Every once in a while my collector interest strays of into obscure and narrow paths.
Some time ago I was searching the net for information on one of my favorite chronograph makers, Excelsior Park.
They made some very well designed chronographs over the years and IMO remains highly undervalued.

What I found was a 1950s catalog generously shared by a collector: http://vieuxpapiers-philoum.blogspot.no/p/excelsior-park.html

Loads of interesting stuff in these old catalogs, but as I am not collecting stop watches, I focused on the wristwatches.
On one of the very last pages I found that Excelsior Park also made "simple" watches?!





At first I assumed it was just some watch based on some ETA or similar movement. However when I read the catalog, even with my very limited knowledge of French, it became evident that this was actually an entirely "in house" design: JB5/51.
A couple of searches later I also found that Ranfft had listed the caliber 5 on his excellent reference site:
http://www.ranfft.de/cgi-bin/bidfun-db.cgi?10&ranfft&&2uswk&Excelsior_5
The finishing and design looked very well executed.

As the more perceptive of you may recon by now, my collectors interest was more than woken, and I started looking for one. That was not easy!
Apart from the movement/watch depicted on Ranfft site, I could not found a single one referenced anywhere.
That was until one was listed on eBay Germany some weeks ago.
It had a buy it now/best offer option, so I sent of an offer, and it was accepted.
The listing claimed it to be close to NOS. Closer examination shows that it is not far from the truth!

If anyone else got one, or got any further information on it, I would be happy to hear from you!

Until I have it in hand, here are some pictures taken during an undergoing service with WatchGuy Christian.
If you look at the picture of the case side you will see that there is a blinded hole there.
This is for an optional "second corrector" crown/stem as described used in caliber JB5. EP obviously did not bother to make more than one case!

 

The origins of Excelsior Park go back 150 years – and certainly involved chronographs (or ‘stop watches’ as you called them!). Here are a couple of links that cover the early stuff.
Tom

http://www.invenitetfecit.com/modeles/excelsior_park_jeanneret_st_imier_en.html
http://www.discuss.com.hk/viewthread.php?action=printable&tid=20935193

 

Thanks!
With stop watches I refer to timers not having the ability of telling regular time.
I have found loads of info on the chronographs, however that they also made a simple movement came as a surprise.
Here are a couple of the chronographs I have.

 

My apologies: I read it as a rather derogatory comment (since I like the chronographs!) – now I understand (and agree).

Those watches are lovely, rather in the style of the Suverän or Officer.
Tom

 

Their more common chronograph caliber often came with striping, too. Very cool and a pretty movement.

 

Thanks!
I have understood that Gallet was taking care of the U.S. markets?
Their Multichron was EP based. Same cases and dial layouts. Racine is another brand that seems to spring from Ex Park.
Both Zenith and Girard Perregaux also relied on chronograph movements from Ex Park.

 

Not all Gallet watches used the EP ebauche; I have a Flying Officer (second gen) from the 50s using a modified Venus 150 movement. I can't say much for the earlier versions. Gallet does run a site with data on their vintage watches:
http://www.galletworld.com/

Love the new piece there Anders-looks pristine!!

 

Thank You!
Found this on the Gallet page:
Jeanneret-Brehm begins manufacturing under the company name Excelsior Park. Deriving the name from Jenneret-Brehm’s previously registered “Excelsior” trademark, the English variation of the French word for “park” is utilized at the prompting of Gallet to support the collaborative efforts of the two companies in their marketing focus on the American consumer. The cooperative relationship of Excelsior Park and Gallet leads to the development of a number of time recording mechanisms, including the calibre 40. These new chronograph movements are utilized almost exclusively in Gallet and Excelsior Park wristwatches, with a small number supplied to the Girard Perregaux and Zenith companies when production capabilities allowed.

 

The plot thickens! So did EP and Gallet work together or are they the same company, one part based in Europe and the other in the US?

 

I really do not know, but the Certina I pictured above is an EP40 and is identical to the Gallet multichron down to the "H" marked lug.
I suspect ExPark made the watches and Gallet took care of the U.S. The Swiss are known to be rational and practical when it comes down to business. Why complicate it further?

 

Seems they operated as different companies as it states on the same Gallet page:
1983 - Excelsior Park closes its factory on 6 April due to the lack of family successors and a sizable decrease in orders of mechanical movements from its Gallet partner during the difficult "quartz crisis". To continue to support owners of Excelsior Park powered watches, Gallet acquires the balance of the company’s remaining inventory and assets. An attempt in 1984 by the Flume Company of Germany to revitalize Excelsior Park name proves unsuccessful.

 

I am just reading through the history pages as well. Looks like a few North American/Canadian connections:
1896 - Rail road pocket watches with chronometer grade movements with patented regulators are created by Gallet under the Interocean brand name[17] and distributed by Timothy Eaton (T. Eaton Department Store, a major Canadian retailer to the 1980s) for railway use.
1935 - As World War II becomes imminent, Gallet begins production of wristwatches, boat clocks with 8-day movements, and military stopwatches for Great Britain, Canada, and the U.S.A. At the start of World War II, production again surpasses 100,000 watches annually.
1984 – Wein Brothers, a Canadian distributor of timing instruments, contracts with the Gallet Company to manufacture rugged wristwatches for distribution to the US Government. To facilitate the initial transactions, the watch dials (faces) of these military specification watches are marked Marathon, a previously held Gallet trademark (reg. 19 Oct 1915). Wein Brothers continues to distribute military timepieces and related products under the Marathon brand to the present day.

Very cool information! Thanks for bringing this up Anders!

 

Hi Guys,

Small update: The service is now completed, and the watch is making its way across the North Sea in my direction (I hope).
I still am quite taken by the design of the movement! Looking forward to getting it "in hand", and into the Ex Park section of the collection.

Some more photos (yup - 1997 is a serial number):

 

I use stop watches regularly as part of my work, quartz sucks (obviously) so I grab old mechanical pieces whenever I can find them. Two nice clean Excelsior Parks have found there way into my toolbox in the last few years and I love them, they're just a bit nicer to use than my old Heuer.

Under valued best describes them.... They're top quality but I only pay about 60 bucks for an mint Excelsior, a Heuer can fetch many times that and won't be as nicely finished.

(and the Soviet era Russian stopwatch I bought for a joke ($15) just won't quit!)

Interesting thing Excelcior Park did with their sports and industrial timers, the balance cock is hollow and contains a few spare parts including an extra balance staff! This was confirmed for me by my watchmaker who pulled the balance cock off, slid off the little door on the bottom and confirmed the parts were still there on one of my watches. Now thats a class act.

 

@Northernman is it too late to call dibs on your two tone (black and grey) dial Excelsior Park? Simply stunning.

 

looks familiar