Lucerne
Lucerne Digital | Date
A 1970s Lucerne mechanical digital watch combining jumping hour, minutes and date in an unusual three-part display.
- Year
- c. 1970s
- Condition
- Good
- Gender
- Men / Unisex
Condition
Visible wear and aging to the case and dial, consistent with use. The hour, minute and date displays remain legible.
Why I bought it
I was attracted by the unusual arrangement of the display. It combines a jumping hour with a separate minute indication and date, all without using a conventional set of hands.
This Lucerne uses an unusual arrangement even by the standards of 1970s mechanical digital watches.
The jumping hour appears through the aperture on the left, marked H. Minutes are shown across the upper part of the dial through a curved aperture, with the orange pointer indicating the reading. On the right, the aperture marked D displays the date.
The small rectangular element at the bottom is the Lucerne brand plaque, not an additional calendar display.
The watch is signed Lucerne and Digital Swiss Made. I have not confirmed the caliber, so I prefer not to attribute a specific movement from the dial layout alone.
What I like about this watch is the way it presents three basic functions without using a conventional dial and hands. Instead, the whole face is organized around windows and indicators, which gives it a very typical 1970s mechanical-digital character.