I still work on it. I hope to have finalized prototypes in the next two months (I finally have all the parts) and then I will upload couple of photos.

Also, I am trying not to hurry too much at this moment, since the price of this watch will have to be a bit higher - and I believe these days people will cut down on luxuries. So I would like to avoid this moment to get on the market.


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## B.Kohr

Looks like a cool idea.


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## watchobs

vladimirVD said:


> Hello everybody,
> 
> Let me give you an update. As you can imagine the process for industrialising this watch is very complicated, full of risks and hidden costs. It also requires a lot of time.
> I finished the case design and I produced the case prototypes with two revisions of the dial - this alone took a year of my time mostly for talking and waiting on the manufacturers.
> 
> I also worked on setting up my new lab and workshop dedicated just to this watch, purchasing and installing new equipment (you should see my happiness when I install something new in my lab )
> 
> I also have a full time job as a director of engineering in a company with 50 engineers, so that takes most of my time, especially in these troubled times.
> 
> Anyway, I slowed the development a bit, but I still work on it. I hope to have finalized prototypes in the next two months (I finally have all the parts) and then I will upload couple of photos.
> 
> Also, I am trying not to hurry too much at this moment, since the price of this watch will have to be a bit higher - and I believe these days people will cut down on luxuries. So I would like to avoid this moment to get on the market.


I'm really happy that despite the many obstacles, that you continue to forge ahead with your dream of realizing this highly unique project. Thanks for the latest update Vladimir, and still very much looking forward to see this project fully realized.


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## Medusa

Excellent. One of my favorite watch projects. I do not come to WUS for Rolex and Omega. I come to this forum searching for watches like this. Inspiring.


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## sgrenald

vladimirVD said:


> Hello everybody,
> 
> Let me give you an update. As you can imagine the process for industrialising this watch is very complicated, full of risks and hidden costs. It also requires a lot of time.
> I finished the case design and I produced the case prototypes with two revisions of the dial - this alone took a year of my time mostly for talking and waiting on the manufacturers.
> 
> I also worked on setting up my new lab and workshop dedicated just to this watch, purchasing and installing new equipment (you should see my happiness when I install something new in my lab )
> 
> I also have a full time job as a director of engineering in a company with 50 engineers, so that takes most of my time, especially in these troubled times.
> 
> Anyway, I slowed the development a bit, but I still work on it. I hope to have finalized prototypes in the next two months (I finally have all the parts) and then I will upload couple of photos.
> 
> Also, I am trying not to hurry too much at this moment, since the price of this watch will have to be a bit higher - and I believe these days people will cut down on luxuries. So I would like to avoid this moment to get on the market.


Thanks for the update, Vladimir! But I think you are mistaken about the demand for luxuries. Because of the coronavirus, a lot of people have cancelled vacations, etc, and have money to burn. I'm looking forward to seeing your prototype later this year


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## Suskis

any updates?


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