Hi,

I would like to buy this pretty Lemania Chrono and would like to seek some advice. Would anyone be able to help?

https://www.thosewatchguys.com/watches/lemania-chronograph

 

Be useful if you could state what advice are you looking for?

Also, thosewatchguys are similar to analogshift kind of sellers, while they are reputable; you still need to know what you are buying.

 

"Movement runs well keeping accurate time." means in marketing speak "runs, not serviced, service history unknown". 1 month warranty/return period. Website says "Each timepiece is guaranteed to be running within the 3 minutes over 24 hours."
So add the cost of a service to be sure, if you want to actually wear this. The crown is a modern one, which does not look that good on these old cases imho. The price, well... meh.

 

Hello,I don't think that that dial is an original one,it is a redone dial.

 

I’m surprised that the movement doesn’t bear the name Lemania on the face of the movement. It’s unquestionably a Lemania movement, but the lack of the name and the finishing on it makes me think it came from an off brand watch, with a movement made and sold to third party ‘manufacturers’ by Lemania. Just, it looks ‘not right’.


And I agree that the dial isn’t original either. It looks like one of those stock ‘blank’ replacement dials that a refinisher can put a brand name on to match a movement.

But I’m not a Lemania expert and will bend to superior knowledge, if it shows up here.

 

I think it could be ok. I have seen Lemania chronographs from this era with unsigned movements and while the dial is very clean, the printing looks correct to me. That said, the price is nothing special for a 35mm two-subdial chronograph, and while the dial is in good condition, I don't find it to be particularly attractive in design and it has no age to it. The whole thing is pretty utilitarian. Personally, at the $2k price point, I would be looking for an oversized case (37-38mm) with more interesting lugs, with a column wheel movement (e.g. Valjoux 22/Venus 175), and hopefully with a more attractive dial. Or at least some of those features, or maybe a 35mm case with a bi-compax layout. At the moment I have 4 watches on my eBay watch list that meet these criteria and will sell for less than $2k.

 

The movement should have been signed.
And I have reason to believe it has been.
The bridge appears to have been ground down. Most likely to remove another name. Meylan, or similar.
“Swiss” marking is also lacking.
Comparing the bridge with the ones on my examples from the same period (late 1940s) it seems material has been removed
Dial does appear too clean for comfort.

All in all it simply fails to come through as a real deal.
And at the asking price it should have been.

 

That is a good analysis. I agree with the points on the movement. I believe the bridge should be at least signed. Otherwise, it is likely that parts have been changed during servicing to ensure it is in working condition.

I was inclined to say that the dial was original. But on second thought, the possibility of putting the brand on a generic dial is always there. I am looking at the texture of the 'Lemania' and 'Swiss' font in contrast to the thicker lines of the dial. Perhaps the brand and Swiss markings were added afterwards, or perhaps that was how it was made when it was being finished in the factory. An interesting question indeed!

 

Definitely. Sharp eyes, nicely done @Northernman

 

I don't disagree with many of the excellent points made above, and I would be more comfortable with a signed movement. It's just that I have run across a lot of anomalies in chronographs from this era. And I have seen a number of Lemanias with unsigned movements.

Frankly, I do not see a clear signature that the chrono bridge was ground down in this case. The finish on the surface and the edges is the same as on the balance cock and the other bridges. I have seen many examples of altered chronograph bridges, and usually one can see a significantly different finish than on other movement parts. Just my two cents. This is not to say that the movement is correct, just that I can't honestly conclude that the chronograph bridge has been refinished.

 

Redone dial and movement and case from another watch.

 

I think @Northernman ’s photos clinch this for me: the chamfers for the jewels are visibly shallower on this watch’s movement than his reference photo. And I suspect the balance cock was intentionally brushed lightly to assure that the bridge didn’t stand out.

These are all photos of bridges on currently listed eBay watches, for comparison. At the bottom is the op’s movement.

 

Agree 100%. Dial printing is near-perfect; finish on bridge matches other pieces in movement. Nice original watch maybe overpriced by around $500.

 

Confused yet, @seowwenguang?

Welcome to the crazy world of obscure vintage chronographs. At least there is a strong consensus about not purchasing the watch.

 

Thanks everyone! these have been very helpful

 

Interesting You mentioned the name Meylan, reminds me of a conversation about the original father of the moon watch being Marius Meylan and not Albert Piguet as mentioned in many sources

 

«One day Marius Meylan (then general manager of Omega) came to see me. He told me that the day before he had been in Biel, where he was given the task of making a caliber of 27 mm diameter.

It had to be as flat as possible, with separate totalizers for 30 minutes and 12 hours. " With these words Albert Piguet recalled the birth, in the years between 1940 and 1941, of one of the most important caliber of modern watchmaking, the Lemania 27CHR C12 (later became 321 and subsequently 861), or the heart of the Speedmaster."

https://www.belviveremedia.com/watch-digest/gallerywd/albert-piguet-e-la-nascita-dello-speedmaster

 

Marius Meylan married with the daughter of Alfred Lugrin (the founder of Lemania). As always the stories of same Maisons are intertwined,

 

Thread redirection!
I have the same watch.
The dial is original with print faults and all.
The dial was made by Lemrich and the paint is original. The movement is signed on this example.
cheers, Michael