LIP – Elgin

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The research at the Lip facilities in Besançon start in 1948, whereas the year 1949 would be completely dedicated to the miniaturisation of the battery, a feature which which will prove a major problem up until the development of the quartz system 20 years later. One advantage of the Lip researchers was the proximity to the electro – chemical facility of ‘Leclanché’, who will collaborate with Lip to finally create a ‘bean’ shaped battery. The same year Lip and Elgin sign a cooperation for the research and development of an electric wrist watch permitting an exchange of expertise. At first the laboratory prototypes are of considerable size and not wearable at the wrist (1, 2).

In 1950 the team of engineers around Paul Dargier de Saint Vaulry develop novel materials which permit the oscillation of a watch balance wheel through electrical stimulation. The next steps include the miniaturisation of the electrical components and circuitry which will peak in the development of the first wrist watch sized movement in 1952. This movement will be mounted into a case and presented the 19.03.1952 at the ‘Académie des Science’ in Paris. Through their close collaboration, Elgin presented their version of that prototype at the ‘Blackstone Hotel’ in Chicago at the same time (1, 2).

Ref.:

1. Coustans M.-P.; Lip, des heures à conter; Editions Glénat, 2022
2. Trueb L. F., Ramm G., Wenzig P.; Die Elektrifizierung der Armbanduhr; Ebner Verlag, 2011