Minifon wrist watch
microphone
Used Google
translator
The microphone is camouflaged for a man's wristwatch.
They were produced from 1951 to the middle of the 60s as
accessories to portable dictaphone
Minifon. During this
period, the manufacturers changed two times, at first it
was "Monske & Co. GmbH", since 1953 "Protona GmbH", and
after the 62nd "Telefunken".
As these dictaphones at that time were used by
special services of many countries, it can be assumed
that such watches were also used by spies. Indeed,
camouflage is pretty good, and if used correctly, the
wire that goes into the sleeve will not be visible. The
microphone itself is piezoelectric, with good
sensitivity, and is perfectly suitable for practical use.
However, unfortunately this is just the camouflage of
the microphone, and the clock mechanism in the case is
missing, there is simply no room for it. This of course
was a weak spot of camouflage, since an attentive person
could notice that the hands of the clock do not move.
In different years, several design variants were
produced, featuring inscriptions on the dial and on the
back cover, as well as the color of the case, was a
variant with gilding. The connectors, of course, could
also be different, like the dictaphone with which they
were used. Microphones themselves in different years
also had some constructive differences. I have two such
watches of different years of release, with different
inscriptions on the dials, and different microphones.
There was also a more sophisticated version of the
luxury version with buttons for remote control of the
recorder. The microphones in them were very small and
rectangular in shape. The design drawing of such watches
will be found at the bottom of the page. In my watch the
buttons are not real, there is no remote control. Case
diameter 39.6 mm, thickness 13.4 mm, weight with strap
and cable 55 g.
Photos can be enlarged
In the left
column photos of the clock without the
inscription Protona |
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In the right
column of the photo of the watch with the
inscription Protona |
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The luxury version had buttons
for remote control of the recorder. Such watches
were used with transistor models
Minifon Protona
Special, Minifon Attache, and
Minifon Hi-Fi,
which had a nine-pin input connector that
included remote control. Such a clock is now
very rare, and unfortunately I could not find
them.
The watches I have without the remote
control function are suitable for the
Minifon
Mi51 and Minifon P55 dictaphone with two-pin
input connectors. Buttons in them are not real,
and are part of the body.
Photo from the book by Roland
Shellin "Minifon The
Spy in Your Pocket", (Roland Schellin,"Minifon
Der spion in der tasche") |
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