Liquid Crystal Displays

Optel Dynamic Scattering Liquid Crystal Display wristwatch, ca. early 1972

One of Optel's, and therefore the world's, first LCD watches. The display flashes to conserve battery power and enable the watch to run on one battery for a year. As the display and the accompanying CMOS circuitry improved, Optel eliminated the flash feature by December.

There were practical drawbacks to a flashing display, particularly when glancing at the watch while driving. Nunzio "Tony" Luce built the circuitry; the displays were made in a hermetically sealed package in a building on Route 1 opposite the Dow Jones headquarters.

Click here to return to RCA Technologies