# Rare Wittnauer Literature



## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

I've been eagerly waiting for this to arrive for the last three weeks, together with some interesting watches (subject of some future post  ). Had no idea what it would be like since it came from DashTo with a one line text description of "_Interesting brochure on the Wittnauer electric watch_".

Comparatively little is known about the Wittnauer Electro-Chrons. Why some have "ELECTRIC" on the dial while others have "ELECTRO-CHRON"; why some took a WD-4 battery while others the WD-5; what did the original bracelet look like?; what was the cost when new? etc....yet there seem to be a lot of collectors for these watches, probably due to those ultra-cool hands. I have at least two, Dave (martinus_scriblerus) has five at my last count, probably more now, Ken (dombox) has one , etc etc.

It's easy finding information on most of the other electric watches, whether that's a period adverts, sale brochure or service manual, but I have _never_ seen any literature on the Wittnauer Electro-Crons, so I was very pleased when I open the parcel this morning.

Firstly, the scans of the Wittnauer Electric brochure. This looks to be a pre-launch pamphlet intended for jewellers ---sadly no date on it. Interestingly, no sign of the phrase "Electro-Chron"...so, Dave, those ones with "ELECTRIC" on the dial are the early ones  . Look at those prices; the Electric is nearly double the price of the manuals and automatics! Secondly, in the follow-up post, some scans of slightly later leaflets and these are dated to 1960. On the order form, we now have Electro-Chron "A" and Electro-Chron "B" with the latter having 14K gold cap (what's that?).

Yep, very pleased to have got this! 





































Second set in next post...


----------



## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)




----------



## martinus_scriblerus (Sep 29, 2008)

Wow! This does fill in some gaping holes in our knowledge of Electro-Chrons.

I just bought two huge manuals for 1959 and 1960 from American Jeweller. Hopefully there will be some more useful information.

Where did you get the brochure from Paul?


----------



## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

martinus_scriblerus said:


> Where did you get the brochure from Paul?


It came from Tom Mister at DashTo, Dave. Just Google "DashTo" and you'll find him.


----------



## Johnny M (Feb 16, 2007)

I find these period brochures/adverts etc. fascinating....thanks for posting this Paul :thumbsup:


----------



## dombox40 (Oct 20, 2008)

Johnny M said:


> I find these period brochures/adverts etc. fascinating....thanks for posting this Paul :thumbsup:


Hi has anybody put these prices into the inflation calculator to see what they would cost today


----------



## dombox40 (Oct 20, 2008)

Silver Hawk said:


> martinus_scriblerus said:
> 
> 
> > Where did you get the brochure from Paul?
> ...


Hi paul a very useful piece of information and well found


----------



## martinus_scriblerus (Sep 29, 2008)

I am wondering a few things about this brochure. First of all, just because a watch company publishes that they are going to sell something does not mean that they will. Hence, the "gold cap" watch that I have no idea what is. I did just buy ebay #190267431847. That looks like a gold cap watch and that's what the watch is described as (gold top). Photos are protected by Auctiva or I would have posted a photo. If you can't wait 'till I get the watch you can check it out yourself. Note that the watch has a half-minute scale, but no battery compartment.

Secondly is the box. I bought a watch with box and papers (you can see it in old posts from a couple months back). I would have thought that it was a later watch than an earlier one, because the watch has one of the later movements in it. I thought the triangular box may have been the early box. I'm not certain what exactly went on here.

Thirdly, in regard to the battery compartment. I have two watches that say "electric" rather than electro-chron. One has the battery compartment, the other does not. I guess this is not entirely surprising as watchmakers typically just use whatever parts are on hand. We just cannot definitively say that if the watch says "electric" it should have a compartment back.

Fourthly, the ad refers to an advertising campaign. I've yet to see an ad from that period for an electro-chron. Plenty of Hamilton Electric ads out there. You'd have thought we would have seen one by now.

I've bought a dozen of these watches in their various forms. I've traded one, and still have the others. Paul has overhauled 5 or them. When I come to England in the fall, I'll be bringing the rest of them for a servicing.

Thanks for posting this info Paul. We'll get the whole story someday.


----------



## martinus_scriblerus (Sep 29, 2008)

dombox40 said:


> Johnny M said:
> 
> 
> > I find these period brochures/adverts etc. fascinating....thanks for posting this Paul :thumbsup:
> ...


According to the inflation calculator at the Bank of Canada website $100 in 1960 is about $730 in 2008 terms.

Here's the link to the inflation calculator if you'd like to see it. Hard to say how much it varied in the UK or the USA, but probably not that much.

http://www.bank-banque-canada.ca/en/rates/...ation_calc.html


----------



## dombox40 (Oct 20, 2008)

martinus_scriblerus said:


> dombox40 said:
> 
> 
> > Johnny M said:
> ...


Thanks Dave thats a useful tool know how to use it now


----------



## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

martinus_scriblerus said:


> I am wondering a few things about this brochure. First of all, just because a watch company publishes that they are going to sell something does not mean that they will. Hence, the "gold cap" watch that I have no idea what is. I did just buy ebay #190267431847. That looks like a gold cap watch and that's what the watch is described as (gold top). Photos are protected by Auctiva or I would have posted a photo. If you can't wait 'till I get the watch you can check it out yourself. Note that the watch has a half-minute scale, but no battery compartment.
> 
> Secondly is the box. I bought a watch with box and papers (you can see it in old posts from a couple months back). I would have thought that it was a later watch than an earlier one, because the watch has one of the later movements in it. I thought the triangular box may have been the early box. I'm not certain what exactly went on here.
> 
> ...


Sounds like my recent acquisition is a worthless piece of junk and I should shred it immediately! :lol:

Your fourth point is a really good one and one that I'd been wondering about as well --- why haven't we seen any period adverts for Electro-Chrons in magazines, etc? There are masses of Hamilton electric ads but little of anything else.

One thing that we should consider is that it is probable that Landeron (ESA) not only supplied the movements to Longines-Wittnauer but the cases as well. They may even have supplied the hands and dials --- they certainly did to other watch manufactures (?assemblers?). Virtually all my Landeron 4750 based watches have identical cases: Wittnauer, Mira, Hamilton, UNIC, Terium, Waltham, Camy, Vido, Clinton, Everite, Rotary, Baylor, Tradition, Waltham, West End Watch ( h34r: didn't realize I had so many!). Some of these have identical hands and the wavy dial. These is some variation in the case backs but there are essentially two type: those that took a WD-5 and lacked a small battery hatch and those that took the smaller WD-4 with a hatch. So I bet Wittnauer just assembled whatever was supplied to them from Landeron. I expect Landeron first produced WD-5 cases and then moved over to WD-4 cases --- but I have no proof.

The gold topped Wittnauer looks interesting Dave.


----------



## martinus_scriblerus (Sep 29, 2008)

Silver Hawk said:


> Sounds like my recent acquisition is a worthless piece of junk and I should shred it immediately! :lol:


Just send it to me, Paul, send it to me!!!


----------

