19 Jun 2006, 18:21
Update:
U.S. Patent 3,194,003, filed November 13,1963, issued to Herbert Polin, assigned to Vogel Corp. in Geneva Switzerland, claims:
" An electronic watch such as illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 comprises various units, which for convenience can be termed as an oscillator unit 1, a counting unit 2, a SWITCHABLE UNIT 3 AND A DISPLAY UNIT 4.
The oscillator unit supplies a fixed frequency of one cycle per second; or
(c)A combination of a combination of a frequency dividing circuit."
It goes on to claim(sounds just like the Solsuno)
"The display members may for example, be regularly distributed along one or more concentric circles, reproducing the conventional appearance of a watch face.....OTHER embodiments of the invention may provide a digital display, e.g. "11:06," in which case the display members will be arranged differently"." ACTUAL PATENT TEXT, from 1963 application.
We need to refine the question: first digital watch to market or first digital watch fully conceived and revealed to the world. Many inventors, since the late 1800's, have received the monthly patent gazettes, which describe the patents that have been issued......many historians say that Edison was a primarily an "improver" of other folks patented inventions, more than having his own original, broad-scale ideas. But there is no shame in making an improvement - first is not generally Best!
The most recent issue of "Watch" magazine lists : Hamilton as first LED watch, Citizen as first "Solar Powered" watch, f.y.i. :?
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Sales of vintage LED, LCD, analog watches,
parts and gadgets -
repair tutorials & tips
Nov. 2022 - back in business!! BItter divorce is in home stretch, come grabs some great deals, I had to open the safe . . . damn attorneys. piss.