Hamilton Electric 500
The Hamilton Electric wristwatch makes its public debut Jan. 4, 1957. The Hamilton Electric 500 is the first battery-operated electric wristwatch and the first never to need winding. Hamilton Watch Company began developing the timepiece in 1946. Eleven years later, that development was not yet complete but the company, feeling the pressure of competition and wanting badly to be the first out the door with this innovation, called the press conference and went into production.
