What about a Lemania thread?

Northernman · Aug 15, 2014

Seems like a very early CHRO27!!! No shock protection and the serial number pushes is back to the mid/early 1940s. Also the finishing is not the same as on the more modern versions of it. Congratz!
Now, the crown on the dial is still a small mystery, but as this is a very old version it may be that the branding exercise came into effect a tad later.👍

sneer · Aug 15, 2014

Thanks 😀

i will not push for crown😉 ...i love this movement and this early number 😁

RCAFBuster · Aug 15, 2014

My Lemania 105 with Rose Gold accents. It looks much better in person.

LouS · Aug 16, 2014

sneer
and inside...some idiot had a fun ...but it could be worse 😀

Those scratched markings are not "some idiot had fun." One finds a number of pieces, and all feature the addition of markings for the american market - jewel count, "unadjusted," "Swiss," manufacturer name, etc. I think there were movements hastily marked for export to the US. Based on the amateurishness of the execution, I hypothesize that these were marked in the country of destination, possibly to get them through customs.

Here's an example from my collection, but one finds them not rarely on movements from a certain era, and especially Lemanias.

$(KGrHqF,!gsF!n+C)9REBQW2pKzENw~~60_57.JPG

sneer · Aug 16, 2014

Lous...chapeau bas!
I am shocked! I thought that someone was playing and wanted to raise the value of the movement...I still have a lot to read ......

btw with sister 😉

Nobody Move · Aug 17, 2014

Lemania Chronograph 105 cal 1270

DManzaluni · Oct 8, 2014

Sorry to be coming a bit late to this thread but I am trying to identify a problem with one of these calibre 127x movements.

My watch looks a whole lot like MKelley's first 105 on page 1 of this thread but with an additional tachy chapter ring. FWIW, the case is marked 252PA and the watch has the earlier rectangular pushers so this model 105 looks like a '50s watch but must be late 1940s?

Between my balance bridge and the main plate, my movement has a curious extra module which actually touches those two plates. It sits just by the word SWISS on the U-shaped chrono bridge and replaces or lies above the two screws on all online photos of the 1270,1275,1278 etc movements. (I have been COMPLETELY unable to find any photo of this extra module). The lower of those 2 screws [it is at about the 1.55 position] is missing and in fact is probably a case retaining screw and may have nothing to do with the problems.

My immediate problem is that although the pusher by the 2 near this module seems to work OK, the pusher by the 4 is completely sunken and does nothing. My repairer threw this watch back in my face when I asked him to see if he could get the 4 pusher working, saying that there is some part missing which holds the pusher out but he refused to elaborate on what part it is, saying only that it isnt available any more, meaning he couldn't (be bothered to) get it.

Anyone know what this module does or what is causing the sunken pusher or what part I need please?

Northernman · Oct 8, 2014

DManzaluni
Sorry to be coming a bit late to this thread but I am trying to identify a problem with one of these calibre 127x movements.

My watch looks a whole lot like MKelley's first 105 on page 1 of this thread but with an additional tachy chapter ring. FWIW, the case is marked 252PA and the watch has the earlier rectangular pushers so this model 105 looks like a '50s watch but must be late 1940s?

Between my balance bridge and the main plate, my movement has a curious extra module which actually touches those two plates. It sits just by the word SWISS on the U-shaped chrono bridge and replaces or lies above the two screws on all online photos of the 1270,1275,1278 etc movements. (I have been COMPLETELY unable to find any photo of this extra module). The lower of those 2 screws [it is at about the 1.55 position] is missing and in fact is probably a case retaining screw and may have nothing to do with the problems.

My immediate problem is that although the pusher by the 2 near this module seems to work OK, the pusher by the 4 is completely sunken and does nothing. My repairer threw this watch back in my face when I asked him to see if he could get the 4 pusher working, saying that there is some part missing which holds the pusher out but he refused to elaborate on what part it is, saying only that it isnt available any more, meaning he couldn't (be bothered to) get it.

Anyone know what this module does or what is causing the sunken pusher or what part I need please?

I think we will need some pictures of your watch in order to try to help.
Sounds like an interesting watch!

Northernman · Oct 9, 2014

According to the ref your watch should look loke this:

PA = Gold plated, stainless steel back.

DManzaluni · Oct 9, 2014

WOW, that is really nice! Mine definitely has a late 50s look about it

Northernman · Oct 9, 2014

The image is from the 1956 UK distributors catalog.
I see nothing uncommon with your movement except for the home made case clamp next to the balance bridhe.
I have a similar one with the same movement and my pusher was also sticky.
It is pushed back out with a steel wire spring. I assume this can break or be dislodged?!
Find a proper vintage watchmaker. The one you have been dealing with obviously is not.
Btw here is my movement:

DManzaluni · Oct 9, 2014

So that thing under the screw which sits next to the (nonexistent) lower right case retaining screw is some sort of case clamp is it? I wonder why it has a long piece of metal connecting it to the right hand side of the copper coloured wheel under the right jewel on the name bridge? Just to the right of the Co of 'Lemania Watch Co'.

I might be wrong but i got the impression that this module (actually just a part?) is replicated in a more crude form on some pics I have seen on (I think it is) the calibre 1278? There it seems to be a wire going from that screw to the same position on that copper coloured wheel. You don't seem to have it at all on your 1270?

I wonder if there is anywhere I can put some oil on some part to make that piece which holds the pusher out any less sticky? I don't want to keep on quoting my repairer but he found that metal 'spring' which sits behind the case retaining screw at the top right of the movement loose and replaced it back into place to see if it would hold the pusher out, but it didn't do anything.

DManzaluni · Oct 9, 2014

CORRECTION: That screw holding the spring which I called case retaining screw only looks like one depending how head-on the watch is photographed. On straight photos, it doesn't look like a case retaining screw at all.

Archer · Oct 9, 2014

DManzaluni
So that thing under the screw which sits next to the (nonexistent) lower right case retaining screw is some sort of case clamp is it? I wonder why it has a long piece of metal connecting it to the right hand side of the copper coloured wheel under the right jewel on the name bridge? Just to the right of the Co of 'Lemania Watch Co'.

I might be wrong but i got the impression that this module (actually just a part?) is replicated in a more crude form on some pics I have seen on (I think it is) the calibre 1278? There it seems to be a wire going from that screw to the same position on that copper coloured wheel. You don't seem to have it at all on your 1270?

I wonder if there is anywhere I can put some oil on some part to make that piece which holds the pusher out any less sticky? I don't want to keep on quoting my repairer but he found that metal 'spring' which sits behind the case retaining screw at the top right of the movement loose and replaced it back into place to see if it would hold the pusher out, but it didn't do anything.

That piece you are referring to is the minute counter jumper, at least that's what I would call it - Lemania may have had a different name for it at the time this movement was produced. The function of this is to keep the minute counter hand in position when it is not clicking over to the next minute. The design of this piece varied over the years, so the differences between movements are related to that. For example this part looks quite different on an Omega Cal. 321, then on an 861.

The one on Northernman's watch is there, but it is a slightly different design.

Indeed you are missing one case screw. If the pusher is sticky it needs to be disassembled, cleaned, and lubricated again. It's also possible that more tension could made with the spring for the operating lever.

Cheers, Al

Stewart H · Oct 9, 2014

I suspect that the piece that is missing is a wire spring that sits in a groove on the side of the movement - between the movement and the case. This is what Lemania used to move the pusher back out of the to it's resting position. If you didn't know it existed, it would be easy to drop it when uncasing the movement.

I have a 105 in pieces at the moment so I'll take some measurements and a photo at the weekend. This should give your watchmaker the necessary information to make a new one for you.

DManzaluni · Oct 9, 2014

Hey, a million thanks for those pieces of invaluable info: If the case retaining screw is missing and the movement is slightly sunken in the case, I wonder if there is a chance that the wire spring has become dislodged but is in there? More likely it is the piece which came off in the repairer's hand as he inspected the watch. Or it is in the movement and dislodged but poking into the space where the bar holds the stem in place?

Heavy anticipation to see what it looks like!

omegastar · Oct 11, 2014

sneer
Thanks 😀

i will not push for crown😉 ...i love this movement and this early number 😁

Did anybody realize the the watch illustrated in the first ad is the same I posted in page two, incredible coîncidence. It's the third time I see the ads, and I only noticed today. Great Sneer

Privateday7 · Oct 11, 2014

This is a great thread. Many extraordinary watches here. It also created reference and flashback of company products' history.
With its close association back in 1932, Lemania must have special position to many Omega fans.

However very little known in term of history, company condition etc. This is the only reference that I could get, but far from satisfactory: http://www.watch-wiki.net/index.php?title=Lemania

When Lemania stop producing watches and focus only producing movements? Why unlike JLC their brand never took off? Why it is not resurrected again?

Any reference info would be greatly appreciated.

Stewart H · Oct 11, 2014

So here is the spring. It is made from 0.6mm thick steel, 1.46mm wide. As you can see, the shape is quite complex:

sneer · Oct 11, 2014

and the next one.. 😀

What about a Lemania thread?

Northernman

sneer

RCAFBuster

LouS

sneer

Nobody Move

DManzaluni

Northernman

Northernman

DManzaluni

Northernman

DManzaluni

DManzaluni

Archer

Stewart H

DManzaluni

omegastar

Privateday7

Stewart H

sneer

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