Digital Watch Museum Displays

[abem]

Hi.

I just noticed that the Computer History Museum in Mountain View has a Pulsar P1:
http://www.computerhistory.org/collecti ... /102630221

I know the Smithsonian also has one, supposedly a salesman's model donated by John Bergey:
http://invention.smithsonian.org/center ... ulsar.html

A few months ago, a nice lady bought a Wittnauer Polara from me because she said she wanted one like the one in the British Museum (although mine was much nicer): http://www.britishmuseum.org/system_pag ... %20digital

Apparently the Omega museum has a tiny digital watch display if you can make it to Bienne, Switzerland:
http://www.dwf.cc/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=328

Does anyone know if any of these are on display or if they are just tucked away in the collections? Are there significant digital watch displays in any museums around the world?

-abe.

[bruce wegmann]

Abe, shame on you! You missed a critical detail in the description! "The bracelet says "14k Gold Trim"'
No 18K watch had a goldfilled bracelet; the only possibilities are: 1. Salesman's sample case, and 2. 14K solid gold case with GF bracelet. I think possibility 1 is vastly more likely than 2, but much less interesting. This might be the second 14K P1 known to exist. WHY don't they have a pic of the back of the watch? Might even be worth a trip up there to check it out in person.
In general, if you want to see displays of clocks and watches, you go to a watch-and-clock museum; anywhere else, and horology is just a footnote, and much less appealing than dinosaur skeletons and exotic gemstones.

[richard_uk]

Is it just me or does the P1 look like an empty case? And the category it's in, ephemera? Isn't that something to do with paper?

[bucko170]

I blew the photo up for a closer look, hmm still not sure.....

[abem]

Bruce,

Doh, I should have noticed that - an unforgivable lapse in my Pulsar sluething mojo. That is very interesting! Either case, salesman's sample or 14Kt, would be interesting since I'm not sure that we have a definitive idea of how many of either of these variations still exist. I wonder who owned and / or donated this P1?

The phone number for the head curator is listed - it would certainly seem worth a phone call to start. Keep us posted on what you find out.

-abe.

[quietman]

A few months ago, a nice lady bought a Wittnauer Polara from me because she said she wanted one like the one in the British Museum (although mine was much nicer): http://www.britishmuseum.org/system_pag ... %20digital

Funny. I was in the Clock and Watch Gallery at The British Museum on monday. Only briefly as I was there to look at something else. There are just a few 20th century watches there to illustrate the development of time-keeping into the modern age - nothing of significance to a digital enthusiast. The majority of the exhibits are from the 15th to 19th centuries showing the development of escapements and accuracy - and some of these pieces are incredible. Your link gives the location of the item (G39/dc14/no83) - G39 is Gallery 39, one of the two Watch and Clock galleries. I guess that perhaps the other two numbers give the Display Case and Number.

[bucko170]

I visited the Science Museum in London back in 2009 and they had a 'Measuring Time' exhibition that included some digital watches including one 'Solidev' LED watch.....
viewtopic.php?f=72&t=3579&p=22087&hilit=solidev#p22087