...And this is what I got. I hope to come out alive.
I just catched an old, knackered and untested Sinclair Black Watch. The seller found two old batteries inside, which apparently haven't leaked. So, unless it's affected by the dreaded problems that made this watch a legend, it might work. Hopefully. Maybe. Who knows. Otherwise, it'll be a future SASM'ing subject. The battery cap seems to have the tip a bit bent upwards, I hope I can gently push it back in place.
Searching around the web, I've read that getting a working Black Watch is an authentic miracle, due to the reliability problems that affected its fragile electronic module. And due to my total lack of technical skills (including soldering) a non working speciman would keep me stumped. But I wanted to pull the trigger anyway, hoping to not regret that. Compared to the other specimen I found while searching on the internet, this is the first one that says "Patent Applied For" on the caseback. Could that make it an early model? The seller is also selling the box separately, and the fact it's a preassembled Black Watch, rather than the kit version, makes me feel a bit more optimistic.
Hopefully, since it seems the old batteries haven't leaked, it might fire up with fresh ones. Now I just have to wait for its arrival and pray to the nearest icon of Sir Clive to grant me the wish to become the owner of a working Black Watch.
Getting this watch is like playing Russian Roulette, you never know if you'll come out alive or if it will kill you.
Well, I will keep my fingers crossed and I hope to be lucky...
I just catched an old, knackered and untested Sinclair Black Watch. The seller found two old batteries inside, which apparently haven't leaked. So, unless it's affected by the dreaded problems that made this watch a legend, it might work. Hopefully. Maybe. Who knows. Otherwise, it'll be a future SASM'ing subject. The battery cap seems to have the tip a bit bent upwards, I hope I can gently push it back in place.
Searching around the web, I've read that getting a working Black Watch is an authentic miracle, due to the reliability problems that affected its fragile electronic module. And due to my total lack of technical skills (including soldering) a non working speciman would keep me stumped. But I wanted to pull the trigger anyway, hoping to not regret that. Compared to the other specimen I found while searching on the internet, this is the first one that says "Patent Applied For" on the caseback. Could that make it an early model? The seller is also selling the box separately, and the fact it's a preassembled Black Watch, rather than the kit version, makes me feel a bit more optimistic.
Hopefully, since it seems the old batteries haven't leaked, it might fire up with fresh ones. Now I just have to wait for its arrival and pray to the nearest icon of Sir Clive to grant me the wish to become the owner of a working Black Watch.
Getting this watch is like playing Russian Roulette, you never know if you'll come out alive or if it will kill you.
Well, I will keep my fingers crossed and I hope to be lucky...