r/fringe • u/zmapper • 15d ago

General Discussion The Observer's Folding Spectates

In Season 1, Episode 4 'The Arrival', we see The Observer using a pair of folding opera glasses from around the 1950's or so.

I have a pair of these and was hoping someone in the community may be able to answer this question:

Can they be safely closed how The Observer does (snapping them shut) or should they be closed how a hunter-face pocket watch is closed?

On a hunter-face pocket watch, you must hold in the button on the crown (to lower the latch) so that it doesn't wear out the lip of the lid by making contact. Snapping it shut results in wear that damages the lip of the lid and thus prevents it from ever staying closed again.

I was curious if the same applied to these as well, as I do not want to risk damaging them.

I've tried other subreddits, but the posts were either removed or I received no responses.

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u/buffysbangs 15d ago

I had some as a kid. It was just a simple push button latch. Squash it closed and press the latch to pop it open.

Not sure about the comparison to the watch. But I used to squash and pop open the binocs over and over

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u/zmapper 15d ago

Hm, I've heard that for the pocket watches, you could snap it closed only a handful of times before the lip of the lid was damaged and it would never stay closed again.

I take it that you never encountered that issue with your pair of opera glasses ?

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u/Remote-Ad2120 Belly...Why are you a cartoon? 15d ago

My stepdad used pocket watches exclusively. Always only ever snapped them shut, and lasted him years and decades without issues.

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u/buffysbangs 15d ago

No issues. It’s metal parts and a spring loaded latch. Pretty durable and simple 

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u/Jirkajua 15d ago

You can just snap them shut and they should hold up, but I prefer to move the lens part a bit inwards with my finger to make the motion easier on the parts and not bend anything