Top Ten Technically Important Electronic Watches

Until the 1950s, the wristwatch world was powered by springs. It wasn't even until the 50s that automatic winding watches started to become popular, meaning that most watches were not only powered by springs but also one's ability to wind that spring manually. It was human-powered timekeeping. Winding one's watch was part of daily routine, as was adjusting it regularly to keep it accurate. But 1957 heralded change and the beginnings of a revolution that would fully materialize in the 1970s and 80s, and it all started with the futuristic-sounding, electric watch.

Pre-quartz watch electric timekeeping technology was crude by today's standards, but rapid improvements helped make the battery-powered watch not only the dominate way people tell time today (don't ruin it for mechanical watch lovers by telling them), but also set the stage for wearable computers and a whole universe of watches that managed to do things no spring could ever hope to accomplish.

1957: The Electric Watch

A horological landmark, the electric watch was the first battery-powered watch and part of the revolution that would eventually lead to the toppling of the mechanical watch by quartz technology. These early electric watches used a traditional balance wheel that was driven electromagnetically by a solenoid powered by a battery, and the hands were driven mechanically through a wheel train.

The production of an electric watch became a possibility thanks to the miniaturization of electronic components and the introduction of small batteries. Hamilton and Elgin both attempted to be the first to market.

Hamilton released the first one in 1957, the 500 Model. But it was rushed to market due to fears of Elgin releasing one ahead of them. Consequently, it was plagued with reliability issues from the start, which damaged its reputation. The cause was with the electrical contacts which soon wore out and were difficult to repair.

Even though a new, improved version was released in 1961 and Elvis could be seen wearing the distinctive arrow-pointed Hamilton "Ventura" model in the movie "Blue Hawaii," Bulova had by then released their more accurate and more dependable Accutron tuning fork watch, going on to become a huge success. The Hamilton 500 was a fusion, it still contained elements from the mechanical watch such as bridges and balance wheels, it was only after all the problems they encountered that they decided to modify this hybrid approach. Nevertheless, the Ventura model went on to become an iconic watch designed by Richard Arbib with an aesthetic which complemented the watch's very modern movement.

1960: The Tuning Fork Watch

Unlike any other watch seen, either battery driven or mechanical, the Accutron was driven by a tuning fork which, depending upon the model, vibrated at 360-480 times a second. At the time, the most accurate mechanical watches were about 2hz -or two beats per second. The Accutron's higher frequency gave it an accuracy of one minute per month. Indeed, the Accutron was so precise for the time (pun intended) that it was the only watch that was accurate enough for space travel and as well precise enough for U.S railroad certification.

So confident were Bulova of the accuracy of the Accutron that they didn't even include a setting stem on the side of the watch, but instead placed it in the back of the case.

Because of its accuracy, it was chosen for use by some of the "Original Seven" Nasa astronauts and became embroiled in a battle with Omega for the accolade of being the first watch on the moon or "Moon Watch." A battle the Accutron ultimately lost due to not being dust-proof. The movement was, however, used in spacecraft instrument clocks and other time-keeping mechanisms, partly also because NASA was still unsure how gravity would affect mechanical movements.

The Bulova Accutron had a number of novel aspects that made them appealing to the public. Because they were powered by a tuning fork, they hummed rather than ticked and were the first to have sweeping seconds hands. "Spaceview" versions showed the highly distinctive and unusual tuning fork mechanism inside. But of course, being able to claim to be the most accurate wristwatch available, was a huge marketing advantage for them. By 1970 however, the writing was on the wall for the Accutron. Bulova did attempt to cling on a bit longer with the development of the "Accuquartz" model which combined tuning fork technology with quartz control.

1969: The Quartz Watch

In 1927, Warren Marrison, a telecommunications engineer, was looking for reliable frequency standards at Bell Telephone Laboratories, but instead found he had invented the first quartz clock. It was based on the regular vibrations of a quartz crystal in an electrical circuit and was so large that a small truck was needed to move it. It took World War II to push quartz technology into making the long journey needed for it to be reduced down to a size usable in a wristwatch.

Military communication relied on radios, and as a result, quartz oscillators developed with more haste. Following this, a post-war interest in micro-electronics spurred on its further development. Suwa Seikosha, the early incarnation of Seiko, devoted considerable time and resources to the development of the quartz wristwatch. It served notice of its intentions and progress with a quartz timer for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

Meanwhile, in Switzerland, a consortium of about a half dozen brands, Rolex and Omega included, called the Centre Electronique Horloger (CEH) were working on creating an electronic movement. A prototype called "Beta 21" was produced in 1967 with a 13-jewel, 8-khz quartz module. Before a production model was produced, though, CEH changed their mind, concluding that the future didn't lie in quartz technology and that it would be just a fad...

However, over in Japan, Seiko felt differently. In 1969, the quartz revolution was announced with the launch of the first production model, the "Astron." Unlike more modern quartz watches, the Astron's quartz oscillated at 8,192 cycles per second, about a quarter of what we expect nowadays. Due to its stepping motor - developed with Epson - it had a seconds hand that moved in one-second steps. Nothing special these days, but a sensation at the time. Seiko also claimed an accuracy of around one minute per month, making it the most precise watch available.

The first 100 "35 SQ" model Astrons were very expensive, costing about the same as a Toyota Corolla, 45,000 Yen or $1250 at the time, and weren't particularly dependable with many having to be recalled. But the quartz genie was out of the bottle, and there was no going back. Today, most watches are quartz and are the most affordable and accurate watches available.

1970: The Ultra High Accuracy Quartz Watch

Today, it doesn't make much sense to develop more precise quartz movements since they can now sync with atomic clocks - and we even have atomic clock wristwatches! But, back in the 1970s when quartz technology was still young, brands vied to produce the most accurate quartz movements. These developments affected how quartz watches evolved and also the improvement of accuracy technology.

Generally, two approaches were taken: high frequency quartz technology; and thermocompensated quartz movements with the latter becoming the more commonly used.

Omega were the first to take up the challenge for the Swiss, and presented their 2.4 Mhz high frequency quartz watch, the "Megaquartz Marine Chronometer" at the Basel fair in 1970, which then hit the shelves in 1974. The most accurate wristwatch at the time, it lost just 1 second per month and was around 10 times more accurate than the quartz watches of the day. It was also the only quartz watch ever officially certified as "Marine Chronometer." However, Omega felt there was little practical need for a watch with such high accuracy and the line was discontinued in the late 1970s.

In 1975, Citizen released what is arguably the most accurate wristwatch ever produced. The Crystron 4 Mega used a 4Mhz frequency oscillator and was rated with a +/-3 sec per year accuracy. Like the Omega, the Crystron 4 Mega used a crystal that was thermo-insensitive, so no compensation was needed.

The disadvantages for these high frequency non-thermocompensated quartz movements were that higher frequency crystals consumed more power and the technology was expensive. Both models had a one-year battery life and the Omega retailed for nearly $2000 while the Citizen was a whopping $15,000 amid mid-seventies prices.

Rather than increasing oscillator frequency, another way of improving accuracy in a quartz movement is to combat the error caused by temperature. Rolex appears to be the first to make advancements in this area and after several years of development released their thermocompensated Oysterquartz model calibre 5035 in 1977. Rolex realized that in order to achieve superior accuracy it needed both a high frequency oscillator, combined with some way to negate the effect of temperature changes. They did this by using a thermistor to sense the ambient temperature, this data was then sent to an electronic module, which then adjusted the voltage to the quartz crystal. Although Rolex has never stated an official accuracy specification, unofficially, around 60 seconds per year was to be expected. It was one of the most exceptionally made quartz watches and was discontinued in 2004.

In 1978, Seiko responded with its "Twin Quartz" model which used digital thermocompensation. This has a subsidiary crystal oscillator that detects the temperature, then, along with a micro-processor, adjusts any timing error of the main crystal oscillator. Seiko claimed accuracy of ±5 seconds a year, but production was expensive and demand from the general public not sufficient, so they were discontinued after a few years.

These days, examples of high-end quartz watches would be the "Superquartz" models from Breitling which use upgraded ETA movements featuring thermocompensation similar to the Rolex Oysterquartz. Or, from Seiko, a current high-end movement is the 9F calibre used exclusively in the Grand Seiko line. It's not only highly accurate, but also designed to need no maintenance for fifty years.

1970: The Digital Watch

The first electronically powered digital watches captured people's imagination with the introduction of the Hamilton Pulsar in 1970. Their displays with red numerals that lit up with a touch of a button seemed to fit perfectly with the "space age" and they became all the rage for a short-lived time.

Using light-emitting diode technology (LED), the time was displayed for only a second, but it caught the attention of not only the average consumer but many prominent people; from American Presidents such as Nixon and Ford, to actors Roger Moore and Jerry Lewis. The Pulsar was launched with a lavish press conference, which perhaps helped to distract the reporters from noticing that the watch had to be frequently sneaked out for a secret battery change. Priced at the cost of a Chevy Vega, or $2100, the Hamilton Pulsar wasn't cheap. Despite its price, it became a sensation and the first 400 production models were sold immediately.

The LED digital watch's main drawback was the limited capacity of the battery (typical for the time), and the power hungry display, which meant you had to press a button to view the time - quite an inconvenient drawback. However, the LED watch was superseded by the advent of the less power-hungry LCD watch with its continuous time display.

1972: The Solar Watch

Solar watches have the capability to use the power of light from any natural or artificial light source and convert it into energy to power the watch. The first models appeared in the early 1970s. These early solar watches had unusual and innovative designs because of the large number of solar cells needed to power them.

First to market was the Synchronar 2100 developed by inventor Roger Riehl and released in 1972. Named the 2100 because it was programmed to display the correct month and day until the year 2100, it was a highly advanced watch that brought together a lot of the top technologies of the time. Its internal mechanism was sealed in a gel-like material called "Lexan" so it would pass strict shock and water tests, and was rated to a depth of 700m. It featured magnetically controlled switches, automatically adjusting for daylight savings time. The Synchronar looked the part too, with a space-age design where time was read on the side of the watch, and solar panels mounted on top in place of where typically the watch face would be.

The next important solar watch would be the introduction of the Citizen Crystron in 1976, with the first solar watch analog display. This was quite unusual-looking, as it had a traditional analog watch dial with a large array of four solar panels at its center.

It was ten years before any new solar watch innovations were made, but the introduction of the Eco Drive in 1996 brought with it some major advancements. These advancements made it possible to design watches without the need for conspicuous solar cells on the dial.

This is because the Eco Drive lets light travels through the special dial to be absorbed by a specially developed silicon light cell behind it. This generates electricity needed to power the movement and to usually store some in a rechargeable battery, as well. The battery power is used when no light is available for power. Eco Drive watches use lithium batteries and are capable of powering the watch for years in darkness. Of all the brands with solar-powered offerings, Citizen has remained the most committed to the development of solar watches. In 2003 they released the world's thinnest light powered watch at just 4.4mm thick.

1988: The Seiko Kinetic Watch

Seiko, having introduced the first quartz production model, looked to further its development with the release of the ground-breaking Seiko Kinetic movement. First releasing a prototype model in 1986 under the name "A.G.S" and then launching the first commercially available "Kinetics" in 1988.

Since then, they have released models ranging from low to high-end with the Ultimate Kinetic Chronograph in 1999 and Kinetic Perpetual in 2005. Other interesting models include the Kinetic Direct Drive with which the wearer can also generate energy by winding the crown and features two indicators showing not only power held, but power generation (from hand-winding).

The major innovation of the Seiko Kinetic movement is the use of a rotor - similar to an automatic or self-winding movement - but used to generate electricity from the wearer's arm movement to power the battery (instead of winding the mainspring). This resulted in creating a quartz watch that was battery change-free. So, you have a watch that combines the convenience of an automatic mechanical watch with the accuracy of quartz. As an added bonus, it's a watch more environmentally friendly, since there are no toxic batteries to dispose of.

Since the release of the Seiko Kinetic watches, other brands have developed their own versions of what are collectively called "automatic quartz" watches. ETA made a line of what it called "Autoquartz" movements, these could even be calibrated (unlike regular quartz watches) and were supplied to a range of brands, some even becoming COSC certified.

1989- Present: Connected Watches

Towards the end of the 20th century, wristwatches that could connect to external devices began appearing. Casio released the first GPS watch in 1989 and in 1990 Junghans released the first watch that could synchronize itself with atomic clocks using radio signals. This gave it the advantage of being incredibly accurate. Since then, a number of brands have developed ranges of radio-controlled watches, in particular Citizen and Seiko. The main drawback for these type of watches is that they only work in areas where radio time signals are available. If you live in the US, much of Europe, China, and Japan you can get atomic clock radio signals, everywhere else you are out of luck. This leaves very large areas of the earth including the middle of the ocean where they are no better than regular timepieces.

Recently, Citizen and Seiko have overcome this obstacle by developing watches that can synchronize the time by connecting to satellites and updating their time, so now your watch can be hyper-accurate anywhere on the planet. The Citizen Satellite Wave Eco-Drive and Seiko Astron watch for instance, can not only set the time with satellite signals but can pinpoint the precise latitude/longitude, automatically adjust to any timezone in the world and are accurate to within one second per 100,000 years. It is important to note that the two watches while thematically similar are quite different. The Seiko Astron came later but is arguably more advanced give its functionality. These are both important pieces in their own right.

Bluetooth connectivity is an area that has seen a lot of interest particularly in the area of smartwatches lately. A partnership in 2006 between Sony and Ericsson led to the development of one of the first Bluetooth watches capable of making and receiving calls and SMS messages. More recently smartwatches such as the Pebble come with Bluetooth 4.0 support and has apps so you can connect Apple devices running iOS 5 or later and Android 2.3 or later.

For those looking for something more rugged, Casio have just announced a couple of G-Shock models with Bluetooth (GB-6900B / GB-X6900B) both have Bluetooth 4.0LE and are capable of receiving calls and text-message notifications (with sound and vibration), as well as automatic time updates from an iPhone.

For people with BlackBerry phones, there is the InPulse smartwatch which connects wirelessly to Android smartphones and to laptops running OSX, Windows or Ubuntu. A more unconventional smartwatch announced earlier this year is the Swiss-made Hyetis Crossbow. It features an analog-style watch face, a 12mm mechanical movement, comes with Bluetooth, WiFi, NFC, and GPS connectivity and boasts a 41 mega-pixel camera.

No doubt electronic watches will continue to bring us novel and innovative designs that push the boundaries of wrist-mounted functionality.

Saturday, November 02, 2013