Leonidas CP-2 Issued Chronograph AMI Italian Air Force — view 1 of 6 — View 1 of 6 · Image: Bulang & Sons · original image source (opens another website in a new tab)

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Wristwatches · Wristwatch

Leonidas CP-2 Issued Chronograph AMI Italian Air Force

DocumentedDocumented from a dealer's listing; attribution and date as stated by the dealer.

Maker / attribution: Leonidas (maker)
Date: mid 1960s
Historical period: Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)
Country of origin: Italy
Object type: Wristwatch
Dealer: Bulang & Sons (dealer), Copenhagen
Stock no.: W-320
Credit line: Dealer listing, Bulang & Sons (W-320)
Catalogue title (original): Leonidas CP-2 Issued Chronograph AMI Italian Air Force (English)

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Record summary

Catalogued by Bulang & Sons (dealer), Copenhagen (stock number W-320), this is a wristwatch by Leonidas, made in Italy, dated mid 1960s. The Atlas places it in the Modern Mechanical Horology period (1945 – 1969) of its Wristwatches collection. 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

THE ITALIAN FLYING CHRONO This is a very rare and cool early military chronograph by Leonidas. Before they merged with Heuer, Leonidas produced a small batch of chronos that bore the Leonidas name. This particular example was issued to the Italian Airforce and is from the second batch as signified by the ‘CP2’ on the case back. Powered by a Valjoux 222 flyback movement, the watch has two chrono counters and a bi-rotating bezel to measure elapsed time. The watch has the correct four-screw caseback and good official engravings alongside, what we presume is, the original owners initials engraved in a different font style (the Type 1 would have the date here). The watch has been fully serviced by our watchmaker. Specification - Type 2 Chonograph - Issued to the Italian Airforce (Aeronautica Militare Italiana) - Black Swiss Only dial with thin-font numerals - Dates to mid-1960s - Two register chronograph layout - Fresh serviced by our watchmaker - Incl. one Watch Strap of your choice*

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 timeline More wristwatches from this period Earlier: 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.

Mechanisms mentioned

Chronograph — Complication
Flyback chronograph — Complication

Record completeness

Maker or attributionRecorded
DateRecorded
Place or countryRecorded
MaterialsNot in source
DimensionsNot in source
Narrative descriptionRecorded
Inscriptions / marksNot in source
ProvenanceNot in source
Several photographsRecorded

Editorial status: Documented — facts as published by the source; not independently verified by Atlas editors.

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Sources & image rights

Record source: Bulang & Sons (dealer), Copenhagen (opens another website in a new tab).

Image rights: © Bulang & Sons — dealer photographs; permission required (opens another website in a new tab).

Images are hosted by the Atlas for study and credited to their owner. Rights holders may request correction, credit changes or removal, or grant permission, via the editorial office.

Cite this record

"Leonidas CP-2 Issued Chronograph AMI Italian Air Force." Bulang & Sons (dealer), Copenhagen, W-320. Catalogue record in The Horology Atlas, WatchMuseum.org, https://atlas.watchmuseum.org/museum/leonidas-cp-2-issued-chronograph-ami-italian-air-force-cb409b.