08 Jul 2006, 18:32
WatchTime magazine just published (Aug 06) my letter under the title "Synchronar Beat Citizen." I got permission from a number of people to send their Synchronar photos to the magazine to illustrate the letter. The magazine chose one from an ebay listing by "Joeywaycool" but mixed up the photo credit and credited it to Watchisimo. In any event, thanks to both of them and UT for giving permission to use their photos for the letter. They were all great pictures.
The letter says:
In the "Famous Firsts" quiz in the June 2006 issue, there was a question about which was the first solar-powered wristwatch. The answer given is Citizen. Citizen did sell the first solar-powered analog watch, the Crystron Solar Cell in 1976, as noted in WatchTime's special issue on Citizen in the fall of 2002. However, the first solar-powered watch was a digital watch, the Synchronar 2100, invented and developed by Roger Riehl.
The Synchronar was first shown in July 1972 and went on sale shortly after, several years before the Crystron Solar Cell was introduced. The Synchronar is a solar-powered side-view LED digital readout watch, with a calendar programmed through the year 2100. It is still in production today by the inventor's son, Howard (Riehl_synchronar_2100@yahoo.com).
It is unfortunate that the Synchronar is not more widely known by those who appreciate fine watches. WatchTime champions finely made mechanical watches but acknowledges the design, quality and innovation of such electronic watches as Ventura v-tech MSG. Surely the Synchronar and its inventor deserve the acknowledgement and appreciation of all those value innovations in the field. It is remarkable that the watch that was on the vanguard of the quartz revolution is still in production today as an atelier timepiece. After 30 years it remains one of the most distinctive and innovative watches of the 20th century.
(Note - the magazine did edit the letter down. I had listed several websites where people could go to see other examples. I hope the letter helps get wider attention among watch aficionados.)
The letter says:
In the "Famous Firsts" quiz in the June 2006 issue, there was a question about which was the first solar-powered wristwatch. The answer given is Citizen. Citizen did sell the first solar-powered analog watch, the Crystron Solar Cell in 1976, as noted in WatchTime's special issue on Citizen in the fall of 2002. However, the first solar-powered watch was a digital watch, the Synchronar 2100, invented and developed by Roger Riehl.
The Synchronar was first shown in July 1972 and went on sale shortly after, several years before the Crystron Solar Cell was introduced. The Synchronar is a solar-powered side-view LED digital readout watch, with a calendar programmed through the year 2100. It is still in production today by the inventor's son, Howard (Riehl_synchronar_2100@yahoo.com).
It is unfortunate that the Synchronar is not more widely known by those who appreciate fine watches. WatchTime champions finely made mechanical watches but acknowledges the design, quality and innovation of such electronic watches as Ventura v-tech MSG. Surely the Synchronar and its inventor deserve the acknowledgement and appreciation of all those value innovations in the field. It is remarkable that the watch that was on the vanguard of the quartz revolution is still in production today as an atelier timepiece. After 30 years it remains one of the most distinctive and innovative watches of the 20th century.
(Note - the magazine did edit the letter down. I had listed several websites where people could go to see other examples. I hope the letter helps get wider attention among watch aficionados.)