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  1. MKelley Jul 31, 2013

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    Just arrived is this, Lemania cal 1275. Many may already know, Lemania was a distant cousin to Omega and was absorbed into the family by the Swatch Group. The later Lemania cal. 2310 is cousin to Omega's infamous cal. 321.

    IMG_0663.JPG IMG_0661.JPG IMG_0662.JPG

    Excuse the photo quality. Many thanks to StewartH for his invaluable assistance in identifying the caliber of the movement. I guess this old dog can learn new tricks. ;)
     
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  2. Stewart H Honorary NJ Resident Jul 31, 2013

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    Looks good Mike.

    Best to have it cleaned before wearing it.
     
  3. MKelley Jul 31, 2013

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    Thanks Stewart. That's exactly right, it's always a good idea to have the watch serviced, if it's to be worn. Plus, my watch guy pointed out some flaking of the dial, between 9 and 10 o'clock that I had not noticed on a Tissot Chrono, I took to him. So, I went back to the Tissot listing, found no mention of it. Looking at the listing photo, very carefully, I could see what in the photo looks like a shadow is, I now know as flaking. Not a deal breaker for me. It just testifies the dial is original. After all, the watch is vintage and IMO flaking just adds to the watch's character. I know the best value is pristine for the serious collector. Guess I'm not so serious.
     
  4. citizenrich Metal Mixer! Jul 31, 2013

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    Looks great...quality movement.
     
  5. MKelley Jul 31, 2013

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    Thanks, I appreciate you stopping by.
     
  6. andy_s Aug 26, 2013

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    A nice one, early movement
    Just for precision; Lemania, Tissot and Omega were held in the SSIH group in the early thirties, although Lemania made movements for Omega and Tissot, it was not an exclusive arrangement and they supplied movements to other manufaturers over time, the 2310 being not only the predecessor to the Omega 321 but also supplied to Patek Phillip (PP2872) for fifty years or so. Lemania went on to be eventually subsumed by SWATCH and ended up making movements for Bregeut.
     
  7. Northernman Lemaniac Aug 26, 2013

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    Hi!

    Lemania is a brand that deserves much more recognition than it seem to get these days.
    Some background on Lemania and the Omega/Tissot connection:

    After the great depression in the late 1920´s and early 1930´s the Swiss watch industry was going through their worst crisis prior to the Quartz onslaught of the 1970´s. So in 1930 Omega and Tissot joined together under a common umbrella called SSIH (Société Suisse pour l’Industrie Horlogère).
    Lemania was at the time known as a relatively small volume, but high quality, manufacturer of complicated watches like chronographs. These where both wristwatches, but also various timekeepers for military, aviation and automotive purposes.
    As times grew even harsher, Lemania decided to join Omega and Tissot in SSHI in 1932.
    The deal was that Lemania would get fresh capital and access to a wider and stronger sales organisation, and the other brands within SSHI would get access to the technically advanced moments made by Lemania. Mr. Marius Meylan, CEO of Lemania, was granted a seat at the board of SSHI at the time of merger, and Omega suddenly had access to top grade chronographs, allowing them to become the official supplier to the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics.
    Omega has been the official Olympic timekeepers ever since!

    Within SSHI at this time Omega was the luxury brand, Tissot the budget alternative and Lemania the technically advanced “tool watch” supplier.

    Lemania continued to be a part of the SSHI until the early 1980s when the Quartz crisis forced the restructuring of the company. Lemania was sold out of SSHI as a management buy-out, and renamed Nouvelle Lemania. SSHI later became the Swatch Group.
    In 1992 Nouvelle Lemania was bought by company Breguet, and in 1999 Breguet was bought by the Swatch group making the full circle!
    As a part of rebuilding Breguet as a extreme luxury/high-end brand (and providing Breguet with "in-house" production capabilities) the Swatch group renamed Nouvelle Lemania into Manufacture Breguet. The name Lemania is, for now, no longer in use.
    As a sidenote: Almost all complicated Omega movements since the 1940's and all the way up to the 1980's where designed and made by Lemania (under the supervision of Mr. A. Piguet). This includes chronographs and moonphase watches (Cosmic/381).
     
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  8. andy_s Aug 26, 2013

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    My Tissot/Lemania/Omega pair; not really SSIH as the 386.0822 was '87.

    [​IMG]
     
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  9. Northernman Lemaniac Aug 26, 2013

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    Both are Lemania powered! Lovely pair!
     
  10. Furze Aug 26, 2013

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    Lemania to me is both desirable and much respected!
    I have 2, both issued. watches 031.jpg
     
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  11. ulackfocus Aug 26, 2013

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    Furze has been added to the list.
     
  12. Stewart H Honorary NJ Resident Jan 29, 2015

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    If you are asking about the watch in the original post, sadly, Mike Kelley passed away last year so we cannot answer that one.

    I'll bet he is looking down on us right now and laughing because he knows the answer.

    Here's you Mike - you are much missed and fondly remembered.
     
  13. JimInOz Melbourne Australia Jan 29, 2015

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