United clock factories Ersingen
| United clock factories Ersingen
|
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|---|---|
 |
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| legal form | one-man business |
| founding | 1949 |
| resolution | 1971 |
| Reason for dissolution | insolvency |
| Seat | Kämpfelbach-Ersingen |
| Branch | Movement manufacturer |
The Vereinigen Uhrenfabriken Ersingen was a watch and clockwork manufacturer from Kämpfelbach-Ersingen near Pforzheim and a pioneer in the development of electrical clocks.
history
The company was founded in 1949 by Pius Reiling . In 1950, Helmut Epperlein joined the company. On January 12, 1952, Pius Reiling left and Helmut Epperlein became the new owner. The name was changed to Vereinigte Uhrfabriken Ersingen ( VUFE ). The company manufactured mechanical clockworks a. a. the caliber 4711 and 5712. On January 21, 1957 the name was changed again to Uhren-Werk-Ersingen ( UWERSI ). From 1952 Epperlein worked on the development of an electric clock with an elongated coil on the balance wheel and a magnet system with three magnets. On January 28, 1958, he registered his invention as a German utility model (No. 1.842.778).
From 1955, the Ersingen watch factories cooperated with the Hamilton Watch Company , which was also working on the development of an electric watch. This collaboration led to the invention of the first electrically powered wristwatch with balance wheel ("Electric"), which goes back to Epperlein's inventions. On January 3, 1957, the Hamilton Electric 500 came on the market. This was sold in a variety of unusual and asymmetrical watch cases. The best known was certainly the Hamilton Ventura , which was also worn by Elvis Presley in the film Blue Hawaii .
In return, Epperlein received a license from the Americans to build the Hamilton Electric 500 for the German market under the name Epperlein 100 . The contact springs and magnets were supplied by Hamilton. However, there were major problems with the implementation, which is why Epperlein brought a completely own development onto the market in 1959, but which still bore the name Epperlein 100 . About 500 of them were produced, which can also be used in our own watches. a. used in watches made by Paul Portinoux Watch Co. The movements were not reliable, however, which is why around 30% had to be taken back.
Since the German company failed to achieve economic success, Epperlein's patent was transferred to the Hamilton Watch Company on September 21, 1959. On April 2, 1971, the company had to file for bankruptcy.
Web links
- History of the modern wrist watch by Pieter Doensen, Epperlein 100
- Watch Wiki, Epperlein, Helmut
- Electric Watches, Epperlein
- Helmut Epperlein patents for Hamilton
Individual evidence
- ↑ A dream come true: The electrical wristwatch is here! in: Neue Uhrmacher Zeitung , 1958/12; Online transcript .
- ↑ Oliver Hoffmann: Rethinking innovation: histocentric analysis of the innovation mechanisms in the watch industry. Zugl. Diss. Univ. Friborg 2011; Springer Gabler, Wiesbaden 2014, ISBN 978-3-658-05694-0 , p. 112, note 435, limited preview in the Google book search