Electronic Watches and Clocks

Abstract

This chapter discusses the usage of electronic watches and clock. Electronic watches are inherently reliable. They have essentially no or very few moving parts that are subject to wear. The integrated circuit, the heart of an electronic watch, has also profited from the vast development effort in applications: such as aerospace and computers, where high reliability is essential. Electronic watches are versatile. It is easy to include the additional functions: such as automatic calendar, alarm functions, and stop watch functions that could only be realized with great difficulties in mechanical watches. The impact of the electronic concept on the traditional watch industry that has developed the mechanical watch to perfection over a timespan, that has to be measured in centuries, was very profound. Even so, this revolution is far from being completed watch and clock technology has matured substantially, so that this is an appropriate point in time to review the present status of the electronic watch and assess the trend for future developments.