Because what better way to showcase an eye for precision than to build a miniature obstacle course for marbles?
Everyone in Japan knows PitargoraSuicchi, or Pythagora Switch, the educational TV show from national broadcaster NHK which includes a number of segments devoted to clever “Pythagorus devices” (also known as Rube Goldberg machines or Heath Robinson contraptions, depending on where you’re from). There’s something so captivating about the sight of a marble traversing a miniature obstacle course of paper cups, wooden blocks and paperclips, and Pitagora‘s devices are always so creative that it’s little wonder the show has run for more than a decade now.
But when it comes to timing and precision, it’s arguably the watchmakers who are the absolute masters. And the folks at Seiko—the Japanese company that’s been making timepieces since all the way back in 1881—have put together a short video to prove just that.
Aside from lingering just a second longer on each of the mechanical processes involved, format-wise, Seiko’s video doesn’t deviate too far from PitagoraSuicchi‘s own. Even so, we think you’ll agree that this is an incredibly soothing, immensely satisfying watch, and serves as a powerful reminder of the skill that goes into building analogue devices in a world of instant digital gratification.
Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZuhJFY3SS8
Source/screenshots: YouTube/Seiko Website AD Gallery
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