André Krassoïevitch

Nationality: Swiss

Early training: Engineering EPFL Lausanne

Swiss watch industry: Head of Advanced Research at Patek Philippe

Main achievements: His achievements in electric watch making are not at all acknowledged, despite the fact that Krassoïevitch was the first engineer in Switzerland to focus on miniaturisation of quartz regulated, portable time pieces. Already in 1952 he conceived an all electric device with no moving parts of the size of a table clock showing the time by moving light diodes.

Electronic table clock with no moving parts, 1952. Picture credit 2

He was able expand his research at Patek Philippe permitting the development of the widely used electronic master clocks in the 1970s. Despite establishing an electronics and atomic clock division starting 1948, Patek Philippe would not pursue the path of miniaturisation of electronic calibers to wrist watch size on their own, but will participate at the developments of the CEH (Centre Electronique Horloger) researching what would be known as Beta 21 caliber, marketed in 1970. By then Krassoïevitch would focus on the development of said bigger, modular electronic clocks, which will be used for decades in Swiss public places such as airports and it will also be installed at the Swiss parliament in Bern.

Picture credit:

  1. Portrait: Revue Internationale d’Horologerie, La Chaux-de-Fonds, 1954
  2. Revue Internationale d’Horologerie, La Chaux-de-Fonds, 1952