Meylan Decimal Chronograph, Satin Silver Dial with Lemaina Cal. 2520

Dealer description — Oliver & Clarke

The Meylan Stopwatch Company traces its roots to the early 20th century, when the A.R. & J.E. Meylan firm operated in New York importing Swiss timing instruments and watches. By 1921 the business had been formally established, focusing primarily on precision stopwatches and industrial timing equipment rather than full watch manufacturing. Over time the company’s name evolved to become the Meylan Stopwatch Company. By the mid-1950s, it had built a reputation in the U.S. market for reliable timing tools used in scientific and industrial settings. In the 1960s and 1970s, Meylan expanded into wrist chronographs that reflected the clean, functional design language of their stopwatches, and were often powered by Swiss movements. The example that we have here is dates to circa the 1960s and possesses many of what makes some of the most iconic chronographs from this era great. The case comes in at 35mm in diameter and features gorgeous chamfers lugs, ‘pump’ pushers, a screw-down caseback, and a signed crown. The dial inside is a highly-legible silver with contrasting black printing and red printing. The applied ‘dart’ indices are applied and have notches on the outside that house Tritium plots, all of which show a nice and uniform patina. A very thoughtful design feature usually reserved for more expensive pieces, is the cropping of the applied indices around the subsidiary registers, making for a nice clean design. The dial is complimented by a matching ‘pencil’ handset. Perhaps the most noteworthy aspect of this watch, however, is the movement inside. Powering this piece is the Lemania Cal. 2520, which is essentially the same movement as the iconic and significant Omega Calibre .321. Even the finishing is attractive and is complete with a ‘Meylan’ signed bridge. Chronographs from roughly the 1940s through the 1970s are, for many, thought of as the essence of what makes vintage watches cool. Many of these models and brands have ascended to an unattainable level, making for completely under-the-radar finds like this quite rare. We think it’s awesome, and we’re confident we’re not the only ones.