ELECTRONIC WATCH
A watch claimed to be the first innovation in time-keep-ing for 300 years, and using electronic components similar to those employed in American space satellites, has just been introduced to the New Zealand market.
The Hong Kong sales manager of Bulova International (Mr A. M. Henshel), at present visiting Christchurch, said the watch used a minute tuning fork which was kept vibrating by means of a transistorised circuit. The circuit had more than 700 feet of wire, less than one fifth the diameter of human hair.
The movement of the fork was transferred to the hands by a geared wheel the size of a pinhead. The teeth of the wheel (300 in all) were visible only after magnification 100 times, and at this point the curvature of the wheel was out of sight. The watch would sell in New Zealand from £92 to £2500. It required no servicing, but needed a new battery, costing about 10s, every year.
A similar timing device was used in the Gemini 7 manned flight, and also in the Tiros series of space probes to shut off transmitters. The solarised batteries would have continued sending signals indefinitely without it. A 1
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31161, 10 September 1966, Page 24
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198ELECTRONIC WATCH Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31161, 10 September 1966, Page 24
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