The Bastard Son - Lemania Valjoux 7765 Chronograph for the BBC

Once in awhile as a collector you come across products that defies logic. At least on first sight.

A prime example is this chronograph. Lemania badged, but with a Valjoux heart beating inside?!
A bit like a BMW with a Mercedes Benz engine......

I would have called it a fake/franken and discarded it immediately if it was not for a couple of markers.

Firstly, it has been issued to the BBC.
BBC - The British Broadcasting Corporation - has been known to use Lemania chronographs for decades. BBC issue number 5844 is high compared to most found, and I theorize that it was issued in the mid to late 1980s.



More info here: http://atgvintagewatches.com/lemania-watches-forum-uk/3350-bbc-lemania-chronograph-answers.html

Secondly, it has a very interesting case reference number to it. Lemania, after having left SSIH in 1982 and taken the name Nouvelle Lemania, started using different case references than earlier. Most I have come across have the 11xxx format.
Now, this one has the reference 12001!



As with most things relating to Lemania watches from this period, the details are impossible to confirm, but my best theory is that this watch is a small batch having been delivered to the BBC with one target: Price!

The chromed case, and Valjoux 7765 movement (basically a hand wound version of the 7750) is tell-tales that “haute horologie” was not the aim. Most likely BBC requested a number of hand-wound chronographs to be delivered by their trusted supplier Lemania, and at this time they would be hard pressed to deliver.
In the mid to late 1980s Lemania made the 5100 chronograph, and a few derived movements. In addition, they produced a range of very high grade and expensive movements and ebouches destined for entirely different use than that of a public broadcaster. Production equipment for the 187x (Omega 86x) movement had, at this time, been moved to Omega in Bienne. Most likely as part of the deal of selling out Lemania a few years earlier.
My best guess is that they bought the cheapest, decent quality, HW chronograph movement they could get their hands on, and cased it in order to meet the minimum requirements set forth by the BBC.
This was in the midst of the so called “quartz crises”, and every contract would count, and they could keep competitors away from a key customer.

Any other input, information or good theories are warmly welcome.🍿😀

Whatever way put it is a genuinely rare, albeit bastard, watch!

If you wonder, don't ask: THIS WATCH IS NOT FOR SALE!

A big thanks to @Mitka @ WatchGuy UK for a splendid job servicing it!

Great story @Northernman and great example of why the forums are so fun. You left out one detail. Where did you find it?

Auction in the U.K.
😉

They had been purchasing mechanical chronographs since the 1940s.
I guess they were slow in updating their specification standards.
😀

😁

I could see why one would want a mechanical watch if the assignment was in a country where one could not buy a battery.

The Heuer Connection.

There is an interesting connection with Heuer in this puzzle.
On Friday, 4 June 1982 Lemania (under the current ownership of the Piaget family) took control over Heuer. This control remained until January 1st 1986 when TAG finalized their purchase of Heuer SA.
Heuer had been using the 7765 movement for budget chronographs shortly before,and during, this period.
I believer there is a good chance that this small series of watches for BBC actually came to use 7765 movements from the Heuer stock as it would have been available, and Lemania would not have had to go directly to one of their key rivals and competitors ETA/Valjoux.

An indicator of this thesis is found if one compares the bezel ring (not the dial itself) between this (Lemania ref 11001) 5100 Heuer Carrera, and my BBC Lemania ref 12001 watch. Coincidence? Perhaps, but I don't really think so.🍿

I recommend Jack Heuer's autobiography "The times of my life."
It sheds a grim light on that very difficult period in time we talk about here.
Free PDF:
https://calibre11-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Jack-Heuer-Biography.pdf

As for BBC buying chronographs I see a good point in that. Timing of productions and events is needed for a broadcaster, and key personnel would need such devices.
The issue numbering of the chronographs tells me that this was not something they'd throw at you.

Thanks for pointing that out Pat. A very interesting observation indeed!

The Omega FIFA has ref ST11003-2.
My Lemania cal 5012 version has 11003. So does also the identical Heuer Cortina.

Arctos world timer is most likely the same as my Lemania version. I will inform details when it arrives in a couple of weeks time.