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Early Synchronar prototype and orders

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rewolf

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Early Synchronar prototype and orders

Post18 Dec 2008, 23:50

Howard Riehl sent me some scans and photos and asked if I could crop and scale and submit them here for community interest.
Well, here they are with little comment of mine:

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The scans suggest that your Roger Riehl was issuing orders for parts for a run of 100 watches early in June, 1971.
600 Hamlin Reed Switches, 100 Solar Cell Arrays, 100 Quartz Crystals 32.768kHz (BTW quite pricy parts at that time - $6.50 for ONE quartz crystal (1971's Dollars)!
Not sure what this could mean in terms of "going to market", but anyway I am not willing to participate in that "who was first" debate.
I leave it up to others to draw a timeline with PROVEN points of LED watch history.

Here's a newspaper article about Roger Riehl and the Synchronar of February 11, 1971:
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Here we have what looks to me like a VERY early prototype (maybe even hardwired to show constant digits on the LED display):
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I asked if this was the same watch as in the newspaper article above (compare the strap), and asked for more photos.
Howard answered: "...And yes I have the watch from the article (photo I sent) which was taken in 1969 or 1970. It is not the newspapers photo. He actually had the 2nd prototype complete at the time of the article."
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charger105

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: Early Synchronar prototype and orders

Post19 Dec 2008, 05:28

Thanks very much Howard and Rewolf.
Some very interesting images (even the KFC ad in the newspaper article is interesting :-) ).

That one with the flex strap on it does look very early. What sort of display does it have ? I can't see it in the image. Has the solar cell been removed or didn't this early prototype have one ? Did it ever have a case ?

Rgds,
Andrew.
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retroleds

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: Early Synchronar prototype and orders

Post19 Dec 2008, 07:01

Yes, thank you Howard. I like the one with the buttons on the front corners....like a little rhinoceros . Or maybe a solar powered tank with dual guns. :twisted: Ker-plumb!! Ker-plumb!
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Synchroserious

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Re: : Early Synchronar prototype and orders

Post20 Dec 2008, 00:43

retroleds wrote:Yes, thank you Howard. I like the one with the buttons on the front corners....like a little rhinoceros . Or maybe a solar powered tank with dual guns. :twisted: Ker-plumb!! Ker-plumb!



Thank you for maintaining this site Ed! Lets see if the images can be stored longer than Image shack permits.

Yes straight out of the archives from the land of the lost.I can't make out if it looks like a Star-wars character with the red buttons as eyes or if it is a classic car and those are the red tail lights.
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: Early Synchronar prototype and orders

Post20 Dec 2008, 00:48

BTW the buttons are on the rear end corners. The front with LED display is not seen in the photos.
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: Early Synchronar prototype and orders

Post20 Dec 2008, 06:20

Oh Jesus, I thought that was the front. In that case, my vote is for the car, maybe a Thunderbird? A few modifications and you'd have the Batmobile. Buttons at the back makes infinitely more sense.

Thanks again for the scans and pictures - yes, I am shlocking away at a solution that will get us collectively out of the ImageShack system forever, tidy it all up so people can find things AND have thumbnails to scroll through to find just the picture they want.

And thanks for the thanks - don't need a lot of that, but it's nice once in a while. 8-) Like a cactus - I generally thrive on abuse!(And watch out for the prickers!) :lol: :oops:
http://www.retroleds.com - Sales of vintage LED, LCD, analog watches, parts and gadgets - repair tutorials & tips
Nov. 2022 - back in business!! BItter divorce is in home stretch, come grabs some great deals, I had to open the safe . . . damn attorneys. piss.
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: Early Synchronar prototype and orders

Post20 Dec 2008, 08:44

Looking at these nice pictures make me think that you deserve a nice internet site Howard.

How interesting will be a site made by you with the History , interesting documents , nice pictures ot the prototype til the Limited Edition....

You can do it yourself very easily now with sites.google.com


And thanks for the thanks of the thanks (it fells like christmas is coming....)
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rewolf

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: Early Synchronar prototype and orders

Post21 Dec 2008, 17:08

Howard sent me another photo showing a bit more of the "Thunderbird" prototype:
"This is the photo of the rear side with buttons that look like tail lights at the rear end of a classic car."
Image
Now all we need is a photo of the front side showing the display :-)

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