Which were the first electronic perpetual calendar wristwatches ?

[Riehldeal]

Ok, I have read enough to confirm that early 90,s is about right for the field.
However the very first and only perpetual/smart/pre programmed calendar for 20 years was and is the SYNCHRONAR 2100 from 1972.One more reason it was ahead of it's time.It has a leapyear cycle display in years 1-4.Once set the # advances after each December 31 so the watch knows which years has 29 days in February.

In 1981 the MK IV module became the first watch with Automatic Daylight savings time adjustment,also the only one for 10 years or more.

[Bruce Reding]

... the very first and only perpetual/smart/pre programmed calendar for 20 years was and is the SYNCHRONAR 2100 from 1972.One more reason it was ahead of it's time.It has a leapyear cycle display in years 1-4.Once set the # advances after each December 31 so the watch knows which years has 29 days in February.

I'm guessing that nothing was earlier than '72. Another reason why the Synchronar was a real ground breaker!

[ppaulusz]

While Longines lists L234 for 1992 the PDF document shows the ETA 252 perpetual calendars as starting in 1991 ...

Longines claims 1996 for the intro of the Perpetual VHP but the movement was ready by ETA a year earlier. So it looks like ETA prepares new movements 1 year before the brands start casing them.
Anyhow since this is the high-end quartz forum I thought that the original question was really about the introduction of the analog quartz perpetual calendar. I mean there were many noname brands offering watches with digital LCD or LED in the 70s and 80s that could have included proper perpetual calendar features (really very simple with digital display) and noone cares to remember them as they were otherwise pretty ordinary timepieces.

[Catalin]

...
Anyhow since this is the high-end quartz forum I thought that the original question was really about the introduction of the analog quartz perpetual calendar. I mean there were many noname brands offering watches with digital LCD or LED in the 70s and 80s that could have included proper perpetual calendar features (really very simple with digital display) and noone cares to remember them as they were otherwise pretty ordinary timepieces.

My question was primarily for the full-analog watches (where the amount of logical gates for that feature AND something to display/change it IS significant and I believe it would have been a HUGE effort at the start of the 80s), but make no mistake - in the 80s even the difference from a simple annual calendar to a perpetual calendar would have not been an easy task so my feeling is that whoever did it right the first time even on a digital should deserve some credit ...

[ppaulusz]

My question was primarily for the full-analog watches (where the amount of logical gates for that feature AND something to display/change it IS significant and I believe it would have been a HUGE effort at the start of the 80s), but make no mistake - in the 80s even the difference from a simple annual calendar to a perpetual calendar would have not been an easy task so my feeling is that whoever did it right the first time even on a digital should deserve some credit ...

You have opened this thread with your question. What is your conclusion? Did you get the answer you were looking for?

[Riehldeal]

I think he got the answer to the question which did not specify "Which were the first analog perpetuals".There was only one watch of anykind that had a calandar good till 2100 and all others, digital or analog came 20 YEARS later in the early 90's.

[reverendkb]

Betcha Vandice would know! Wherever he is (Singapore?). What about George?

George, thanks for proving me a psychic !!! Bravo!

[Catalin]

Claim from http://www.seikowatches.com/heritage/worlds_first.html - but this one does not even have a picture ?

[ppaulusz]

Claim from http://www.seikowatches.com/heritage/worlds_first.html - but this one does not even have a picture ?

Seiko claims that this is the first perpetual calendar that covers 1100 years (from 1400 to 2499). It has a Caliber 6M13 movement and it was released in the same year as the ETA 252.411 (in 1991). The perpetual calendar of this Seiko is rather a complication while in case of the ETA it is a feature, in my opinion (after checking the picture and reading the Operation Manuals of the Seiko that I found on the net):

[Eeeb]

Actually, National Semiconductor LCD watches from the 70s had perpetual calendars...