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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).
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LIP R27, Prototype, 1954 / 56
Category: proof of principle
Description: Nickel plated brass cased prototype. Screwed case back with big central wheel showing deep radial marks for adjusting the time and peripheral irregular indentations for case back opener. Back marked with ‘1146’. Two black electric wires going through the mid- case between the lower lugs, proximal ends connected to the movement with custom made connectors, distal ends cut off. White copper dial with black printing ‘LIP Electronic’ and horizontal lightning bolt’ under ’12’. Silvered, raised, triangular hour indexes. Raised, silvered Arabic numerals ‘12,3,6,9’, drilled, round minute markers. Sector shaped cut out over ‘6’ to control for the rotation of the second wheel. Silvered hands.
Dimensions: 33mm, lug – lug: 43mm, lug width: 18mm
Movement: Lip R27 prototype, unnumbered, unmarked
Additional info: This is one of just a few surviving prototypes for the revolutionary electro – mechanical system developed by Lip. Even if this system would be the main template used by the Swiss watch industry (Ebauches SA) to develop their own electro – mechanical system, also companies in Germany were working on the same development in parallel.
The R27 movement underwent several prototype stages of which this one illustrates the difficulties in getting reliable batteries of the right size. The black electrical wires protruding from the bottom part of the watch permitted the connection of the watch to an external energy supply. This was necessary to calibrate the watch, thus to check and adjust precision and to test for reliability in ‘laboratory conditions’.
The assembly of the movement points towards a construction in 1956, whereas the case and dial are of earlier development, towards 1954. This peculiarity shows the straight forward thinking of the engineers, who’s only goal was to get the system reliable enough for being marketed without the concern of mixing developmental stages and different components.
Ref.:
- Coustans M.-P.; Lip, des heures à conter; Editions Glénat, 2022
- Trueb L. F., Ramm G., Wenzig P.; Die Elektrifizierung der Armbanduhr; Ebner Verlag, 2011
Electric Watch Prototypes 