# Longines Ultraquartz, The World First And Only Cybernetic Watch And Wh



## dickstar1977 (Feb 4, 2008)

Evening all

I just bagged this little gem and felt it would be good to share the love, as those of you who know me know I collect predominantly Omega and love the period between 1969 and 1979 but am occasionally led astray by rare and eccentric early quartz and electronic watches and this one has eluded me for quite sometime.

Way back when when the revolution first started Longines bought in to the first ever quartz watch, the beta 21 and made a tiny number of quartz-chron models, of which I have only ever seen one for sale. Shortly after they brought to the market to ultra quartz (in 1970), the world first (and last) cybernetic watch

I won't go in to the details of how it works but leave this to far more capable and wiser folk than I:

http://electric-watc...s-ultra-quartz/

http://www.crazywatc...tra-quartz-1970

Needless to say the movement is a work of art and looks like something a mad watch maker has put together as their homework, in my eyes it's just a thing of beauty! Yeah yeah I hear you automatic/ manual wind monkeys say, quartz blah blah blah, but check this concoction out:



Anyway, got home from a trip today to find the postman had left me a big humming parcel, thats right you can hear it humming even in bubble wrap, in a box surrounded by more bubble wrap! I unpacked it and what I was presented with was one of the nicest non Omegas I have ever seen, build quality is out of this world, cosmetically it near close to NOS and man is it a noisy beast, it hums like an Electroquartz and has a sweep second hand but you can actually feel it vibrating on your wrist!

So without further ado I give you the stunning Longines Ultraquartz:





Size wise it's definitely a chunk but will make a great dress watch as although wide and deep its not too high! The eagle eyes amongst you will also notice the lack of crown! Thats because its on the back, which is really very cool:



Anyway, I think the pics speak for themselves and I'm chuffed to bits with it


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## harryblakes7 (Oct 1, 2010)

Simply Stunning.............am very jealous........well done........ :thumbup:

I tried to purchase a battered second hand one with a nice blue dial......... i stopped at Â£600.........it went for Â£850 plus premium.......


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## no8yogi (Oct 1, 2012)

Very nice indeed WIH


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## ETCHY (Aug 3, 2004)

Oh wow, that is just incredibly cool, very well done.

What are the numbers for on (what I assume) is the battery hatch, are they to help identify when you last changed it?

Dave


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## PC-Magician (Apr 29, 2013)

That is a very lovely piece, I would love that.

Looking at the movement though I think it scares me a little bit in a good way.

Can Silverhawk service these, I think he may have one not sure though.

Well done is an understatement.

Regards

Jon


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## EJL73 (Apr 7, 2014)

Very cool. Good find! And I second the question about the numbers on the back. I have never seen anything like that before...


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

EJL73 said:


> Very cool. Good find! And I second the question about the numbers on the back. I have never seen anything like that before...


There were quite a few watches in the 1970s that had the month marked on the battery hatch. Those watches that used the very common ESA Swissonic (Dynotrons) range of movements are the most obvious. The watch below is one such watch and is made by Avia. After a battery change, you would place the hatch indicating which month it was changed --- as the battery lasted about a year, it was a useful reminder to buy a new battery as the month approached.

The numbers on the Longines Ultra-Quartz hatch are printed on and often wear off.


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## Event horizon (Mar 17, 2014)

That's a cool looking watch indeed, like the internals of a bond villains WMD


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## dickstar1977 (Feb 4, 2008)

Thanks chaps and thanks for the info Paul

The watch hasn't left my wrist all weekend, timekeeping ins't great but I am used to a Marine Chronometer so I probably shouldn't be so picky ;-)


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## Vaurien (Jul 19, 2010)

Very cool! :notworthy:


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