Rolex Legendary Beta 21

[mikey]

Did such a Rolex exist with quartz movement that seconds hand glided around like an automatic??Pics please

[nko51]

Please post a pic if you can!

[padi56]

Originally Posted by mikey

Did such a Rolex exist with quartz movement that seconds hand glided around like an automatic??Pics please

Check out this link found already in our own Rolex links and resources there really is quite a lot of information in there.And again not a Rolex invention but part ETA, part Omega plus quite few others.
http://www.oysterquartz.net/the_quartz_date_5100.htm

Beta 21 movement Sixteen different Swiss watch companies began selling Beta 21 quartz watches under their individual brand names in 1970 including Rolex with the Quartz Date 5100.

[tonelar]

Thanks Padi,

So, the second hand had a smooth sweep compared to the once per second tick that usually characterizes quartz movements... that's really interesting.

For some reason, I read somewhere that Rolex opted out of the C.E.H. (Beta21 consortium) at the last minute only to unveiled a quartz watch that was (supposedly) more of their own design. So where the rest of the swiss companies released their Beta21 movement watches in the spring of 1970, Rolex didn't have the 5100 ready until the summer of that year.

Anyone else remember these conflicting stories? If I can recall where I saw this other article, I'll post it here.

[mikey]

I was actually told about the Bulova Accutron electric movement with a sweeping seconds hand like an auto. This is all new news to me that Rolex started the quartz line like this. Does anyone know how the battery life was for this sweeping quartz??

[padi56]

Originally Posted by mikey

I was actually told about the Bulova Accutron electric movement with a sweeping seconds hand like an auto. This is all new news to me that Rolex started the quartz line like this. Does anyone know how the battery life was for this sweeping quartz??

Well Mikey if you really get the proper facts into the true Rolex history,and the same for many other companies.Now as there was about 16 Swiss companies involved in the development of the Beta 21 quartz movement.And Bulova Accutron paid a high part in development of the step motor.The battery life was around 12 months.But Rolex could not alter the design of the beta 21 movement,to fit there Oyster case,so only stated the 5100 was water resist and this was the first Rolex with sapphire crystal.Then they started around 1972 to develop there own movement,but the design was very close to the beta movement,but now designed to fit a oyster case.And now there is another highly prized watch same as the vintage Daytona, with a non in-house Rolex made movement, the Ref 5100.And the last one sold if I remember it sold a few years back for over $16000.