Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Lemania Monopusher Chronograph Issued to British Armed Forces 6bb, 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-2500
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Bulang & Sons (W-2500)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Lemania Monopusher Chronograph Issued to British Armed Forces 6bb (English)
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Record summary
Catalogued by Bulang & Sons (dealer), Copenhagen (stock number W-2500), 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
This is a lovely condition Lemania chrono made for the British Armed Forces. The steel case has a screw case back with NATO stock number “0052/ 92x-33xx 80xxx and the dial features a circled-T and the broad arrow symbol – classic military watch features. The 38mm steel case is in good condition and features a so called mono pusher .The watch houses an excellent condition black dial with syringe hands, with luminous Arabic numerals. The minute hand has been stabilised at some point in the past. The watch will come on the pictured Bulang and Sons Single Pass strap and the movement has been fully serviced by our watchmaker. Like for example Omega before it, Lemania provided watches to various militaries around the world, beginning in the 1940s. Later Lemania would provide watches for the Swedish, South African, Canadian etc etc military branches & this particular example was produced for the British forces as evidenced by the NATO Stock Number engraved on its caseback. We love military watches and love discussing them with you guys. Please get in touch to discuss this one some more! Specifications: - Lemania Monopusher chrono 6bb - 38mm steel fixed lugs case - case no 35-64/ movement no 169xxxx - Dates to 1960s - Case back with military engraving - Black broad arrow dial with luminous Arabic hours - Syringe hands - Lemania calibre 2220 movement - Comes on the pictured Single Pass strap - Fully serviced by our watchmaker - Includes a handmade leather watch pouch
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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