Fameous People and Museums?

[RaWatch]

The only fameous people (other than DWF readers) that I know of who have worn or owned Synchronars are astronaut Gordon Cooper, Egyptian President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak. Does anyone know of any others?

National Watch and Clock Collectors (NWCC) Museum in the USA has a Synchronar in its collection and I understand the Smithsonian Institute has one as well. Are there other museums in the world that have a Synchronar in their collections?

[Synchroserious]

Paul McCartney was wearing a SS on a syndicated news program interview in 2002.In 1983 William F. Buckley jr. bought one.Hershel Walker (NFL retired) was wearing one in the preseason of his rookie of the year season, also early 80,s.There are others but that is all I can recall.
Only know of the 2 muesuems you mention and there info is being updated still.

[RaWatch]

I just found out that The National Watch and Clock Collector's Museum has two examples. One acquired in 1979 ( serial#65268) and the other in 1996 ( serial#69450). Anything notable about the models they have? Interesting to hear about Paul McCartney. Is that a confirmed sighting?

[Synchroserious]

I am not a member of NAWCC and have asked a few known members if they could inform the muesuem that the photo available at the NAWCC site has the watch as made by Ragen Semiconductors C. 1980. Ragen Semiconductors and all it,s Whippany, NJ equipment and Wafer processing facilities were taken over by RWR in late 1976,a discontinued operation of Ragen Precision Ind. and by early 1977 the company was renamed Riehl Time Corp.The other errors are that the watch was named 2100 because the manufacturer guaranteed it to be accurate to the year 2100. Not true ! Most of us realize it was named 2100 because it was the first watch in history to be programmed to keep track of all leapyears (April 29) and dates until the year 2100.And they(NAWCC) claimed it would perform left in the dark for six months if given 15 minutes of light daily.In fact it can be stored for 6 months with NO Light and then still have kept the timekeeping logic.
I dug up the Paul McCartney interview.I was wrong about 2002 being the year.Turnsout it is June 13th 2001 KCAL9 which is a Los Angeles area news station that was taken over buy CBS in 2002. Now known as CBS2/KCAL9.The image I have is poor but there is no denying the shape with metal bar being a Synchronar he was wearing that day.I remember watching the Super bowl a few years back at the halftime show to see if I could get glimpse but on that day it appeared he was not wearing anywatch.

[eyesquash]

There was an auction in 2003 of John Entwistle's estate. I think it was Sotheby's, but I'm not sure. It included at least one gold and one steel synchronar. I wanted to bid on them but didn't figure out how I could.

There were a lot of guitars for sale, too, I think.

[eyesquash]

Here we are (you may have to register to see the pages, and there are no longer any photos):

http://search.sothebys.com/jsps/live/lo ... lot_name=Y

http://search.sothebys.com/jsps/live/lo ... lot_id=175
"LOT 175

A stainless steel rectangular solar-powered digital wristwatch, Ragen, Synchronar, USA, circa 1975

200?300 GBP
Lot Sold. Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium: 312 GBP"

http://search.sothebys.com/jsps/live/lo ... lot_id=176
" LOT 176

A gilt rectangular solar-powered digital wristwatch, Ragen, Synchronar 2100, USA, circa 1975

200?300 GBP
Lot Sold. Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium: 288 GBP"

[Synchroserious]

I found some things to.
http://incolor.inetnebr.com/sumaree/bea ... ryking.htm


I suspected it was the Larry King Live show and now I have confirmed it.
Ofcourse it was broadcast on ch 9 news/KCAL9.This photo is not the same as the B@W printout that was sent to my father but as you can see is a Synchronar.If you go to CNN.com-Transcripts you can order? a video transcript of the interview McCartney discusses Blackbird Song.

[RaWatch]

UT, the noted collector from Japan tells me that The Fukuyama Auto and Clock Museum had a Synchronar in its collection


http://www.terra.dti.ne.jp/~nakahiro/to ... yama2.html

[dot matrix]

I forgot that Sir Paul is left handed, I wonder how he finds checking the time on his Synchronar.

[Synchroserious]

He has to slide the right switch away except to him or any other southpaw it,s like when a righty has to reach over the top of the solar cell and press left away without blocking the viewing area.With all the recent media on his divorce I just hope he gets to keep it.

[dot matrix]

The larry king link above is broken, here's the picture of Sir Paul wearing his Synchronar:

[Synchroserious]

Hello LQ,Yes that is just before they got married and she began sticking her hand in his pocket.

A few months later he was filmed at a wedding reception??

I still have it in my yahoo bookmarks and the video still plays.

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=2173048n
I recall (when my player worked better) if you pause the vid at about 12 seconds and when Sir Paul lifts the champagne glass level with his eyes is the best shot.

[zeno333]

I used to lie in my bed in 1974 as a kid with one of the original brochures and fantasize about owning one....
I am not famous "yet"....and it was just some nice pictures.....and I still do not own one ;) ;) ;)

[dot matrix]

I used to lie in my bed in 1974 as a kid with one of the original brochures and fantasize about owning one....
I am not famous "yet"....and it was just some nice pictures.....and I still do not own one ;) ;) ;)

I've owned three of them since the early 80s, and in all that time I've spent more time fantasizing about owning one than I have ever actually having one in my possession.

You bring up the time-honored question: Is it better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all?

[redcar66]

[clockace]

kevin, how close did you have it? anything closer than 10 inches is too close, unless for a short time, like maybe an hour. is this the synchronar you just posted about a few days ago? peter

[redcar66]

[Sully008]

Hi Kevin,

There are various techniques in opening the module, but what I use is a large Xacto/Olfa knife and run along the seam in the case. Here's a good base to start with:

http://www.ledwatches.net/articles/Sync ... Change.htm

Take your time around the front where the display is so you don't cut through the contacts. Peter (clockace) has some good techniques for installing the Varta V80 batteries. I finally figured out how to get the case closed flush after studying Peter's photos.

This might be taking this thread off topic so if you want to start a new one, we'll continue this discussion there.

Mike

no Peter this is not the same one i purchased in 1975 that one is still lost
but i picked up another one from here it was purchased in the same time era
Peter the one i talked about needing charged --- i tried to charge it 2 hrs 8 inches from 100 watt bulb no luck no time shown --- I don't know i guess it will need new batteries --- I have been looking at this forum but have not really found any info about how to open the module or how to reseal it what type of cells? v80 ? i thought i seen mouser had these but i can not find where i seen it at so i can't remember the part#
Kevin

[redcar66]

[clockace]

kevin, i posted my technique on jthomas's thread just below this one now. as far as i know there is only 1 varta 80maH. varta being the brand name and 80 maH the capacity. do you have a batteries + near you? that is where i got mine. they can do the solder strips as well. peter

[redcar66]