THIS IS AN EXTREMELY RARE WITTNAUER ELECTRIC ELECTRO-CHRON WATCH SIMILAR TO THE ONE BUCKY WALTERS AND JOE DIMAGGIO OF THE NEW YORK YANKEES WERE PRESENTED ON JULY 28, 1962 AT OLD TIMERS DAY AND FETCHED AT CHRISTIE'S $13,750 ON 24 APRIL 2008. IT IS FROM THE VERY EARLY ONES WITH ELECTRIC ON THE DIAL AND THE OUTSIDE EASY ACCESS BATTERY COMPARTMENT FOR A W4 TYPE BATTERY WHICH IS NO LONGER MADE BUT MANY OTHER CURRENT ONES CAN BE USED. EVERYTHING IS ORIGINAL, NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE OR POLISHED TO THE DIAL OR CASE, THIS IS A COLLECTOR'S DREAM AND THE ONLY ONE I HAVE SEEN ANYWHERE. IT IS SOLD AS IS, AS FOUND, NOT TESTED, ALL PICTURES ARE OF THE ACTUAL WATCH AND WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU WILL GET.

DO NOT MISS AN EXTREMELY RARE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE ONE IN YOUR COLLECTION!!!


I have to confess that when I saw my first early Wittnauer Electro-Chron, I had to have one. I had no idea what movement was driving it; I didn’t care…those hands just did it for me!

 The Swiss were usually late with new technologies so they launched their first electric watch around 1961. Well... better late than never but in result they made the best electric ever (IMO). It was invented by the  famous Landeron branch of the ETA group and basically two versions were available - the early L4750 and late L4760 with hacking and circuit disconnection. These robust movements were fitted into various watches but the most collectible is the Wittnauer Electro-Chron with striking thunderbolt hands. This small feature increases the price sometimes by 200% in comparison to other brands or late Electro-Chron versions without such fancy hands. The fixed coil is secured in plastic making the watch almost bullet-proof. There is almost nothing that can be accidentally damaged unless someone deliberately breaks the long negative pole contact plate. There are no magnetic parts (unlike the permanent magnets in the Hamilton) and all electromagnetic activity is performed between the two steel terminals on the coil, the contact wires and the balance assembly with steel plate that is magnetized and attracted and pushed back with every electric impulse.

All the Electro-Chrons use the first Swiss electric movement; the early ones had the Landeron 4750 while the later ones had the Landeron 4760. There is also a much rarer Landeron 4751 movement that is sometimes found in these watches. All three movements are virtually identical apart from a hacking facility on the 4751 and 4760.

Early Electro-Chrons

The early Electro-Chrons seem to be characterised by:

  • Those wacky hands that everyone loves.
  • Dial markers at hour and minute intervals
  • “ELECTRIC” on the dial (started to change to “ELECTRO_CHRON”)
  • Cases with removable backs. Most seem to take the large WD-5 battery on the inside of the case back but I’ve seen at least one early Electro-Chron that took the smalled WD-4 in a small battery compartment on the outside of the case back.
  • Landeron 4750 non-hacking movement.
DUE TO THE INCREASING NUMBER OF BIDDERS NOT PAYING FOR WON AUCTIONS OR COMMITMENTS TO BUY, WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CANCEL ANY QUESTIONABLE BID OR OFFER. NEEDLESS TO SAY ALL OFFENDERS WILL BE PROPERLY REPORTED AND SANCTIONED AS SUCH.
BEING A VINTAGE WATCH, WE HAVE A NO RETURN POLICY. COMES WITH NO BOX OR PAPERS.
INTERNATIONAL BUYERS WILL RECEIVE IT VIA EBAY GLOBAL EXCHANGE WHICH TAKES CARE OF ALL PAPERWORK AND DETAILS FOR THE SPECIFIC COUNTRY.
ALL PICTURES ARE PART OF THE LISTING, WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET.