For several years now, I've been looking for a unicorn: a vintage white-dialed pilot's chrono with a black bezel, a nice movement, applied indices, all original, in good condition and at the sub £3k-mark. The other day, I finally found one! This is a Tissot-Meylan in an 815 case, powered by a Lemania 872 movement. This makes it kissing-cousin to that rarest of Tissots, the 817 Military Navigator profiled here: https://www.watchbooksonly.com/articles/watch-stories/south-african-air-force-lemania-1872/ (at the very bottom). It's an even closer match to the Meylan 816 chrono profiled here, with which it also shares a bezel: https://www.fratellowatches.com/tbt-meylan-chronograph/ As the author points out, there's some shared heritage with the Zodiac Sea-Chron as well, it seems. I'd date this to the mid-1970s, though perhaps someone with more experience of Lemania's numbering nomenclature can be more exact. There's just so much to like about this piece, imho. I really appreciate the contrast between the creamy white dial, the crisp deep-navy bezel, the jet black of the indices and batons, and the perfectly preserved lume on the latter. And then there's the sky-blue sweep and minute subregister hands--a little dash of colour in just the right spot, since it makes it easy to track the chrono functions. As a bonus, it arrived in NOS condition and serviced in Sept. 2020. It even still had some the original protective glue on the back. I don't think it's ever been worn . . . until now. And henceforth, it's going to be worn a lot. Strap suggestions welcome So here is my wish to everyone on OF for 2021: this year, may we all find our grails, and may the end to that quest be every bit as satisfying as you hoped it would be!
That's a spectacular watch--congrats, and wear it in good health. In the extremely off-chance you ever tire of this watch, I'll here note my dibs.
Really like the hands and dial on this one. There is a kind of rectilinear Meylan aesthetic shared by the two, which makes me think that both dials were actually Meylan-designed, even if mine is stamped Tissot.