First-Hand:The First Quartz Wrist Watch: Difference between revisions
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== '''<u>1. Introduction</u>''' == | == '''<u>1. Introduction</u>''' == | ||
== In July 1967, somewhat more than 40 years ago, the world's first quartz wrist watch created by a group of researchers at the Swiss Centre Electronique Horloger in Neuchâtel, Switzerland had been assembled and successfully tested for proper operation. The watch baptized Beta 1 with the identification number CEH-1020 was fully meeting the regulatory requirements concerning men's wrist watches as postulated by the established Observatory of Neuchâtel and its famous yearly "Concours des Montres". In view of the fact that the history of the invention of the quartz wrist watch has been extensively neglected and/or mistreated in the past causing misunderstandings and confusion I have investigated on "Who contributed what, at what time and what was the relevance of this contribution" restricted to the event of the creation of the world's first quartz wrist watch. <br><br><br><u>2. Centre Electronique Horloger (CEH), Neuchâtel</u><br><br><u>2.1 Foundation:</u> | == In July 1967, somewhat more than 40 years ago, the world's first quartz wrist watch created by a group of researchers at the Swiss Centre Electronique Horloger in Neuchâtel, Switzerland had been assembled and successfully tested for proper operation. The watch baptized Beta 1 with the identification number CEH-1020 was fully meeting the regulatory requirements concerning men's wrist watches as postulated by the established Observatory of Neuchâtel and its famous yearly "Concours des Montres". In view of the fact that the history of the invention of the quartz wrist watch has been extensively neglected and/or mistreated in the past causing misunderstandings and confusion I have investigated on "Who contributed what, at what time and what was the relevance of this contribution" restricted to the event of the creation of the world's first quartz wrist watch. <br><br><br>'''<u>2. Centre Electronique Horloger (CEH), Neuchâtel</u>'''<br><br><u>2.1 Foundation:</u> == | ||
== The foundation of the Centre Electronique Horloger (CEH) in 1962 was a consequence of the growing threat due to the appearance of certain kinds of wrist watches in the late 50'ies which were powered by small batteries rather then by the usual springs. Such watches had been announced by Lip (France), Hamilton (USA) and Ebauches SA (Switzerland). The introduction of Max Hetzel's Accutron, the famous tuning fork watch (picture) in 1960, accelerated this process remarkably. [[Image:Image002.jpg|thumb|right]]Hetzel was a Swiss engineer, who started his investigations with Bulova in Bienne, Switzerland and later on was transferred to U.S. to direct the production of the Accutron watch. The fear to lose leading positions on the international market assembled the Swiss watchmakers under the leadership of Ebauches SA and the Swiss Horological Federation (FH) to join in a common joint stock company called CEH. The goal was simply to invent anything which was superior in at least one count of what was available on the market. This to improve the Swiss position in possible licence negociations, a rather poor vision indeed. Luckily, they found Roger Wellinger, a U.S. bound Swiss engineer, teacher and researcher, for the challenging job to create a new research laboratory in a field which was not common at all in Switzerland. Wellinger had courage, enthusiasm and farsightedness. <br><br><u>2.2 Goal and Strategy:</u> == | == The foundation of the Centre Electronique Horloger (CEH) in 1962 was a consequence of the growing threat due to the appearance of certain kinds of wrist watches in the late 50'ies which were powered by small batteries rather then by the usual springs. Such watches had been announced by Lip (France), Hamilton (USA) and Ebauches SA (Switzerland). The introduction of Max Hetzel's Accutron, the famous tuning fork watch (picture) in 1960, accelerated this process remarkably. [[Image:Image002.jpg|thumb|right]]Hetzel was a Swiss engineer, who started his investigations with Bulova in Bienne, Switzerland and later on was transferred to U.S. to direct the production of the Accutron watch. The fear to lose leading positions on the international market assembled the Swiss watchmakers under the leadership of Ebauches SA and the Swiss Horological Federation (FH) to join in a common joint stock company called CEH. The goal was simply to invent anything which was superior in at least one count of what was available on the market. This to improve the Swiss position in possible licence negociations, a rather poor vision indeed. Luckily, they found Roger Wellinger, a U.S. bound Swiss engineer, teacher and researcher, for the challenging job to create a new research laboratory in a field which was not common at all in Switzerland. Wellinger had courage, enthusiasm and farsightedness. <br><br><u>2.2 Goal and Strategy:</u> == |
Revision as of 07:33, 15 March 2009
The First Quartz Wrist Watch
by Armin H. Frei, LSM
Former Research Staff Member Centre Electronique Horloger
Content:
1. Introduction
2. Centre Eléctronique Horloger (CEH), Neuchâtel
2.1 Foundation
2.2 Goal and Strategy
3. Change of Strategy: Montre-bracelet à Quartz
3.1 Status
3.2 Initiative
3.3 Change of Strategy
4. The First Quartz Wrist Watch: Beta 1
4.1 World First
5. Components of Beta 1
5.1 Beta 1
5.2 Quartz Resonator
5.3 Driver Circuit
5.4 Frequency Adjustment
5.5 Temperature Compensation
5.6 Frequency Divider
5.7 Stepping Motor
6. Beta 2
6.1 Autonomy
6.2 Wrong Strategy
7. Beta 21
7.1 Industrial Version
7.2 Phase-out Model
8. Chronology of the First Quartz Wrist Watch
9. Rectification
10. Bibliography