Green LED's......How Rare?

[bucko170]

I have recently been thinking of adding a vintage green LED watch to my collection.

I know that the green LED's are rare, much more so than the red LED's but does anyone have any idea how many where produced?

I am aware of three manufacturer's who produced green LED's in the 70s namely Pulsar, Compuchron and Sears, where there anymore?

Probably a daft question but where there any other colour LED's produced in the 1970s besides red and green, I would expect the answer to be no but maybe as a prototype?

Would there be any issues I would need to consider before purchasing a green LED, i.e. Is the reliability and functionality comparable to that of a red LED of the same age?

I am leaning towards either a Pulsar or a Compuchron as I find them aesthetically more to my liking than the Sears.

[bruce wegmann]

The green display watches were really a novelty product [the PRM is another perfect example] designed to re-capture some of the dwindling LED market [all were introduced in 1977]. It seems likely all the green displays came from a single source [Sanyo]. I have seen a Green Dress and CompuChron side-by-side, and the displays were indentical, so the reliablility of the display itself is going to be fairly consistant. No orange or yellow 70s LEDs are known [blue has only been around for about ten years]. It's almost a certainty that, had the market lasted, manufacturers would have experimented with alternative colors. For rarity, the Sears is first, then CC, then Pulsar. Relative abundance, Sears 1, CC 4, Pulsar 8 [based on appearance on ebay over the last five years]. Actual numbers produced are unknown. I seem to remember a fourth make appearing on ebay a couple years back, but the name escapes me, and unless I can find the auction in my records, I will stay on solid ground and stay with three as the number of models. It's hard to think of the green Pulsar as the commonest [relatively speaking], but they are also the most collectible, and typically command the highest prices. Cosmetic condition and boxes/papers can heavily influence value. Pulsar is stainless only; CC made a goldfill version also [all 3 of my Sears records are of stainless watches, but a goldtone version may exist]. Esthetic considerations are the sole pervue of the buyer [I like the Pulsar most...big surprise!...but if a stainless CC crossed my path at a good price, I would probably scoop it up].

[bucko170]

Thanks for the very interesting and informative reply

The green display watches were really a novelty product [the PRM is another perfect example]

Whats a PRM?

[Sully008]

Thanks for the very interesting and informative reply

The green display watches were really a novelty product [the PRM is another perfect example]

Whats a PRM?

PRM- Pulsar Pulse Rate Monitor

[bucko170]

Thanks Sully,
I should of guessed - I have seen the PRM offered for sale at http://www.oldpulsars.com/