Conel LCD Quartz

[bucko170]

I recently purchased this watch but I know very little about it.

The sellers description of the watch was vague and the photo's where out of focus but with it using the 'double diamonds' on the display I guessed it was a relatively early LCD and worth a punt.

The inner case reads 'OPTEL CORP, PRINCETON, SWISS CASE,' would I be correct in thinking it was produced around 1973 - 1974?

It has no command buttons only 2 recessed set button on either side of the case, one advances the hours one advances the minutes.

The watch looks loads better than the photo's would suggest, they seem to have picked up every spec of dust and highlighted all minor blemishes.
The watch keeps good time and has no missing segments - Any idea's how much is it worth?

[rewolf]

I don't know this exact module, my guess is '74/'75.
The very early ones look different and are stem-set.
If you can get a look on the chip there is a production date - if it's a regular chip case and not a "black epoxy blob" type

[bucko170]

I don't know this exact module, my guess is '74/'75.
The very early ones look different and are stem-set.
If you can get a look on the chip there is a production date - if it's a regular chip case and not a "black epoxy blob" type

Thanks Rewolf.
The 74\75 date would make sense. I took the module out of the case to have a look at the chip but I lost my nerve when dismantling it and decided to leave it be.

[digibloke]

I've got two very similar Optel watches. One by Conel and one by Arly. Same module but with different cases. On mine the buttons aren't recessed but stick out like function buttons (one sets the hours and one sets the minutes and zeros the seconds). My guess would be that these came out straight after the stem set Optel lcd's and before the two or three function button set Optel watches (digitaire, Spectra etc). I'd say you're pretty close with you date guess - maybe even 76.

It's not a good idea to take the module apart if it's working fine. It's held together by those 4 black plastic "rivets" and you have to cut them off to get in there. It's a bit of a pain to get them back together again afterwards. Also these later Optel displays tend to spring a leak and turn black if you so much as cough on them so personally I'd leave well enough alone.

Nice watch you've got there though

[bucko170]

Thanks digibloke.

Is the Conel display a 'field effect' LCD and this one pictured below a Dynamic Scattering Mode ?

http://www.ledwatches.net/photo-pages/j ... gensen.htm

I am trying to get some understanding of the different types of LCD displays, the dates they where produced and a basic understanding of the way they function.

Can anyone help me out with a brief outline on the LCD or point me in the direction of good site.

From what I gather the first LCD produced was the Twisted Nematic Liquid Crystal Display, second the DSM and third the field effect. I tried a google search to learn a little more but some of the information thrown up seems a little contradictory

[rewolf]

...Is the Conel display a 'field effect' LCD and this one pictured below a Dynamic Scattering Mode ?

http://www.ledwatches.net/photo-pages/j ... gensen.htm

Yes, correct

I am trying to get some understanding of the different types of LCD displays, the dates they where produced and a basic understanding of the way they function.

Can anyone help me out with a brief outline on the LCD or point me in the direction of good site.

From what I gather the first LCD produced was the Twisted Nematic Liquid Crystal Display, second the DSM and third the field effect. I tried a google search to learn a little more but some of the information thrown up seems a little contradictory

At least for watches, DSM was first ('72). Then very soon came Twisted nematic / Field effect (both terms refer to the same technology) with much with better readability and less power consumption. By '74 DSM was extinct. For calculators DSM was used a bit longer (Sharp)

Wikipedia has a very good article on the development of LCD technology: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twisted_nematic_field_effect

Not very much information, but many photos: http://www.davidsarnoff.org/gallery-lc.html