Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Lemania Military Mono Pusher Chronograph Black Dial Second Series for British Armed Forces, 1960s
- Maker / attribution
- Lemania (maker)
- Date
- 1960s
- Historical period
- Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)
- Country of origin
- England
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Dimensions
- Case 38 mm
- Stock no.
- W-2931
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Bulang & Sons (W-2931)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Lemania Military Mono Pusher Chronograph Black Dial Second Series for British Armed Forces (English)
View the source record (dealer listing) ↗ (opens another website in a new tab)Suggest a correction
Record summary
Catalogued by Bulang & Sons (dealer), Copenhagen (stock number W-2931), this is a wristwatch by Lemania, made in England, dated 1960s. The Atlas places it in the Modern Mechanical Horology period (1945 – 1969) of its Wristwatches collection. Recorded dimensions: Case 38 mm. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.
Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.
Catalogue description
Dealer description — Bulang & Sons
Lemania, founded by Alfred Lugrin in 1884, stands as a cornerstone of vintage chronographs. This particular piece, a mono pusher chronograph created for the British Armed Forces, represents a fascinating period in Lemania’s history, highlighting its role as a trusted supplier of military-grade timepieces worldwide. This Series II model, featuring a symmetrical steel case and 38mm fixed lugs, was issued to the "Hydrographic Service" before being reallocated to the British Royal Navy, marked by its “HS/|\9” designation, later struck through and re-engraved as “0552/924-3305.” This watch houses Lemania’s gilt-finished 15CHT manual wind movement and is paired with a luminous black dial, displaying an orange patina. The patina harmonizes beautifully with the pencil-style hands, embodying the essence of a genuine military tool watch. This iconic piece, fully serviced by our watchmaker, comes on a single-pass military-style strap and is ready to add historical gravitas to any collection. Specifications: - 38mm steel case with fixed lugs - Movement serial 475XXX, dating to the 1960s - Caseback with Hydrographic Service/British Royal Navy engravings - Black dial with luminous markers and pencil hands - Lemania 15CHT manual wind movement - Military-style single-pass strap - Fully serviced by our watchmaker
Historical context
Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)
Tool watches for divers, pilots and astronauts; electric watches anticipate the electronic age.
The classic era of the mechanical wristwatch: dive watches, chronographs for motor racing and space flight, GMT watches for jet travel, slim dress watches, automatic calendars, and the rise of Japanese manufacturers alongside Swiss, American, German and Soviet industries.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking
Atlas type guide
Chronographs and split-seconds watches
A chronograph is a watch with an additional seconds hand that can be started, stopped and returned to zero independently of the timekeeping. Louis Moinet built an early example in 1816 and Nicolas Rieussec a recording 'chronographe' in 1821; Adolphe Nicole's heart-shaped reset cam (patented 1862) made the modern return-to-zero possible. Split-seconds (rattrapante) chronographs add a second hand that can be stopped for intermediate times; flyback chronographs restart instantly.
Chronographs were essential tools for doctors (pulsometer scales), artillery (telemeter), engineers and sport. In wristwatches, Valjoux, Venus, Lemania and later the automatic chronographs of 1969 (Zenith El Primero, the Chronomatic Calibre 11 group and Seiko 6139) are milestones.
What to look for
- Push-pieces on the case band or a single button in the crown (monopusher).
- Subsidiary registers for minutes and hours; tachymeter, telemeter or pulsometer scales.
- Column wheel versus cam control visible in the movement.
- Calibre markings of specialist makers (Valjoux, Lemania, Venus, Landeron).
Dating clues
- Pocket chronographs with heart cam reset: after 1862.
- Wrist chronographs: from c. 1910; two-button designs from the 1930s.
- Automatic chronographs: from 1969.
General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.
Read next:Flyback chronographChronograph
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