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"...in fifty years, do you believe that people will be recognizably human?"
- Greg Bear

Finger Watch  
  A ring that contains a working timepiece and a display.  

This is one of my favorite pieces of technovelgy; why can't I buy one of these? The idea is simple enough; a ring that contains a small read-out of the current time.

Crayn glanced at his finger watch as his aide fastened the cloak he had brought hurriedly after him. It was three-forty-seven, Galactic Time.
Technovelgy from Key Decision, by H.B. Fyfe.
Published by Astounding Science Fiction in 1951
Additional resources -

Robert Heinlein mentioned the same idea in his 1951 novel The Puppet Masters; however, Fyfe published his story in May of 1951, but Heinlein's story wasn't serialized in Galaxy until September-November of 1951.

"Seventeen hours" - The Old Man glanced at his finger watch and added - "and twenty-three minutes ago an unidentified space ship landed near Grinnell, Iowa."

Keith Laumer used it in Placement Test (1964):

Dean Wormwell’s eyes, blurry behind thick contact lenses, strayed to his fingerwatch.

Now, wouldn't that be handy? I'm a person who does not like to wear watches or other jewelry. I could have a little timepiece built into my wedding ring; that's all I'd need.

There have been various versions of an actual finger watch reported; it appears as though Fila has introduced a version for runners:


(Fila Fingerwatch)

Comment/Join this discussion ( 15 ) | RSS/XML | Blog This |

Additional resources:
  More Ideas and Technology from Key Decision
  More Ideas and Technology by H.B. Fyfe
  Tech news articles related to Key Decision
  Tech news articles related to works by H.B. Fyfe

Finger Watch-related news articles:
  - Calendar Ring
  - Remember Ring From Goldsmith's
  - Apple Ring: Finally, Engineers Want To Make My Finger Watch
  - Samsung's Smart Ring
  - The Ring Clock IS Heinlein's Finger Watch

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