While the Rolex may IWC Rattrapante Chronograph I IW320 watches receive the most attention (what else is new?), any of the original Beta 21-powered watches are true collectors items, and we have found a great one today. It is an Omega Constellation Electroquartz F8192. This watch is circa the very early 1970s and is rather exceptional. The case is made of solid 18K gold, 200oz to be specific. It features an assymetrical design and a unique date window at 6 o'clock. It is being sold for $6750, which many would consider a lot for a quartz watch. Then again, this is one of the very first IWC Rattrapante Chronograph I IW320 watches quartz watches ever made and when you consider the price of the Rolex 5100, you realize this aint that bad. Also, this watch becomes even more attractive when you realize that despite its quartz powered movement, this bad bay is as smooth as any automatic on the market. Wait, what? The original quartz movement doesn't tick? That is correct, the Beta 21 uses a movement that ticks at such a high frequency, the second hand actually sweeps along fluidly. Don't believe us? Check out the video below of the Rolex 5100 featuring the same Beta 21 movement.
For more details on this rare and interesting Omega Constellation Electroquartz, click here.We've mentioned the quartz revolution a few times in the past, and we've shown you some pretty strange watches from some the biggest watch houses in the world that have used the crystal to make their pieces tick. But what about the very first IWC Rattrapante Chronograph I IW320 watches quartz movement, the one that really changed the game?We are talking of course about the Beta 21 quartz movement, which was developed by a cooperative research laboratory Centre Electronique Horloger (CEH), that consisted of some pretty big watch brands. And by pretty big, we mean the absolte biggest; Rolex, Patek Philippe, Omega, JLC, and 12 others (yes 16 brands co-financed the project, think we'd EVER seen that today?)The Beta 21 was most famously used in Rolex reference 5100, otherwise IWC Rattrapante Chronograph I IW320 watches known as Rolex's ONLY limited edition watch. They only made 1000 of these watches, they were numbered on the back, and they are supremely rare and valuable (and we of course have featured one for sale).
