military chronograph

Military Chronograph - The history and development of the wristwatch is inextricably linked to the military. While the Great War cemented the appeal and credibility of wristwatches among men, it was World War II that funded some of the greatest advances in watchmaking.

As aviation became a critical part of modern warfare - much of World War II, in fact, took place in the sky - watches became important in managing new technologies and implementing strategies, paving the way for several 20s.

Military Chronograph

With the advent of war, a variety of watches created with the pilot in mind emerged, some more effective than others. The British Royal Air Force fielded the legendary IWC Mk 11, while across the Atlantic, the US

Swiss Military Hanowa Land Smwgi0000304 Afterburn Chrono Horloge • Ean: 7620958007826 • Horloge.nl

However, arguably the most interesting and highly useful variation of pilot's watches, especially mechanical ones, were the chronographs, which allowed pilots to make quick calculations and keep accurate time. Although most of them have been undervalued for many years, they are - unfortunately - flying high at the moment, not least because they offer a synthesis of purpose and beauty inside and out that is worth preserving.

It all started with the Germans, who were said to be the only fighters with proper watchmaking skills in World War II. The chronographs made for the Luftwaffe are undoubtedly the most important watches of the Second World War, very sophisticated both inside and out, and the famous Type 20 owes its design to them.

Hanhart in the Black Forest and Tutima (or UROFA-UFAG as it was known) in Glashütte supplied pilot chronographs to the Luftwaffe from 1938 and 1941. The defining feature of these watches was the flyback function, which was a modern technical breakthrough which played an important role in the functionality of the cockpit. First invented by Longines a few years earlier in 1936, this simple but effective mechanism provided a significant benefit because it allowed pilots to quickly reset their watches for dead reckoning navigation and restarts.

Many versions of the watch were produced by both companies, but the archetypal version was the two-button flyback chronograph powered by a Hanhart cal. 41 (1939) or Tutima Cal. 59 (1941). Hanhart also produced a version using a monopusher cal. 40 (1938) without flyback mechanism. Mechanically, the most obvious difference in a flyback chronograph would be the absence of a tab on the reset hammer that allows the chronograph to be reset while running. On reset, a separate lever descends the chronograph. Then when the pusher is released, the lever is released, and a spring then causes the gear train to move the chronograph seconds once more.

Oriosa Military Chronograph With Stunning Patina Dial, Manual, Huge 37

The chronographs are a classic column-wheel design and, in particular, were equipped with an incablock shock protection for balance assembly. They differ aesthetically from the Type 20 in the nickel-plated brass cases, the knob bezel with a red marker, the cathedral hands, and also the occasional red-plated case. The Hanhart chronographs with col. 41 specifically has an asymmetric position of its blades for ease of operation.

Unfortunately, military watches, by their nature, are used and abused, and the chronographs are rarely seen in good condition due to their case material. However, their historical importance cannot be denied.

After World War II, as part of reparations to France, Hanhart produced Type 20 watches for the French Air Force under the name Vixa. It is one of at least seven firms that produced the Type 20 chronographs, along with Mathey-Tissot, Airain, Auricoste, Seliva Chronofixe, Dodane, and of course, Breguet, whose Type 20s are the most sought after today.

The traditionally considered features include a sub-38 mm case with a folding back and a thickness of no more than 14 mm, date accuracy in eight seconds, and most importantly, a flyback chronograph with a start-stop function at the point of the problem Will work reliably at least 300 times. But apart from that, they are different in terms of dials, hands, bezels, crown sizes and shapes.

Swiss Military By Chrono Ultimate Classic Military Chronograph Watch Sm30052.05

Mathey-Tissot, which supplied chronograph watches to the U.S. it. Army Corps of Engineers during World War I, was subcontracted to produce the Type 20 for Breguet. It is believed that around 2000 Type 20 chronographs were delivered by Breguet in the 1950s. They were equipped with Valjoux 222. Later versions sold on the civilian market were powered by 222, 225, 235 and 720.

Notably, the Breguet Type 20s produced for the French Air Force differ from those made for the Navy in that they have a soft iron cage to protect the movement from magnetism. In addition, they also featured a 30-inch figure while the marine versions had an extra-large, 15-inch "big eyes" figure.

As production costs increased, the French government stopped using it. However, Breguet started selling the watches to the public with their name on the dial. Unlike the original, military-numbered versions, the watches are identified by the model name with Roman numerals - type C2.

Breguet is believed to have produced as many as 2,000 Type XXs for the civilian market, of which only three were made in yellow gold. In 2018, a special gold example was sold at Philips for 200,000 Swiss francs.

Lemania Military Chronograph Vintage Cal.15tl

The most famous military watch on the other side of the English Channel is undoubtedly the legendary IWC Mark 11 issued to the British Royal Air Force. But in the late 1940s-1970s, there was also an interesting chronograph made by Lemania for the Mod.

An excellent RAF Lemania Series 3 example with a distinctive asymmetrical case to protect the crown and lugs. (Image: Burning Oyster)

The chronographs are divided into three series, with the archetypal version being the third series, which has a distinctive asymmetrical case designed to protect the crown and pusher. They were issued to the RAF and the Royal Navy, and so the family design codes characteristic of pilot's watches, such as a large black dial with Arabic numerals, luminous hands and markers.

Most notably, inside the watch was the impressive column-wheel Lemania 2220, which is, in contrast, of premium quality. The 15CHT that powered the previous series introduced an Inkablok shock protection system for the balance stick. Additionally, the Lemania movements were also unusual in that instead of a hand placed on the chronograph seconds wheel to advance the minutes every 60 seconds, it had a vibrating pion that engaged when the chronograph was engaged. Having a split system like this would in theory reduce the load on the train because it eliminates the jump. It will also create a continuous continuous movement instead of the semi-recurrent moments found in regular chronographs.

Swiss Alpine Military Chronograph Sam7078.9135 Men's Watch, Stainless Steel Strap

The Lemania 2220 movement features an oscillator pinion that appears on the left side near the minute record wheel. It combines the central wheel of the movement with the minute wheel of the chronograph. (Photo: watchguy.co.uk)

Among some of the most prized military chronographs today are the CP-1 and CP-2 (Cronometro da Polsa Type 1 and 2) for the Aeronautica Militare Italiana (AMI), or Italian Air Force, in the 1960s to 1970s. . Sold in by seller Roman A. Cairelli. However, the CP-1 / CP-2 chronograph story began with an even more interesting watch - the type HA-1, an extremely rare chronograph, from 1953 manufactured by Universal Geneve.

Measuring 44.5mm wide, the watch is massive even by today's standards and features a 24-hour white dial with a 16-minute counter for pilots to calculate the hour angle. Importantly, the watch is powered by the Valjoux 55 VBR, the same split-seconds movement in Rolex's legendary ref. 4113. Due to its contemporary dimensions, exceptional movement and rarity, prices for this one are now north of 150,000 Swiss francs.

The HA-1 was replaced by the CP-1 produced by Leonidas and later the CP-2 by Universal Geneve, Zenith and once again, Leonidas. The two generations differed in size: the CP-1 was 39 mm wide and the CP-2 was 43 mm. Both, like the HA-1, are powered by movements originally designed for pocket watches, hence their dimensions. The CP-1 was powered by the Valjoux 22-2 movement with flyback and hooking functions.

Omega Military Chronograph Retailed For Argentinian Air Forces

The CP-2 was characterized by a prominent black bezel reminiscent of the Heuer Bund chronograph. Zenith watches are powered by Cal. 146 DP (non flyback) produced by the chronograph specialist Martel, who was the manufacturer of the movement in the late 1950s. Leonidas CP-2 was powered by Valjoux Cal. 222, the same movement used in the Breguet Type 20. The Universal Geneva version, on the other hand, uses cal. 265P, but production is believed to be limited due to cost.

All CP-2s feature a three-part case with a folded caseback, an internal dust cover, a black tritium-illuminated dial, a bi-solid chronograph design, and an external rail. Recently, CP-2