There are few watch faces that I keep on my Apple Watch. Although I create and delete some from time to time, I always keep them within a manageable range of three or four. Lately, I enjoyed the sundialan authentic beauty that also amazed me with its mystery and history.
There are still those who disdain the Apple Watch for being a smartwatch that can never catch up with a traditional watch. However, this dial defies the conception that we have of a watchwhat a “mechanical” represents and what you expect from a smart one.
The Hope of the Star King Movement
There are studies that point to the existence of Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD for its acronym in English (sounds like a joke, but it’s the acronym), a type of depression that is linked to the passage of the seasons. This disorder is usually identified when a person experiences symptoms during fall and winter seasons, while they disappear in spring and summer. Sunlight is proven to be good for your health.
Studies of night shift workers highlight the effect of low sun exposure on mood. Its impact on the metabolism it can have “a ripple effect on just about everything”: food digestion, the immune system and brain chemicals that control weight, mood and energy. Sunlight has many positive health effects, including the creation of vitamin D needed for many internal processes in the body.
I say all this to make it clear that sunlight is important in our lives. to its impact probably more than you think. And this winter, the Apple Watch Sundial gave me some hope in cold, low-light weather.
Sunlight has a direct impact on our health and mood confirmed by studies
I am far from suffering from seasonal SAD, but this year I noticed the effect that a smaller amount of light had in my daily life, especially in the months of November and December. That’s when I put the sundial on my Apple Watch Series 7 and discovered it had a hidden function. If we click on it we will see how many hours of light we will have that day. In winter the days are shorter and with this sphere you can see how the light time through this sphere is reduced over the days.
However, as soon as we cross the winter solstice on December 21, the situation is reversed. The days begin to lengthen. And that’s something that made me happy when I found out
The different twilights of the day
Maybe when you hear or read the word Twilight, you automatically think of a teenage vampire saga. But with the Apple Watch sundial, it will regain its true meaning. Because one of its best features is the ability to check twilight every day, knowing exactly when the sun sets and rises.
Until I started using it regularly, I thought there was only one twilight. Rather two: clarity before sunrise and sunset. That’s pretty much the definition of twilight
- Civil twilight: when the sun is -6º below the horizon, first magnitude stars and planets can be observed.
- Nautical Twilight: When the sun is -12º below the horizon, first and second magnitude nautical stars can be seen with some ease.
- Astronomical twilight: when the sun is -18º below the horizon, it allows the naked eye to see stars of sixth magnitude.
The Apple Watch with its sundial is able to display each of these six independent points. And he represents them perfectly in his sphere, using visual indicators and the haptic engine. Thus, when we rotate the digital crown, we will notice a vibration. But when we reach one of these points, we will notice. The sphere itself will change along the way, showing more or less daylight depending on the position of the sun. And when we come to one of those twilights, he’ll show it to us.
Many years ago I became interested in traditional mechanical watches. Its history, the value of the mechanism and the effort. It is inevitable to see this sphere and not have a similar feeling. The amount of dedication, research and attention to detail from Apple is perfectly palpable. The Apple Watch may never have a mechanical heart, but it looks like it has a real heart. heart of silicon.
Picture | Solinruiz.
Apple Watch Series 7 (GPS) – 41mm Blue Aluminum Case – Abyss Color Sport Band – One Size