Watch Firsts: Part Two

Have you ever been curious about the history behind the first-minute repeater watch, made at the tail end of the 19th century? Or how about the first alarm wristwatch and which American president it’s been closely associated with? Keep reading to discover these and more curious events behind some of the most important inventions in watchmaking history:

1892: The First Minute Repeater Wristwatch

Although the minute repeater has been around since the 18th century, it wasn't until 1892 that Louis Brandt & Frères, now known as Omega, revolutionized the watchmaking industry by incorporating an Audemars Piguet movement into their first ever minute repeater wristwatch. At that time, luminous dyes and materials had yet to be discovered, making chiming minute repeaters a crucial tool for telling time in the darkness of night.

1923: The First Split-Seconds Chronograph Watch

Released in 1925, the Patek Philippe 97975 solidified its place in horological history as the first-ever perpetual calendar wristwatch. Its origins can be traced back to 1898 when the movement was first created for a women's moon phase pendant. This timepiece boasted a No.97975 movement, crafted from a Victorin Piguet ébauche and featuring a straight-line lever escapement, compensating balance, and Breguet overcoil hairspring. The most remarkable feat of this watch was its instantaneous perpetual calendar indications, showcasing its rare complexity and impeccable craftsmanship.

1947: The First Alarm Wristwatch

Vulcain proudly claimed the title of pioneer by releasing the world's first mechanical alarm wristwatch, dubbed the Cricket, in 1947. This timepiece was renowned for its distinctive "chirping" sound. The brand's popularity only grew when American President Harry S Truman received a gifted model in 1953, earning it the moniker of the "President'sWatch" among his successors.

1953: The First Watch to Summit Mt. Everest

In the year 1953, Sir Edmund Hillary and his expedition partner Tenzing Norgay achieved the impossible: being the first men to conquer the summit of Mount Everest. As they traversed treacherous terrain, Hillary wore a prototype of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Explorer, which went into production soon after their journey. However, it was also rumored that Hillary carried an English Smiths DeLuxe with him on his epic ascent of Everest.

1969: The First Automatic Chronograph

The year was 1969 and the race to create the first automatic chronograph was heating up between three major brands: Heuer (now TAG Heuer), Seiko, and Zenith. While collectors still argue about who truly came first, evidence points to Zenith as the frontrunner, unveiling their high-beat automatic chronograph "El Primero" on January 10 – a mere few days before the "Chronomatic" from Heuer/Breitling and "Speedtimer" from Seiko made their debuts later that year.

1969: The First Watch on The Moon

In a monumental moment on July 21, 1969, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin etched their names into history as the first men to set foot on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission. Aldrin proudly adorned NASA's Omega Speedmaster (ref. 105.012), lovingly known as the "Moonwatch", on his space suit, cementing its place as potentially the first watch to ever grace the lunar surface.

1972: The First Digital Watch

The groundbreaking Hamilton Pulsar P1, also known as the Pulsar Time Computer, made its debut as the first-ever watch to feature a digital LED display - transforming our concept of timekeeping. On April 4, 1972, the Pulsar was unleashed for public purchase, encased in luxurious 18k gold, and tagged with a hefty price of $2,100 (equivalent to approximately $15,700 today).

1985: The First Ceramic Wristwatch

Even though Rado dabbled in tungsten carbide cases during the 1960s and Omega tried their hand at metal and carbon composite cermet cases in the 1980s, it wasn't until 1985 that the first "real" ceramic watch case (crafted from zirconium oxide) was introduced with the IWC Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Chronograph (ref. 3755).