Omega Chrono-Quartz*** 396.0839 Albatross*** 1977

OUR ARCHIVE » Omega Chrono-Quartz*** 396.0839 Albatross*** 1977

OMEGA Seamaster Chrono-Quartz Albatross Montreal ST 396.0839, 1977
Serial: 4010XXXX
Circa: 1977
Reference No.: ST 396.0839

CASE: 47mm x 35mm stainless steel

DIAL: Black Digital & Analog display with date aperture

MOVEMENT: Caliber 1611 ‘Albatross’, Quartz Electronic Dual Display

BRACELET: Omega stainless steel bracelet

CONDITION REPORT: Great condition, unpolished and 100% original. Working perfectly & complete with archives extract paper.

NOTES:
The Omega Chrono-Quartz was the world’s first digital/analogue chronograph. It was developed in-house by Omega and was launched at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games. This is why the Montreal Olympic logo is found the case back and this was Omega's flagship chronograph at that time. When new in 1976 the watch was £375, by contrast Omegas establish Chronograph the Speedmaster professional 145.022 was £175, this made the Chrono-Quartz a very expensive option in comparison to the other chronographs in Omegas range.
The watch is noteworthy as it was the first chronograph wristwatch in the world to combine analogue display for the time functions and a digital display for the chronograph function, each working independently of one another but running on the same quartz resonator. This was one of Omega's range of one year only production chronographs, which included the Omega Speedmaster 125 and the Omega Bullhead of 1969.
The Omega Chrono-Quartz is rare amongst modern wristwatches as the calibre 1611 was only used on one single watch; the watch was only made in 15,000 units. The calibre 1611 ‘Albatross’ (designated so because of the shape of the battery clamping system resembling an albatross's wings) was designed by Raymond Froidevaux. The movement had one large circuit on the rear of the watch which controlled both the analogue movement (based on calibre 1320) and digital LCD elements.

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