Forums Latest Members

So, when did round pushers "happen" and how long did flat ones coexist?

  1. jban Feb 12, 2017

    Posts
    59
    Likes
    85
    I know that the answer to all of this is in the "big book" but is there a quick answer?
     
  2. TexOmega Feb 12, 2017

    Posts
    7,258
    Likes
    54,174
    My rule of thumb is,1950 for round pushers, give or take a year or two.
     
  3. Oku Feb 12, 2017

    Posts
    1,166
    Likes
    4,056
    +1 That was also my rule of thumb.
    But here @UGFan said to this Purchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Networkwatch that it has a 1945 case...
    May be a Sala's owner chimes in.
     
  4. Oku Feb 12, 2017

    Posts
    1,166
    Likes
    4,056
    That's the watch of the listing.
    example.JPG
     
  5. Larry S Color Commentator for the Hyperbole. Feb 12, 2017

    Posts
    12,466
    Likes
    49,474
    They began to appear in 1941 according to a scan I did of my book.
     
  6. Oku Feb 12, 2017

    Posts
    1,166
    Likes
    4,056
    Thank you!
    So I have always been 10 years too late ...
     
  7. jban Feb 12, 2017

    Posts
    59
    Likes
    85
    I too always thought that the 1950's was the earliest and always figured that the round waterproof pushers would have ushered the flat pushers out pretty quickly. It was seeing the occasional reference to WW2 vintage with the round pushers that had me wonder.
     
  8. Beepos Feb 18, 2017

    Posts
    134
    Likes
    112
    Why was there a transition from square to round? For waterproofing?
     
  9. jban Feb 18, 2017

    Posts
    59
    Likes
    85
    When I posted this I wasn't thinking about some of the earlier chronos, like the German pilots watches, ie. Tutima which had the round pushers.
    I do believe it is about the ability to protect better against water with the round pushers and "O" rings which will make an adequate seal.
     
  10. Larry S Color Commentator for the Hyperbole. Feb 18, 2017

    Posts
    12,466
    Likes
    49,474
    I'd say water resistance. square persisted through the 50s.
     
  11. Mlafra Feb 20, 2017

    Posts
    255
    Likes
    309
    Are we talking specifically UG or in general in chronographs?
    If in general in chronographs the 2 earliest chronographs I can think of that had round pushers are the (first) Mido Multichrono, extremely rare and dating more or less from 1935/1936 and the Gallet (as well as many other brands) with the clamshell case, dating from more or less 1937.
    If speaking specifically about UG I am not 100% sure but I think you can already find some round pushers already at the end of 30 (or at the latest very beginning of the 40s). The first UG Tri-Compax with round pushers instead I am sure dates from beginning of the 50s and had the small pushers ("spillini" in Italian). I think flat and round pushers coexisted a LONG time, at the end of the day even today many chronographs have flat pushers. I believe the reason is 2-fold: firstly, especially back in the day, a price reason, waterproof cases with round pushers were much more expensive than the other type and not everyone needed it so it made sense to also offer a cheaper but still very good version without round pushers. Also, I believe there is an aesthetic reason: even though now people tend to prefer round pushers as they look more sporty and contemporary, probably for the very same reason back in the day gentleman buying the watch as a luxury item as oppose to as a tool might have preferred the classier look of a chronograph with flat pushers.
     
    fibonacci, khmt2 and Skrotis like this.
  12. Skrotis Feb 20, 2017

    Posts
    522
    Likes
    2,345
    Belive this to be early version from universal image.jpeg
    image.jpeg
     
    LouS likes this.