This is gorgeous. I’m very afraid if I buy one it will trigger a wave of revulsion for normal everyday products and I’ll become one of these obsessive people who talk about fonts.
This happened to me with RPN calculators. One day I realized I had way more calculators than I knew what to do with. Original HP's, re-released HP's, SwissMicros, not to mention the accompanying documentation I printed out and had spiral-bound. This all started out because I wanted a FOSS calculator to do some math for another rabbit hole I was down. Next thing I knew, I was getting excited about the life you'd get out of silver oxide batteries.
Reading this webpage, and then the other comments here, taught me something important about myself: I am a Philistine. I don't think I would notice any difference between this and a glossy plastic calculator costing $5. I actually assumed that this piece was for people who collect calculators, but it seems like it has broader appeal based on the other comments?
That is because you have to see it in real life. I have never seen this calculator myself, but I have been to a lacquerware company called Hanoia in Vietnam. They als do lacquerware for Hermes. First thing you will notice is that the colours are super rich. If you see a yellow tea box, then it has the deepest and richest yellow you have ever seen. It is like going from a 2010 LCD to a 2026 OLED screen.
>It is like going from a 2010 LCD to a 2026 OLED screen.
Revealing. I'll bet plenty still can't tell the difference (or don't care). I'm one. I've always used low-end laptops, mobiles, clothes, vehicles, anything else you can think of. I care that it functions (so I buy good brands and new) but everything else except price is a very secondary. When I read things like "rich, vivid colors" in a description of a screen, for example, or "clear, deep bass" for some earbuds, my eyes glaze over. Whatever. Does it work and will it last?, is what I want to know. I also don't care about (or even really notice) the taste of tap water. Water is water. All this must be related and I can't be the only one.
You're not the only one. There are millions of people out there who have no appreciation for art, craft, skill, quality, or finesse.
They're very base people who go through life seeing only price tags, and tallying worth only in dollar figures. They act like life is a video game and money is the score.
It's a shallow life, devoid of the appreciation of all the wonderful things available, and in my estimation, barely living. It's just existing as a robot does.
Why spend vacation in Fiji when there are sunsets in Fresno, too?
I have almost exactly the opposite reaction. By not caring so much about the minute details of physical things, or having the very best croissants or whatever, frees you up to enjoy anything or focus on interactions with people, ideas, anything else.
I do think the mention of consumerism is apt. In my own encounters with those that seem to take pride in their inability to distinguish certain nuances, it does come off as a mental block borne of not wanting to feel like they are missing out on expensive things.
I think it cuts both ways though — there are those who will exaggerate or outright fabricate subtle differences in order to justify their expensive purchases, and also those that will deny real differences because they think everyone is just doing the first thing.
And what’s wrong with that? You’re rarely or never disappointed while enjoying most things. I’d say it results in a life well lived rather than nitpicking every single little detail.
Classic price anchoring. The very high end limited edition justifies the price of the "mere" $350 premium model.
Some people here will be rushing to buy the latter because the former is no longer available, even though they don't need a very average calculator in a premium case. (And if they did need a useful premium calculator, they'd buy an HP.)
Well then consider yourself lucky and don’t try to fix what isn’t broken!
I have this for wine. I can tell an objectively disgusting wine but other than that I find most wines (I’m in Europe so it’s different) pretty decent. I’m working hard to keep it that way. I have friends who are almost always disappointed in their wine and have to pay a fortune for a bottle they’ll find decent. No thanks.
Time to start a project to make a handcrafted lacquer face for some other calculators; I have a few HP-80 (https://www.hpmuseum.org/hp80.htm) to test the idea on ;)
It's a vanity item, like a Rolex watch, and its existence is not for actual utility.
Utility-wise for the cost, it's not outstanding compared to regular calculators. If you spend enough time with S100X for the cost to be justified, then you are wealthy or you are spending way too much time at the calculator and should reconsider your workflow, e.g. using a spreadsheet or Python script instead, and those things are cheaper than this calculator.
Nothing wrong if anyone wants to buy it. But technically there is nothing special here, just the physical appearance/build.
A Grand Seiko could be an apt comparison, this is hand finished rather than mass produced on a production line. Also, by a Japanese craftsperson using a prized skill (lacquer vs zaratsu).
>> vanity item
Who covets a calculator? The attraction here is surely celebrating the craftsmanship and the story / history behind the product and firm that produced it.
Knowing about Japanese Lacquer (aka Urushi) will change the way that you see the world. Urushi is the sap of a tree that is related to poison oak and posion ivy. You can learn to use it by wearing a biohazard suit or by suffering through until you develop an immunity to the urushiol. To call it "the itch" does not do it justice. You do not really know the full depths of being a human until you decide, with full knowledge of the consequences, to go down this road.
Urushi is transformed by curing in a warm and humid environment to something that is food safe and not toxic - for example Japanese rice bowls. Then there are they myriad decorative techniques such as Rankaku - using quail egg shells for decoration.
A dermatologist friend told me there are people who react to poison ivy, and people who do not yet react to poison ivy. He explained to the effect that repeated exposure tends to sensitize people. Poison ivy/oak/etc. has no effect on them, then one day it does.
I grew up playing in woods thick with the stuff and never had a problem. Then I had a hell of a reaction to it in high school, and it’s been cruel to me since then.
This article in the WSJ was by an author who decided to induce immunity to poison oak by exposure: eating it. It's... quite the journey, evidently, but possible:
Congratulations, you’ve encountered someone with passion. It lives in people all over the world, but Japanese craft has a particular gift for making it visible in every detail, every material, and every decision pushed to its absolute perfection. Toyotas quality, Grand Seikos polish and accuracy and Jiros sushi just to mention a few of the exported ones.
This is almost certainly a Japanese product for Japanese people/companies who will give it to other Japanese people as a GIFT. Japan has a never-ending gifting protocol. People buy perfectly normal beer in a fancy box, to give it as a gift. It's a nice thing about Japan that is particularly Japanese, which is probably why many of you don't understand the purpose of this product. I bet if someone gave it to you spontaneously, you'd appreciate it!
Yeah, Akihabara is really hard to walk away from. Treasure troves at every corner, surprises down every staircase, and somehow always one more shop you "have to" check out before leaving.
How many 4-function calculators have n-key rollover? What would that even be used for? Are you touch typing on the calculator at 100 digits per minute?
It's not about the calculator. I don't even know how to use one beyond basics. Similiar like luxury watches. I can't even read the time. It's about the craftsmanship .
It's a reliable piece of equipment you can ask 2+2 and get 4 every time, unlike the modern LLM that will give you a story about why it's actually five.
buttons ? knobs ? we are fascinated by machines. It's curiosity about the inner workings of the machine and fascination by the mistery of the closed box. you can observe that in certain kids
This is gorgeous. I’m very afraid if I buy one it will trigger a wave of revulsion for normal everyday products and I’ll become one of these obsessive people who talk about fonts.
Look at that subtle off-white coloring. The tasteful thickness of it. Oh my God, it even has a watermark...
Let’s see Paul Allen’s calculator.
This happened to me with RPN calculators. One day I realized I had way more calculators than I knew what to do with. Original HP's, re-released HP's, SwissMicros, not to mention the accompanying documentation I printed out and had spiral-bound. This all started out because I wanted a FOSS calculator to do some math for another rabbit hole I was down. Next thing I knew, I was getting excited about the life you'd get out of silver oxide batteries.
It's too late. You're now a moderator on /r/calculators.
Reading this webpage, and then the other comments here, taught me something important about myself: I am a Philistine. I don't think I would notice any difference between this and a glossy plastic calculator costing $5. I actually assumed that this piece was for people who collect calculators, but it seems like it has broader appeal based on the other comments?
That is because you have to see it in real life. I have never seen this calculator myself, but I have been to a lacquerware company called Hanoia in Vietnam. They als do lacquerware for Hermes. First thing you will notice is that the colours are super rich. If you see a yellow tea box, then it has the deepest and richest yellow you have ever seen. It is like going from a 2010 LCD to a 2026 OLED screen.
>It is like going from a 2010 LCD to a 2026 OLED screen.
Revealing. I'll bet plenty still can't tell the difference (or don't care). I'm one. I've always used low-end laptops, mobiles, clothes, vehicles, anything else you can think of. I care that it functions (so I buy good brands and new) but everything else except price is a very secondary. When I read things like "rich, vivid colors" in a description of a screen, for example, or "clear, deep bass" for some earbuds, my eyes glaze over. Whatever. Does it work and will it last?, is what I want to know. I also don't care about (or even really notice) the taste of tap water. Water is water. All this must be related and I can't be the only one.
You're not the only one. There are millions of people out there who have no appreciation for art, craft, skill, quality, or finesse.
They're very base people who go through life seeing only price tags, and tallying worth only in dollar figures. They act like life is a video game and money is the score.
It's a shallow life, devoid of the appreciation of all the wonderful things available, and in my estimation, barely living. It's just existing as a robot does.
Why spend vacation in Fiji when there are sunsets in Fresno, too?
I have almost exactly the opposite reaction. By not caring so much about the minute details of physical things, or having the very best croissants or whatever, frees you up to enjoy anything or focus on interactions with people, ideas, anything else.
There’s a difference between caring about something and being able to appreciate it. You can do the latter without the former.
This is needlessly judgmental and draws false equivalences between expression, impression, and consumerism.
I do think the mention of consumerism is apt. In my own encounters with those that seem to take pride in their inability to distinguish certain nuances, it does come off as a mental block borne of not wanting to feel like they are missing out on expensive things.
I think it cuts both ways though — there are those who will exaggerate or outright fabricate subtle differences in order to justify their expensive purchases, and also those that will deny real differences because they think everyone is just doing the first thing.
And what’s wrong with that? You’re rarely or never disappointed while enjoying most things. I’d say it results in a life well lived rather than nitpicking every single little detail.
Classic price anchoring. The very high end limited edition justifies the price of the "mere" $350 premium model.
Some people here will be rushing to buy the latter because the former is no longer available, even though they don't need a very average calculator in a premium case. (And if they did need a useful premium calculator, they'd buy an HP.)
Well then consider yourself lucky and don’t try to fix what isn’t broken!
I have this for wine. I can tell an objectively disgusting wine but other than that I find most wines (I’m in Europe so it’s different) pretty decent. I’m working hard to keep it that way. I have friends who are almost always disappointed in their wine and have to pay a fortune for a bottle they’ll find decent. No thanks.
This is such an under appreciated point. I feel the same about wine but have ruined myself for coffee, bread, cheese, etc.
Is this not meant for some ceremonial gift-giving to superiors to ensure better career prospects or something?
I can see it being used in very high-end, high-touch retail environments.
When you spending $75,000 on a new suit, the tailor shouldn't be using a Dollar Store calculator.
¥99,000 [$632 USD]
"Limited to 650 units. Sold Out"
https://www.casio.com/jp/basic-calculators/product.S100X-JC1...
Why do I have an urge to buy this? I have no use for it. But damn did they sell it to me well.
Time to start a project to make a handcrafted lacquer face for some other calculators; I have a few HP-80 (https://www.hpmuseum.org/hp80.htm) to test the idea on ;)
My father was a big HP calculator fan. I used to forget my TI calculator for class and he would lend it to me.
I was never more unpopular at school than the day we had an exam and I was learning RPN on a calculator that beeped every time you hit the wrong key.
It's a vanity item, like a Rolex watch, and its existence is not for actual utility.
Utility-wise for the cost, it's not outstanding compared to regular calculators. If you spend enough time with S100X for the cost to be justified, then you are wealthy or you are spending way too much time at the calculator and should reconsider your workflow, e.g. using a spreadsheet or Python script instead, and those things are cheaper than this calculator.
Nothing wrong if anyone wants to buy it. But technically there is nothing special here, just the physical appearance/build.
>> like a Rolex watch
A Grand Seiko could be an apt comparison, this is hand finished rather than mass produced on a production line. Also, by a Japanese craftsperson using a prized skill (lacquer vs zaratsu).
>> vanity item
Who covets a calculator? The attraction here is surely celebrating the craftsmanship and the story / history behind the product and firm that produced it.
But surely, a Casio would be the fitting watch to wear while wielding this work: https://www.casio.com/us/watches/gshock/product.MRG-B2000JS-...
aka Veblen good
iphone is a vanity item. this is something unique handcrafted.
About $1k on ebay https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=Casio+s100x+lacquer
Ugh, I hate scalpers!
I do not have negative feelings against resellers of luxury products. That is just supply and demand at work.
Was hoping this was a lacquered F-91W, but the calculator is pretty nice too.
Only 650 units worldwide, according to The Verge.
My god, the keys: the keycaps are __double-shot__, have scissor switches, and 3-key rollover.
They have the same on cheaper (but still "Special"/"Premium") non-lacquer S100 version: https://www.casio.com/jp/basic-calculators/product.S100/
Let's see Paul Allen's calculator.
I wonder if the hardware is old-school, or if they put a modern microcontroller in it?
I can't help but see this through the lens of PG's essay about watches [1]
[1] https://paulgraham.com/brandage.html
Knowing about Japanese Lacquer (aka Urushi) will change the way that you see the world. Urushi is the sap of a tree that is related to poison oak and posion ivy. You can learn to use it by wearing a biohazard suit or by suffering through until you develop an immunity to the urushiol. To call it "the itch" does not do it justice. You do not really know the full depths of being a human until you decide, with full knowledge of the consequences, to go down this road.
Urushi is transformed by curing in a warm and humid environment to something that is food safe and not toxic - for example Japanese rice bowls. Then there are they myriad decorative techniques such as Rankaku - using quail egg shells for decoration.
I've recently seen the word "entanglement" in a completely different context. But Urushi entangles you in nature and your environment in way that is utterly breath taking. For example: https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2019/modern-masters-...
[edit for grammar and clarity]
Epoxy resins are usually pretty toxic when uncured too.
You can also grow up exploring the woods in an area with a lot of poison oak like me and it just does not react on your skin.
A dermatologist friend told me there are people who react to poison ivy, and people who do not yet react to poison ivy. He explained to the effect that repeated exposure tends to sensitize people. Poison ivy/oak/etc. has no effect on them, then one day it does.
I grew up playing in woods thick with the stuff and never had a problem. Then I had a hell of a reaction to it in high school, and it’s been cruel to me since then.
This article in the WSJ was by an author who decided to induce immunity to poison oak by exposure: eating it. It's... quite the journey, evidently, but possible:
https://www.wsj.com/style/eat-poison-ivy-oak-immunity-3207ec...
Do you work in marketing? Because I read your comment and I extracted nothing of value. Lacquer will change how I see the world? B please.
Congratulations, you’ve encountered someone with passion. It lives in people all over the world, but Japanese craft has a particular gift for making it visible in every detail, every material, and every decision pushed to its absolute perfection. Toyotas quality, Grand Seikos polish and accuracy and Jiros sushi just to mention a few of the exported ones.
That’s a bit uncharitable. It made perfect sense to me. I also learned something about Japanese lacquer.
I tried to buy this, when it was released. It sold out instantly. I was sad.
This might be the only calculator ever where it would be a shame to type in 5318008.
I found the deep lacquer luster a bit lackluster
This looks awesome!
I would buy it instantly, if it would be a scientific calculator, ideally with RPN.
Oh and i would have used a LCD with amber on black.
This is amazing. If you've ever held a fountain pen with this finish you know.
This is almost certainly a Japanese product for Japanese people/companies who will give it to other Japanese people as a GIFT. Japan has a never-ending gifting protocol. People buy perfectly normal beer in a fancy box, to give it as a gift. It's a nice thing about Japan that is particularly Japanese, which is probably why many of you don't understand the purpose of this product. I bet if someone gave it to you spontaneously, you'd appreciate it!
Oh, also, "Made in Japan" is a huge deal for a lot of people in Japan.
Looks like I need to plan for a weekend trip to Tokyo to get this and along with my annual pilgrimage to Akihabara
You actually plan on returning from Akihabara?
Yeah, Akihabara is really hard to walk away from. Treasure troves at every corner, surprises down every staircase, and somehow always one more shop you "have to" check out before leaving.
About $600 apparently. The regular S100X is $350.
Where can you buy it for that price?
Nowhere at that price; as noted above, scores of them for sale on eBay from $1,100-$$2,000 + $300-$500 shipping
There's also a Hokusai range of calculators I saw at yodobashi camera Yokohama this spring. It was 60$,I didn't buy it but I kind of wish I did.
I don't understand how one would buy it. Any help?
Only available in Japan, you will need a reseller or a forwarding company to purchase it. Already sold out.
3-key rollover instead of n-key rollover?? Pass…
How many 4-function calculators have n-key rollover? What would that even be used for? Are you touch typing on the calculator at 100 digits per minute?
I feel like the parent comment was sarcasm
100 digits per minute is less than two per second, I feel like most people exceed that.
I bet watching people use a calculator by poking at it with one finger drives you absolutely homicidal.
Why is everyone on HN so fascinated with calculators? Was that your first real pc that you could program?
Unironically yes. Plenty of millennials I know learned how to program on their TI-83.
Not me! I didn't have a TI, I had a Casio calculator and wrote games on that during math class.
It's not about the calculator. I don't even know how to use one beyond basics. Similiar like luxury watches. I can't even read the time. It's about the craftsmanship .
It's a reliable piece of equipment you can ask 2+2 and get 4 every time, unlike the modern LLM that will give you a story about why it's actually five.
buttons ? knobs ? we are fascinated by machines. It's curiosity about the inner workings of the machine and fascination by the mistery of the closed box. you can observe that in certain kids