Can anyone cast some light on a 28 mm diameter "Lord Elgin Electronic" wrist watch? This movement has no crown but does have a 7 mm diameter 'thumb wheel' and 11 mm diameter battery cover on the back. It has a striking similarity to early electric Timex - and I can guess who copied whom... I have been told that this was an early electric that preceded the more widely distributed Hamilton Electric of circa 1957 and was eclipsed by therelative success of Hamilton electrics. Can anyone speak to relative scarcity, demand, et al? Thank you muchly...

Desmond,
I think I know of the watch you describe.It's just that I don't know much.Henry Fried reviewed the watch some where and I cannot remember where.

I do have some new crowns that I think were used on it.They are about 7mm in diameter and have a square hole and a screw head cutout.
Could you post a picture? Also is this the grade 725?
J Smith

I will post an illustration tomorrow - Thank you

Although described as a "electronic" watch it was in fact an electro-mechanical watch like the Hamilton 500 movement of 1957 - but was actually announced by Elgin as early as 1952 ! - see part letter below ----

Dan

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This, one of the early electro-mechanical watches came out in about 1957.

There were prototypes made before that. Elgin, in partnership with the France maker Lip, developed the watch. They used a battery instead of a mainspring but in almost all other ways it was a traditional mechanical watch. They had all sorts of problems getting it to market. First was with the batteries. Then it proved to be easily damaged in use. Playing golf with it on could result in a trip to the repair shop. It could not handle shock. Off hand, I do recall the number made but it was not many. The Chicago area was test market and these watches show up periodically. While not rare there weren't many made.

The grade number is 725. Bulletin #293 has a nice article about the watch.