page_title: Omega Electroquartz
section_title: Production watches
hierarchical_section_title: Omega Electroquartz / Production watches
caption_attribution_description: English: Omega Electroquartz date and non date movements rear
context_page_description: The Omega Electroquartz was introduced in 1969 as the first production Swiss quartz watch. It was the collaboration of 20 Swiss watch companies and the movement was utilised by Rolex, Patek Phillipe and Omega SA amongst others. The Beta 21 movement used in the Electroquartz was accurate to 5 seconds per month, far better than any automatic or manual wind movement of the day.
context_section_description: Although 20 watch companies were originally involved in the development of the beta 21 production watch under CEH, not all of these companies took this to production stage. It is indicated that 18 Swiss manufacturers showed beta 21 watches at the 1970 Basel Fair.
  Between 1970 and 1971 6,000 beta 21 units were manufactured (Omega's calibre was 1300).
  To date there are only known of surviving examples from 12 of the original manufacturers and a number of these are not complete watches:
  1. Bucherer : Branded as Bucherer Quartz and available in 18-carat gold or stainless steel models.
  2. Bulova:Branded as Accuquartz, available in an 18-carat gold models.
  3. Favre-Leuba: This has only ever been seen as a movement with dial and not as a production watch.
  4. International Watch Company: Branded as Davinci, International and also as a pocket watch available in a range of precious metals and stainless steel.
  5. Jaeger-LeCoultre: Branded as Masterquartz however this has only been seen as a movement with dial and not as a production watch.
  6. Omega SA: Branded as Electroquartz and available in 18-carat gold and stainless steel models 
  7: Longines: Branded as Quartz-Chron, this has only ever been seen as a single production watch in stainless steel.
  8. Patek Philippe: Branded as Cercle d'Or available in 18-carat gold models.
  9. Piaget: Available in 18-carat gold as date and non date models.
  10. Rado: Branded as Quartz 8192, available in Stainless steel and made circa 400 examples.
  11. Rolex: Branded as Oysterquartz calibre 5100 available in 18-carat gold.
  12. Zenith: This has only ever been seen as a movement without dial and not as a production watch.
  Omega's version of the beta 21 wristwatch came in the form of the Electroquartz, the case design was larger at the top than the bottom and as such it gained the nickname 'pupitre' after the French word for writing desk. Omega took 5 examples of the electroquartz to the 1970 Basel Fair in 18-carat gold with integral bracelet and displayed them in a row running continually at exactly the same time to demonstrate their accuracy, they sold all five examples at the Basel Fair.
  Shortly after the 1970 fair the Electroquartz became commercially available to the public in 18-carat gold and Stainless Steel, both with the pupitre case design at a cost of £1150 in 18-carat yellow gold with integral bracelet and £330 in Stainless steel on bracelet, by contrast the Moonwatch on bracelet was £93.50 and the now coveted Omega Bullhead was only £90.50.
caption: Omega Electroquartz date and non date movements rear
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