# Another Grail To Find



## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

My web site generates a steady stream of "What's it worth?" type questions but occasionally it results in a real gem...like an email I received from a Mr. David Read at the beginning of last week. :yes:

A few of us on this Forum collect Landeron-based electric watches, myself included, but there is one type that has eluded me..and continues to do so. It's the version that has a rechargeable accumulator. On my web site, I have a rather poor scan of a picture of one and state "an accumulator version of the Landeron 4750 based watch is being recharged using a conventional Ever Ready 1.5v U10 battery. Having collected watches with this movement for the last 9 years, I've never seen watches for sale with either of these arrangements.".

Along comes David and he has three Avia versions of the rechargeable Landeron...plus a lot of very useful information about them, like "My attachments illustrate both the recharging adapter and a detail of how the 80 mA LeclanchÃ© cell is held inside the case back with a screwed ring. At first this ring was was made in hardened rubber or Ebonite whilst the later ones used transparent nylon. When the very first Avia electric watches in gold were made, (very few I imagine), they seem to have made the mistake of printing Electronic on the dial. This was corrected for those that followed and these either have Electric on the dial or nothing except an electric symbol at 12."

And so to his photos of these very rare watches which are easily identified by their 2 "crowns" at 3 and 9....with the one at 9 being a dummy that can be removed for attaching the charging device.


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## dombox40 (Oct 20, 2008)

What a great find that is Paul and as you say very rare, how did he come to have three of them was it an inheritance because as you say I,ve never seen one. I see the black dial on the Avia is exactly the same as the Olma I sold to Dave crikey I hope that ones not a solid gold case. :sweatdrop:


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## tixntox (Jul 17, 2009)

Brilliant! a watch that you can jump start!!! :notworthy:

Mike


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## norfolkngood (Oct 11, 2008)

Just the reason why we collect and if Mr hawk says they are rare they are like

my collection of hens teeth ...... :notworthy:


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## norfolkngood (Oct 11, 2008)

And Mr Hawk how tempted were you to say ohhhhhhh these watches are so common i will give you a tenner each !!!


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## Who. Me? (Jan 12, 2007)

Interesting.

Do the accumulators still hold a charge after all this time, or have the watches been converted to work with button cells by their owners over the years?


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

Who. Me? said:


> Do the accumulators still hold a charge after all this time, or have the watches been converted to work with button cells by their owners over the years?


From David's email: As for the Accumulators, the one in the gold case still has some chargeable capacity, lasting about three weeks. I wear the watch every so often, simply putting it on the charging adapter the night before as shown in my image.


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## watchking1 (Nov 14, 2007)

Very interesting Paul.

I'm sure these are impossible to come by. What is the case size of these gems?


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

Just when you thought you had seen it all :hi:


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

Cool Man! Even the battery used in the piccie for the charge is ancient! :lol:


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## Guest (Aug 22, 2010)

Silver Hawk said:


>


Looks a bit like a small bomb.


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## bosartis (Nov 15, 2009)

Fascinating - the more I see and read (and now collect) these electric watches, the more "hooked" I am.

Thanks for posting.


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## harleymanstan (May 29, 2009)

Om_nom_nom_Watches! said:


> Silver Hawk said:
> 
> 
> >
> ...


Don't try to carry that one onto an airplane. You might be spending a little time in the interrogation room.

Those are unbelievable watches!!!! :notworthy: Gives me something new to look for.

harleymanstan


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## martinus_scriblerus (Sep 29, 2008)

Do you think you could talk "David" into telling the story as to how he came to own these watches?

I'm delighted that he has shared these photos with us. I've never seen one either.


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## Larry from Calgary (Jun 5, 2006)

:thumbsup: "Another grail to find"

I've never seen one before and I'm pretty sure that having two stems would catch my attention. :cool2: It's a pretty cool idea, circa 1960. I wonder if LIP was somehow involved with the design of the accumulator. h34r:

Other than the accumulator is it a standard Landeron movement? I'm thinking that when the accumulator finally degrades you could replace it with a button battery.

B)


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## sam. (Mar 24, 2010)

I had no idea they even existed,absolutely brilliant!, that ever ready battery brought back old memories too,they are real collectors watches,well iv'e certainly learned something new today.


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

Paul, et al y algo mas, I was wondering just what the LeClanche accumulator in this was - anyone have any info? Remember that LeClanche cells were those big wet cell contraptions used in many a school experiment :yes:

I can't really source any info as to what form the cell would take in this useage







carrying a small wet cell around on your wrist is not a "good" option! - not if it leaks acid all over your wrist and your hand falls off! :lol:


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## Larry from Calgary (Jun 5, 2006)

mel said:


> Paul, et al y algo mas, I was wondering just what the LeClanche accumulator in this was - anyone have any info? Remember that LeClanche cells were those big wet cell contraptions used in many a school experiment :yes:
> 
> I can't really source any info as to what form the cell would take in this useage
> 
> ...


Mel, I did find this with a quick search of Google: scroll down to read about the avia accumulator

"The life of this *alkaline-type accumulator is estimated at ten years*".

I'd say they've done well to achieve 50 years or so!

:wink2:


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

Thanks Larry for this info. Interesting that Avia was being distributed by Newmark at that time also, I have a Newmark mechanical around somewheres, a mid range badge engineered watch from bought in movements and dials in most existences - possibly part of or shared premises with "Services" watches according to research Mach has done on the two companies. All snippets of information, eh?? :yes:


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

mel said:


> Thanks Larry for this info. Interesting that Avia was being distributed by Newmark at that time also, I have a Newmark mechanical around somewheres, a mid range badge engineered watch from bought in movements and dials in most existences - possibly part of or shared premises with "Services" watches according to research Mach has done on the two companies. All snippets of information, eh?? :yes:


Services were based in Leicester, Newmark in Croydon & were separate companies Mel, Services did source watches from Newmark but afaik that`s the only connection between them :wink2:


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

I get confused Mach







- and that's so easy at my age! I thought about it, and you did mention the connection Newmark were a source for some Services - I must have been thinking about "Aviation"? - was it they who had a very similar address - anyways, still snippets that may sometime piece together :yes:

Love the idea of a double crown acting as charge terminals for an accumulator! :lol: Just wonderful! :notworthy:


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## rmcsilva (May 29, 2010)

Very cool and interesting! Thank you!

Regards,

Rui


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