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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsHoptroff’s No.16 brought the company’s onboard atomic-clock technology from a pocket watch into a wristwatch design—but its reported prototype was far larger than an ordinary wristwatch. In this context, “atomic” means the watch contains a chip-scale atomic clock, not simply that it receives a time signal from a remote atomic clock.
What “atomic watch” means in Hoptroff’s case
The phrase atomic watch is used for two different kinds of timekeeping. Hoptroff’s No.10 pocket watch contained its own miniature atomic clock. The No.16 was announced with the same approach: an atomic clock inside the watch, rather than a receiver that periodically synchronizes to a broadcast.
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Most consumer watches marketed as “atomic” are more precisely called radio-controlled watches. They receive time signals synchronized to atomic clocks elsewhere; they do not contain an atomic clock themselves, as Casio explains in its overview of atomic and radio-controlled watches.
World Nuclear News described the No.10’s clock module as using controlled-temperature caesium gas, a laser and a microwave resonator. Its 2013 report distinguishes that onboard clock from the remote-signal approach used by radio-controlled watches. Richard Hoptroff, identified in the report as the company’s managing director, said: “As far as we know it is the first time an atomic time source has been used in a pocket watch movement.” That is a company statement, not an independently verified historical finding. World Nuclear News, “Pocket atomic clock”
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- SETS ITSELF:The watch can automatically sets Itself with signals from the official U.S. atomic clock(and even adjusts for daylight savings ),follw instruction manual to set your time zone prior to use
- LCD DISPLY WITH BIG NUMBERS: Big numbers in positive display, easy to read
- FUNCTIONS: Automatically set time and daylight savings; alarm. time zone setting, Chime Hourly Chime
- 4 BUTTONS EASY FOR OPERATION: (TIME - 2 o'clock button) "The Time is 10:30 PM", (DATE - 4 o'clock button) "Today is Thursday, November 18", (ALARM - 10 o'clock button) "The Alarm Time is 7:50 AM"； (TIME - 8 o'clock button)-setting button
- BATTERY LIFE: The watch no need to charge ,and it can work for more than 1 year
How the No.16 moved the clock onto the wrist
In September 2014, WatchPro reported Hoptroff’s No.16 as an atomic wristwatch with an “infinity” double-dial layout intended to reduce the watch’s width and thickness. The design displayed eight complications. WatchPro reported Hoptroff accuracy claims of 1.5 seconds per 1,000 years in full atomic mode and one second per 100 years in low-power mode. These are the company’s reported specifications, not independent test results. WatchPro, 22 September 2014
Miniaturizing atomic-clock technology made such a concept possible, but a compact clock module does not automatically make a compact watch. DARPA’s chip-scale atomic clock overview describes a program that achieved a 100-fold size reduction and 50-times lower power use compared with traditional atomic clocks. Those are program-level comparisons, not measurements of the Hoptroff watch. DARPA, “Chip-scale atomic clock”
How big was the Hoptroff No.16?
Hodinkee’s February 2015 account described the No.16 as a prototype measuring 83.7 mm across its two dials, 43.4 mm high and 18.7 mm thick. The 83.7 mm figure spans the paired dials; it should not be mistaken for the width of a conventional single watch case. Even so, the reported height and thickness make clear that this was an unusually large wristwatch design, not a normally sized watch. Hodinkee, 3 February 2015
Hodinkee attributed the size constraints to the chip and lithium-ion battery. It also reported that the initial prototype case was difficult to reproduce in precious metals and that the production design could still change. The available dimensions therefore describe a prototype-era design, not a confirmed final production specification.
Accuracy and battery life depended on operating mode
WatchPro’s 2014 report gave Hoptroff’s accuracy claims for full atomic and low-power modes. Hodinkee’s 2015 prototype coverage separately reported two to three days of battery life with atomic timing continuously engaged and a designer-estimated three months in low-power mode. The longer figure was an estimate, not a reported endurance test. These reports describe different operating modes; the longer low-power estimate should not be read as the runtime for continuous atomic operation.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What was announced about production and price?
Contemporary reports described plans, not current offers, and their details changed between reports. WatchPro said in September 2014 that 100 units were planned in platinum, gold and Britannia silver, with a starting price of £8,150 plus tax. In February 2015, Hodinkee reported planned prices of £18,000 for steel, £27,000 for gold and £52,000 for platinum. The reports came from different dates and stages of development; neither provides a reliable current price list or valuation.
The historical coverage does not establish whether the No.16 entered production as planned, whether any units remain available, or whether one can be bought today. It likewise does not establish current production or resale availability for Hoptroff atomic watches.
Quick Recap
Hoptroff No.10 vs. No.16 vs. a radio-controlled watch
| Watch type | Where the atomic timekeeping is | Form and size evidence | Accuracy and power evidence | Availability evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hoptroff No.10 | Onboard chip-scale atomic clock, according to World Nuclear News. | Pocket watch; dimensions not stated in the cited report. | Accuracy and battery figures not stated in the cited report. | Current availability not established by the cited reports. |
| Hoptroff No.16 | Announced with an onboard atomic clock, like the No.10, according to WatchPro. | Wristwatch design; Hodinkee reported prototype dimensions of 83.7 mm across both dials, 43.4 mm high and 18.7 mm thick. | WatchPro reported Hoptroff claims of 1.5 seconds per 1,000 years in full atomic mode and one second per 100 years in low-power mode. Hodinkee reported two to three days’ battery life in continuous atomic mode and a designer-estimated three months in low-power mode. | Historical limited-production plans were reported; current availability is not established. |
| Ordinary radio-controlled watch | Receives broadcast time signals synchronized to remote atomic clocks; it does not contain its own atomic clock, according to Casio. | Not specified; size varies by model. | Not specified here; depends on the individual watch and signal system. | Not addressed by the Hoptroff reports. |
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
