Get it Straight - Synch was first

[RaWatch]

In 2006 WatchTime magizine had a reader quiz that asked what the first solar watch was. The answer they supplied was the Crystron. I put a posting on this site on July 8, 2006 as "Letter to WatchTime" about my letter to the magizine correcting their mistake. The Crystron was just the first analog solar watch - the Synchronar was the FIRST solar watch. The magizine printed a copy of my letter as well as a photo.

I just got an online version of the magizine, and they had another quiz and again asked what the first solar watch was. Again they reported it as the Cryston.

http://www.watchtime.com/2010/01/time-t ... us-firsts/

I just sent a note to the writer reminding her of the 2006 correction.

It is important to give Roger the credit due - for the genius that he was.

[dot matrix]

[retroleds]

Considering the fact that that ad is dated quite clearly at the bottom "1978", don't know what the point is.

First solar powered LED watch is my vote on the Synchronar. The Chrystron is a much nicer looking timepieces, IMO - smooth, elegant, instantly understandable.


And as has been very well established, not the first timepiece to use solar cells to collect power to charge batteries to run an electrical timepiece. Late by over 10 years on THAT.

[bucko170]

First solar timepiece

http://www.accuratesundials.com/site/591582/page/143772

[retroleds]

Sorry Mick, but sundials aren't really solar powered - the act of a shadow passing over an object is a little too passive for that.

[bucko170]

They would also be a little heavy on the wrist

[retroleds]

I guess if a guy was spanking it, that would make them the first "jump hour".

Talk about getting it straight!

[dot matrix]

According to the Watchtime link above, the crystone was launched in 1976. I don't know when the Synchronar first went on sale, but I've got one with a receipt dated 1975. I presume the product launch was at least a couple of years earlier.

Hasn't this already been hashed out in another thread somewhere?

[clockace]

the date on the bottom of the outer box on my original is aug 30-1975. i obviously bought it sometime after that, but they had been on the market for quite some time before i pulled the trigger. they were retail at $500.00US at the time. a friend of mine bought one thru the mail from ragen quite awhile before i got mine. he waited and waited and waited for it. when i got mine they were handled by a local jewelry store in phoenix. peter

[bruce wegmann]

Well, an attempt was made, but I doubt very much, barring some miraculous discovery of unimpeachable records, that the P1/Sync debate is going to be resolved any time soon. I still favor the P1 as the first all-electronic digital watch, and the Synchronar as the first solar-powered digital. So, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it...

[clockace]

bruce, to add to your convictions, on the pcb of my P2 is the date 1972 not printed with a stamp, but etched right on the board just like the traces. i don't think there can be any doubt about that date. peter

[bruce wegmann]

It is indisputable that the P1 was first offered to the public on April 4, 1972, and prototypes were shown in May of 1970. So, unless somebody has an original Synchronar purchase receipt dated prior to 4-4-72, I don't see anywhere else to go on this. But, that's just me...

[dot matrix]

OK, just to get back on track here - the question isn't whether the Synchronar or the P1 was the first electronic digital. That's been debated ad infinitum and has been known to become a somewhat heated topic. I believe the conclusion was that the P1 did in fact go on sale first.

Back to topic at hand - the first SOLAR watch, not the first digital. As far as I know, this has nothing to do with Pulsar - I'm not sure how Pulsar became an issue in this thread. Synchronar never claimed, in print, to be the first digital; but it did claim to be the first solar. Was that claim true? Watchtime states that the Crystone analog solar watch was launched in 1976. I know first hand that the Synchronar was available in 1975, which is pretty good evidence that it preceded the Crystone. I presume it first went on sale sometime between 1970 and 1975.

[RaWatch]

Yes, let us get back on track.
There is clear evidence that the Synchronar went on sale to the public in 1972, several years before the analog solar Crystron watch which went on sale in 1976. Early examples of the Synchronar were featured in the catalog of the well known Hammacher Schlemmer store in New York City.

At this point in the development on the DWF, we should all be in agreement that the Synchronar was the first solar watch availalbe to the public.

I think this is clear and if any one on the DWF does not agree then I think it would be important to supply them with all the appropriate information to clarify this. Anyone who spends the time and interest pariticipating in the DWF is in fact a expert in the field and their opinion matters.

I have not been able to update my website soluhr.com in awhile. I know now that what I have listed as the 1972 solar Uranus prototype was actually made after 1972. After all my research, I think that the Synchronar has the clear claim as the first solar watch. It is unfortunate that mainstream publications like WatchTimes are not fully informed of important historical developments. DWF members should email the Norma Buchanan, Senior Editor nbuchanan@watchtime.com to let her know that you noticed her error. The more people she hears from the more likely they are to correct their facts in their publication.

[bruce wegmann]

Oh, Time Computer and Synchronar have been tied together ever since the "who was first" debate got started; in physics, I think they call this phenominon "entanglement". But, as a SOLAR-POWERED digital, the Sync has my vote; much as I love the P1, I give credit where credit is due...

[RaWatch]

Bruce, yes much is "entangled" but on the basic point on the Synchronar being the first solar watch I think we are all in "synch" about this. Would mind sending a note to nbuchanan@watchtime.com at WatchTimes?
You are a respected voice in the community and an email from you would help clarify this point to others.
Thanks
Francis

[RaWatch]

I just got a response from WatchTimes:

Dear Mr. Fullam:

Thank you for pointing this out (again). I will ask the Web editor to correct the quiz.

Best regards,

Norma Buchanan
Senior Editor
WatchTime Magazine
1010 Mt. Carmel Ave.
Hamden, CT 06518
203 287 1488