your best shots of a solid state DSM LCD watch

[Kasper]

I've never seen a decent shot of a solid state DSM lcd watch like nepro/microma etc. Can you please post your best shots or the shots you have.
As one of the first digital watches, i think it's important to find original pictures how these looked like.

Maybe Peter (Piotr) has some better?

This is the only decent color picture i've found sofar and it's an illustration


@David Sarnoff website

These are pics of my nepro solid state dsm lcd watch

[Diginut]

Below are a few photos of my DSMs, some going back a few years now although I still own most of them.

You can also find some magnificent photos of working DSM watches on Peter Wenzigs amazing website under the LCD banner !! He tends not to sell them, and working ones are worth a fortune.

http://www.digitalwatches.de/


BTW .. if anyone wonders why I put a (C) logo on photos ... its to reduce the amount of times I've seen scammers on ebay using photos from forums to sell digital watches, including mine - it does happen !!!

Others should do likewise to reduce the problems that do occur.

[Seiko&Casio Lcd's]

A pity those dsm's don't work kasper

Great pictures diginut, thanks for sharing

[azimuth_pl]

Optel DSM displays have been far less vulnerable to age as they were encapsuled far better.
Unfortunately Microma displays were sealed with epoxy only and 99,99% of them have lost vacuum or dried out.
I have never seen an immaculate Microma DSM and assume that they no longer exist, the best one I could get is shown here.
The picture was taken a few years back and today the display no longer works. And even when it worked the display died upon putting the watch on the wrist due to body temperature.


one funny thing I noticed just recently was the very poor design of the Microma display.
other watches of the same period had reflective background mirrors made of solid material or aluminium foil.
on the opposite side of the scale was the Microma glass LCD panel that was simply painted gold or silver and coated with black paint.
call that state of the art technology ;)

[Kasper]

I took mine apart and still wondering if the lcd is broke or not.

cleaned it but still no dice

the lcd popped of when opening!


MEXICO?


lcd

lcd in naturel light


cleaning


result but nothing

[azimuth_pl]

my display popped when I was trying to remove the metal face with logo (small oval model) which for some reason was factory glued (?!?) to the LCD panel.
still the LCD panel was assembled only with silver epoxy on the electrode points and then affixed with two stripes of black epoxy to the base substrate.
your LCD is dead...most dark orange panels are dead as that usually means they have dried out and changed to a concentrate ;)
a flawless Microma DSM panel should be creamy white slightly yellowish.
on the other hand if your panel is fully silver or gold and super clean it has somehow lost the crystal liquid (don't ask why...it evaporated or leaked completely)

[AlmightyTallest]

It's a shame about the Microma's, Nepro's and other alternative DSM designs. Years ago I was looking into getting one for my collection but all the ones I found were so degraded I couldn't justify getting it as I knew there were some working examples about 10 years ago. I can only provide photos of my Optel DSM's.

Diginut, that Ragen Timecase is amazing!! Would love to see a working example of it!! There was another Optel desk clock with very large DSM digits, the LCD panel was transparent all the way through and the digits would show up in frosted white cameo on the clear glass. I can't remember the model, but came across a badly yellowed and partially working one a few years ago, would like to see one of those in working condition again too.

[AlmightyTallest]

I think our forum member DWL had a neat DSM watch that has a module similar to the Microma watches that still had a working display, they definately have a thinner digit than the Optel DSM's. Hopefully he can post his photos of it here, it was a few years back when I saw it, A Gladius LCD quartz I think, and it had what I considered a perfect example of a DSM display from anyone other than Optel.

[azimuth_pl]

nice pics, the Tarnan logo just reminded me on how poor the branding on these watches was designed.
the logo on the Waltham Walchron is quite a joke ;)
it has been made with gaps although it was the first Optel order and marketed watch...amazing they didn't have focus on quality?
still it allowed to quickly and cheaply modify any number of watches for any customer by swapping a label.

[AlmightyTallest]

lol, thanks for that photo Azimuth, I love the colon display on that Walchron with clear dot in the middle, really stands out compared to the standard Optel DSM's. Thanks for the compliments on the photos, but they pale in comparison to what I've seen on your site and other's here, many of you guys have great collections, technical skills, and photo skills combined to help preserve what these watches looked like.

[azimuth_pl]

this was the early 1972 batch delayed to market due to supplier issues.
I believe they modified the colon in the later models to make it more visible.

[charger105]

Diginut, that Ragen Timecase is amazing!! Would love to see a working example of it!!

Wish granted :

TC2.JPG

I got this one up and running (well, partially anyway) a while back. The crazy voltage requirements were quite a challenge....the battery isn't made anymore.
I've been told it's the largest DSM display ever made.

While we're showing our DSMs off, here's my Zodiac:

zodiacoptel1.jpg

Rgds.

[Kasper]

incredible pictures all love them all

keep them coming! We need more..these are the first digital we are talking about!

Btw anyone an idea for another module that fits the Nepro in my first post? maybe a simple lcd?

[Adam]

Here's mine

Last time I changed the battery unfortunately it didnt jump back to life. Although it still shows signs, it may be a connection problem.

Adam

[Diginut]

Remember that various 1973/4 calculators also featured DSM LCD displays. Sharp produced dozens of different models but only for a short space of time, like months, before switching to the LCD's we see today. I have about a dozen models, and amazingly they all work just fine. The one shown below is still on my desk right now!!





Back in 2007 I posted up a lengthy article on dwf.cc about how a DSM LCD watch nearly beat the LED P1 into the market place before the P1's launch in April 1972. If you've got 10 minutes its worth a read, and has dozens of DSM adverts from the era.

http://www.dwf.cc/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=75





Meanwhile, here's a load more DSM's 

[abem]

Fantastic photos, all. Very nice. Thanks for posting (and it's nice to see Diginut back on the forum).

Aside from the historical significance of the BWC/Lucien Piccard, I love the styling - sort of like a chunkier, edgier P4 Exec but almost 3 years ahead of the P4! It was ahead of its time both stylistically and technologically. It's a shame that so few were made.

-abe.

[AlmightyTallest]

Great photos guys, this thread has turned into Dynamic Scattering Display porn lol.

charger, thanks for the photo, that's a really neat clock, I'm amazed at the size of the digits, and it's attractive case. And it seems the AM/PM indicator is the colons!! Neat!!

DWL, that's the watch I remember!! It had such a perfect display and looked awsome, sorry to hear it didn't fire up with the new battery. Hopefully it just needs cleaned.

Diginut, that calculator is really stylish, I love the little flip up protector/glare shield for the display.

[Diginut]

Heres another flip-lid Sharp DSM calculator, the EL-8110 produced as late as 1975.

Does anyone else collect calculators from the late 60s - mid 70s ... ?!

[Kasper]

the thin one on the right under..i've never seen it in the 70ties. Such a modern look The first touchcalc i think

incredible picture! the left Casio is incredible. And the round one.

[AlmightyTallest]

I love those nixie tube calculators!! Never got one in my collection though. I just have a few LED scientific calculators and Vaccum Flourescent Display ones, nothing as impressive as Diginut's collection, those are great!

I still love that Sharp Elsimate EL-8009, gonna have to keep my eyes out for one now.

[azimuth_pl]

The EL-8009 is very nice and handy...slightly bigger than a modern folded mobile phone.
I especially like the outer plastic shell made to resemble brown quality leather.
I have one available and I hardly use it so pm me if interested.

[azimuth_pl]

the Sharp 8009 is going to a new home.
I thought I'd share these with you so the wider audience has some reference for the future.
Not a watch but the best bullet-proof DSM display ever made IMO.