an owners perspective
I’m
not a watch person but I can’t deny I like gadgets when they serve
a purpose. When I came across the range of Yes watches a few years back,
I was very interested. The problem was that they were all so BIG and I don’t
have a big wrist if I wanted to actually wear one occasionally. At this time
though they had recently introduced a new smaller model, the Cozmo, made
from stainless steel rather than the titanium the larger watches were constructed
from. Titanium is one of my favourite metals, but I was willing to forgo
the luxury of the exotic metal for the smaller and neater stainless steel
version. It is a very handsome watch, available in a number of finish/colour/bezel
combinations but the prime reason for purchasing this timepiece is how incredibly
practical it is for a travelling photographer who ventures into nature.
It’s not just the functions that the watch has that make it special, there are others out there that have similar functions, though not all of them. What sets apart the Yes watches is the way they display the information that, when used regularly, helps the user become more attuned to the cycles and rhythms of the sun and moon - highly practical for any outdoor photographer. The main functions include, in order of usefulness to me as a travelling photographer, the following:
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Sunrise, solar noon and sunset times
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Sunrise and sunset alarms 30 minutes before and at those times
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Moonrise/moonset with times for next new and full moon
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Moon phase and percentage illumination
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Built in programming for 583 cities worlwide, with Daylight Saving Time accounted for in the majority of them.
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For remote locations the latitude and longitude, time zone and DST can all be set manually.
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Dual time zones with astronomical data available for both
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Future sun, moon and time data calculator
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Equinox and solstice alerts
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PET timer for countdown to a set event
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Alarm function
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Timer with alarm
These are not all of the functions, just the ones that I find regularly useful, but the display is what sets the watch apart from any other similarly functioned device I have come across. To fully appreciate how the display is layed out for information at a glance you have to use one for a while, but looking at the picture of the Symbol bezel variation which I personally have, you can see the digital time/information readout at top centre, the moon phase bottom centre, the main face divided into day and night which changes with the relative lengths of day and night, another thin ring at the outside of the display that shows moon rise and moonset, the 24 hr dial with single hand and the rotating bezel with symbols and a "sun stone" and "moon stone" that can be positioned to indicate solar noon, alarm times or whatever. What all these effectively achieve is being able to observe how each of the information displays relate to the others, giving you a visual insight into the changing rhythms and relationships of such things as day length and season, or moon rise/set times and the phase of the moon for example. There are four buttons for setting and reading the plethora of information potentially available and a crown wheel for setting the 24 hr hand.
I will leave the details of adjustment and readout for those interested in them to find at the Yes Watch website which has plenty of information and even instruction manuals for download. Let me just say that the watch is very easy to adjust and access all information within a short time of use and some of the nifty features include being able to turn off the digital display (when time is not immediately important) so your day is run by natural cycles rather than a bunch of numbers and the bezel can be set for a third time zone.
The
watch comes in a quality black wooden box with the stainless steel locking
clasp bracelet attached, along with an alternate black rubber and/or black
leather band, tools for adjusting or removing the bracelet or bands and an
instruction manual. Not liking metal link bracelets myself, as they are heavy
and tend to catch the hair on my wrist, I changed mine to the black leather
band as soon as I received it which fitted well and fits with the look of
the watch nicely. I don’t actually wear a watch normally though and
usually end up carrying it in my pack when walking so I ended up making another
alternative “band” that has a carabina attached (Leatherman style)
which can also rotate, so that I can hang the watch off the shoulder strap
and have the time and information available at a glance and still be able
to change to a wrist strap if I so choose. It is waterproof to 100m and is
powered by two lithium batteries - one for the digital readout and one for
the 24 hr hand; the former lasts 1-2 years depending on usage, and the latter
about five years before it needs changing.
I obviously really like my Yes Watch and don’t have much to criticize. Yeah, the link removal tool provided isn’t up to the task and the 24 hr hand obscures the digital readout a bit between about 11am and 1pm (can’t do much about that and still keep the overall design) but they aren’t deal breakers by a long way. It isn’t exactly cheap though, but I would still say you get what you pay for and I have contacted Yes Watch a couple of times about minor things and both the service and promptness were outstanding. I have had mine for two years now and in that time have found it very reliable and invaluable at certain times, especially when travelling. So if it seems to be something you would make good use of, I would highly recommend buying one.
My custom-made "biner band" to hang securely from a pack etc.
