First-Hand:The First Quartz Wrist Watch: Difference between revisions
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== <br>'''<u>Beta 2</u>'''<br><br><u>Autonomy:</u> The office of the governing assembly had little sympathy for the new direction with the quartz wrist watch. They were hoping for an electronic watch, exhibiting at least one advantage compared with existing electronic watches, remember the strategy and here was a watch with a battery life time of less than one year! One representative of the office, not very familiar with electronics and its progress made it a must: Life time had to be equal or longer than one year.<br><br><u>Wrong strategy:</u> This in turn was the starting point of a fatal new strategic direction: A current saving alternative project, called Beta 2, was proposed and initiated in November 1966 by Max Forrer. Beta 2 was using the same oscillator like Beta 1, but had only five flip-flops instead of fourteen as Beta 1. With five stages, a frequency of 256 Hz was reached, just right to drive one of Henri Oguey's vibrating motors. Battery life time was above one year. The first Beta 2 calibre was assembled in August 1967, one month later than Beta 1. <br><br><br>'''<u>Beta 21</u>'''<br><br><u>Industrial Version:</u> After the splendid celebration of the outstanding results reached with Beta 1 and Beta 2 following the observatory tests, on February 15, 1968 investigations on how to establish a technology transfer from the prototypes towards a product started immediately. First it was decided to favor Beta 2, not Beta 1. This decision was commented by Henri Oguey and Henri Schneider simply by: "Au vue de l'expérience aquise sur les prototypes, seul le system Bêta 2 entre en ligne de compter pour assurer une durée de vie de la pile supérieur à un an." The industrial calibre was named Beta 21, consisted of the 8192 Hz oscillator, a five stage binary divider chain and the vibrating motor at 256 Hz. On April 10, 1970, during the "Foire Suisse de Bâle", four months after Seiko's Astron SQ35, some 20 Swiss firms launched their products all incorporating the Beta 21 movement. <br><br><u>Strategic error:</u> Beta 21 turned out to be a flop. Some 6000 units were sold, then the line with the vibrating motor was discontinued. To solve an intermediate power problem (autonomy) by pushing the vibrating motor version turned out to be a severe strategic error with a number of consequences. Indeed, the power problem was not a systems problem but a semiconductor problem. Using Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductors (CMOS) circuit technology instead of bipolars (BIP) would have saved exceeding amounts of energy by orders of magnitude. CMOS was invented in 1963 and was applied later on throughout the watch industry. The CEH started early on MOS, however produced stable CMOS with silicon gate technology at a voltage level of 1.35 V only after 1972. Instead of pushing research after the splendid success at the observatory CEH engaged excessively in technology transfer and manufacturing, losing lead time and research competence. – Not enough of all that, with their Astron 35SC the Japanese proved feasibility of an industrial watch with a stepping motor and battery lifetime of over one year.<br> <br><br>'''<u>Chronology of the first quartz wrist watch</u>'''<br><br>May 7, 1965: Armin Frei and Rolf Lochinger started the quartz wrist watch project. Frei proposed to concentrate on quartz oscillators suitable for wrist watches and Lochinger proposed to investigate into divider circuits and drivers. Although the strategy did not plan for any such high frequency project Frei and Lochinger started their investigations immediately. <br><br>November 26, 1965: Roger Wellinger, director CEH declared the "montre-bracelet à quartz" to be a strategic goal. This was a consequence of the availability of a miniaturized quartz oscillator with low energy consumption and with a size smaller than 27 mm by Frei. This is the first time that the "montre bracelet à quartz" was mentioned in a strategic document of the CEH. The task was formulated as: "Construction, mise au point et evaluation du prototyp du calibre".<sup>7)</sup> <br><br>July, 1967: The first fully operational and complete quartz wrist watch, probably worldwide, had been assembled by Jean Hermann, François Niklès et al. The watch Beta 1 consisted of a 8192 Hz quartz oscillator, a fourteen stage divider stage and an electro dynamic stepping motor. Testing of the temperature compensation module during five days demonstrated proper operation. With this the CEH disposes of a reliable documentation of the priority of the first quartz wrist watch worldwide.<sup>3)</sup> <br><br>August 13, 1967: About one month later, the first quartz wrist watch Beta 1 with connotation CEH-1020 was delivered to the Observatory of Neuchâtel and was immediately submitted for tests in the category of "Chronomètres-bracelet". The resulting number of classification was 0.189, a value at least one order of magnitude better than the other mechanical competitors in the same category. Later on, a total of ten other quartz wrist watches from CEH (Beta 1 and Beta 2) were delivered for tests. On November 11, 1967 a total of four quartz wrist watches from Seiko, Japan were submitted. The average number of classification of the four best watches of either CEH or Seiko were 0.166 and 0.873 respectively.<sup>5)</sup> With this the CEH watches were winners in time and quality - at least in 1967. The differences in the number of classification within the group of the CEH watches result from the thermo compensation and its adjustments and not from the difference of systems.<br><br>August 1967: The first calibers Beta 2 were completed. They were submitted for tests at the observatory on September 17, 1967. Beta 2 consists of the 8192 Hz oscillator, a five stage divider and a vibrating motor. In 1968 it had been decided to start an industrial version based on the Beta 2 principle for reasons of battery lifetime.<br> <br>December 26, 1969: Introduction of Seiko's Astron SQ35 on the market, the worldwide first commercial quartz wrist watch. Seiko's watch was nice, had a battery lifetime of more than a year, even though it had a stepping motor, and its electronics were based on a new hybrid technology incorporating some 200 parts. <br><br>April 10, 1970: Introduction of the Beta 21 caliber, the industrial version of Beta 2, marketed by some 20 Swiss watch manufacturers during the "Foire Suisse de Bâle". == | == <br>'''<u>Beta 2</u>'''<br><br><u>Autonomy:</u> The office of the governing assembly had little sympathy for the new direction with the quartz wrist watch. They were hoping for an electronic watch, exhibiting at least one advantage compared with existing electronic watches, remember the strategy and here was a watch with a battery life time of less than one year! One representative of the office, not very familiar with electronics and its progress made it a must: Life time had to be equal or longer than one year.<br><br><u>Wrong strategy:</u> This in turn was the starting point of a fatal new strategic direction: A current saving alternative project, called Beta 2, was proposed and initiated in November 1966 by Max Forrer. Beta 2 was using the same oscillator like Beta 1, but had only five flip-flops instead of fourteen as Beta 1. With five stages, a frequency of 256 Hz was reached, just right to drive one of Henri Oguey's vibrating motors. Battery life time was above one year. The first Beta 2 calibre was assembled in August 1967, one month later than Beta 1. <br><br><br>'''<u>Beta 21</u>'''<br><br><u>Industrial Version:</u> After the splendid celebration of the outstanding results reached with Beta 1 and Beta 2 following the observatory tests, on February 15, 1968 investigations on how to establish a technology transfer from the prototypes towards a product started immediately. First it was decided to favor Beta 2, not Beta 1. This decision was commented by Henri Oguey and Henri Schneider simply by: "Au vue de l'expérience aquise sur les prototypes, seul le system Bêta 2 entre en ligne de compter pour assurer une durée de vie de la pile supérieur à un an." The industrial calibre was named Beta 21, consisted of the 8192 Hz oscillator, a five stage binary divider chain and the vibrating motor at 256 Hz. On April 10, 1970, during the "Foire Suisse de Bâle", four months after Seiko's Astron SQ35, some 20 Swiss firms launched their products all incorporating the Beta 21 movement. <br><br><u>Strategic error:</u> Beta 21 turned out to be a flop. Some 6000 units were sold, then the line with the vibrating motor was discontinued. To solve an intermediate power problem (autonomy) by pushing the vibrating motor version turned out to be a severe strategic error with a number of consequences. Indeed, the power problem was not a systems problem but a semiconductor problem. Using Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductors (CMOS) circuit technology instead of bipolars (BIP) would have saved exceeding amounts of energy by orders of magnitude. CMOS was invented in 1963 and was applied later on throughout the watch industry. The CEH started early on MOS, however produced stable CMOS with silicon gate technology at a voltage level of 1.35 V only after 1972. Instead of pushing research after the splendid success at the observatory CEH engaged excessively in technology transfer and manufacturing, losing lead time and research competence. – Not enough of all that, with their Astron 35SC the Japanese proved feasibility of an industrial watch with a stepping motor and battery lifetime of over one year.<br> <br><br>'''<u>Chronology of the first quartz wrist watch</u>'''<br><br>May 7, 1965: Armin Frei and Rolf Lochinger started the quartz wrist watch project. Frei proposed to concentrate on quartz oscillators suitable for wrist watches and Lochinger proposed to investigate into divider circuits and drivers. Although the strategy did not plan for any such high frequency project Frei and Lochinger started their investigations immediately. <br><br>November 26, 1965: Roger Wellinger, director CEH declared the "montre-bracelet à quartz" to be a strategic goal. This was a consequence of the availability of a miniaturized quartz oscillator with low energy consumption and with a size smaller than 27 mm by Frei. This is the first time that the "montre bracelet à quartz" was mentioned in a strategic document of the CEH. The task was formulated as: "Construction, mise au point et evaluation du prototyp du calibre".<sup>7)</sup> <br><br>July, 1967: The first fully operational and complete quartz wrist watch, probably worldwide, had been assembled by Jean Hermann, François Niklès et al. The watch Beta 1 consisted of a 8192 Hz quartz oscillator, a fourteen stage divider stage and an electro dynamic stepping motor. Testing of the temperature compensation module during five days demonstrated proper operation. With this the CEH disposes of a reliable documentation of the priority of the first quartz wrist watch worldwide.<sup>3)</sup> <br><br>August 13, 1967: About one month later, the first quartz wrist watch Beta 1 with connotation CEH-1020 was delivered to the Observatory of Neuchâtel and was immediately submitted for tests in the category of "Chronomètres-bracelet". The resulting number of classification was 0.189, a value at least one order of magnitude better than the other mechanical competitors in the same category. Later on, a total of ten other quartz wrist watches from CEH (Beta 1 and Beta 2) were delivered for tests. On November 11, 1967 a total of four quartz wrist watches from Seiko, Japan were submitted. The average number of classification of the four best watches of either CEH or Seiko were 0.166 and 0.873 respectively.<sup>5)</sup> With this the CEH watches were winners in time and quality - at least in 1967. The differences in the number of classification within the group of the CEH watches result from the thermo compensation and its adjustments and not from the difference of systems.<br><br>August 1967: The first calibers Beta 2 were completed. They were submitted for tests at the observatory on September 17, 1967. Beta 2 consists of the 8192 Hz oscillator, a five stage divider and a vibrating motor. In 1968 it had been decided to start an industrial version based on the Beta 2 principle for reasons of battery lifetime.<br> <br>December 26, 1969: Introduction of Seiko's Astron SQ35 on the market, the worldwide first commercial quartz wrist watch. Seiko's watch was nice, had a battery lifetime of more than a year, even though it had a stepping motor, and its electronics were based on a new hybrid technology incorporating some 200 parts. <br><br>April 10, 1970: Introduction of the Beta 21 caliber, the industrial version of Beta 2, marketed by some 20 Swiss watch manufacturers during the "Foire Suisse de Bâle". == | ||
== '''<u>Rectification</u>'''<br><br>The world first quartz wrist watch was Beta 1 and not Beta 21, as postulated incorrectly by the Swiss watch industry. Further, the first industrial quartz wrist watch was not Beta 21 either, but Seiko's Astron 35SC. - Beta 1 was assembled in July 1967 at the CEH. In the sequel the watch had been tested successfully by the Observatory in Neuchâtel, Switzer- land. It had an 8192 Hz quartz, a long fourteen stages frequency divider chain and a stepping motor. Beta 1 followed a concept which later on proved successful by non Swiss manufacturers. - Unfortunately since 1968 the concept of Beta 1 had not been pursued any further by CEH management, which in turn favored Beta 2, an alternative version introduced later by Max Forrer and Henri Oguey in order to save power. However Beta 2 used the same 8192 Hz quartz as Beta 1 but it had a frequency divider chain with five stages only and a vibrating motor rather then a stepping motor. Beta 21 was based on Beta 2 and unfortunately became the industrial version. Some 20 Swiss watch manu- facturer simultaneously launched Beta 21 on the market in 1970, some 4 months after Seiko had announced their famous Astron 35SC. Beta 21 with its vibrating motor turned out to be a misconception and was abandoned after a short period of time. | == '''<u></u>''' == | ||
== '''<u></u>''''''<u></u>''''''<u>Rectification</u>'''<br><br>The world first quartz wrist watch was Beta 1 and not Beta 21, as postulated incorrectly by the Swiss watch industry. Further, the first industrial quartz wrist watch was not Beta 21 either, but Seiko's Astron 35SC. - Beta 1 was assembled in July 1967 at the CEH. In the sequel the watch had been tested successfully by the Observatory in Neuchâtel, Switzer- land. It had an 8192 Hz quartz, a long fourteen stages frequency divider chain and a stepping motor. Beta 1 followed a concept which later on proved successful by non Swiss manufacturers. - Unfortunately since 1968 the concept of Beta 1 had not been pursued any further by CEH management, which in turn favored Beta 2, an alternative version introduced later by Max Forrer and Henri Oguey in order to save power. However Beta 2 used the same 8192 Hz quartz as Beta 1 but it had a frequency divider chain with five stages only and a vibrating motor rather then a stepping motor. Beta 21 was based on Beta 2 and unfortunately became the industrial version. Some 20 Swiss watch manu- facturer simultaneously launched Beta 21 on the market in 1970, some 4 months after Seiko had announced their famous Astron 35SC. Beta 21 with its vibrating motor turned out to be a misconception and was abandoned after a short period of time. == | |||
== The previous Beta project by Max Forrer, manager of the circuits section consisted of a metallic tuning fork, not a quartz, a small frequency divider and a vibrating motor, not a stepping motor, and lasted from 1963 till YE65. - The new and aggressive quartz wrist watch project initiated by Armin Frei and Rolf Lochinger in May, 1965 changed the previous Beta strategy completely. == | == The previous Beta project by Max Forrer, manager of the circuits section consisted of a metallic tuning fork, not a quartz, a small frequency divider and a vibrating motor, not a stepping motor, and lasted from 1963 till YE65. - The new and aggressive quartz wrist watch project initiated by Armin Frei and Rolf Lochinger in May, 1965 changed the previous Beta strategy completely. == |