Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces

Geneva, Nov 11, 2012

LOT 562

HEWLETT-PACKARD, REF. HP-01 - STEEL LED WRIST CALCULATOR WATCH - MODEL 1 Hewlett-Packard, Calculator LED, Model 1, case No. 34001, Ref. HP-1 / 1801A. Made circa 1977. Fine and very rare, horizontal rectangular, stainless steel LED digital wristwatch antimagnetic to 60 Gauss, with calendar, calculator functions, alarm, chronograph and a Hewlett- Packard stainless steel articulated bracelet with deployant clasp. Accompanied by the original fitted box, instruction manual (German) and pen with combined stylus for operating the calculator. To be sold without reserve

CHF 1,000 - 1,500

USD 1,100 - 1,600 / EUR 850 - 1,200

Sold: CHF 4,000

C. Three-body, rectangular, polished and brushed, panel below the display with buttons to operate the time, date, alarm, chronograph and calculator functions, screw-down back. D. Red display panel with light emitting diodes activated by pressing the function buttons. M. Quartz standardization with six chips powered by three batteries, two for the display, the other for the watch circuit. Case signed. 41 x 37 mm. Thickness 15 mm. Approx. Overall length 180 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good
Case: 1

As new
Movement: 2

Very good
Dial: 1-01

As new

HANDS Original

Notes

The HP-01 is a technological wonder of electronic miniaturization. It was launched in 1977 at the height of the craze for LED watches and was only made until 1979. A watch and calculator in one but combined it could do things neither could do as a single unit including dynamic and algebraic calculations, time-zone calculations and date arithmetic. A quote from the original advertising of the time states : ?You can do anything from viewing the time to dynamically calculating to cost of a long distance phone call or, if a pilot, fi nding the distance to your next checkpoint ?. The movement contains six chips which were the equivilent of 38,000 transistors and powered by three batteries. Several different fi nishes of case were availiable, the all steel case now being one of the most sought after by collectors.