Chronology of the First Quartz Wristwatch

By Dr. Armin H. Frei, 2009

MAY 7, 1965: Armin Frei and Rolf Lochinger started the quartz wristwatch project. Frei proposed to concentrate on quartz oscillators suitable for wristwatches 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.

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 at the CEH. The task was formulated as: "Construction, mise au point et évaluation du prototype du calibre".¹ (Construction, development and evaluation of the prototype of the caliber). Max Forrer rejected to install the new quartz project in his department, which forced Roger Wellinger to assume project responsibility of the quartz works.

JULY, 1967: The first fully operational and complete quartz wristwatch, 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 electrodynamic 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 wristwatch worldwide.²

AUGUST 13, 1967: About one month later, the first quartz wristwatch 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 wristwatches from CEH (Beta 1 and Beta 2) were delivered for tests. On November 11, 1967, a total of four quartz wristwatches 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.³ 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.

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.

DECEMBER 26, 1969: Introduction of Seiko's Astron SQ35 on the market, the worldwide first commercial quartz wristwatch. 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.

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".

Bibliography

1) Wellinger, R. (1965). “CEH Programme de travail 1966”, Protocole séance du bureau d'administration, November 26, 1965.

2) Hermann, J. (1967). “Rapport d'activité du mois de Juillet 1967”, CEH, July 31, 1967.

3) République et Canton de Neuchâtel (1968). “Concours chronométrique 1967”, February 15, 1968.