Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Minerva Oversized Chronograph Black Dial Valjoux 22, 1940s
- Maker / attribution
- Minerva (maker)
- Date
- 1940s
- Historical period
- Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking (1900 – 1945)
- Country of origin
- Switzerland
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Dimensions
- Case 37 mm
- Stock no.
- w-2687
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Bulang & Sons (w-2687)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Minerva Oversized Chronograph Black Dial Valjoux 22 (English)
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Record summary
Catalogued by Bulang & Sons (dealer), Copenhagen (stock number w-2687), this is a wristwatch by Minerva, made in Switzerland, dated 1940s. The Atlas places it in the Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking period (1900 – 1945) of its Wristwatches collection. Recorded dimensions: Case 37 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
Founded in 1858 in Villeret, Switzerland, Minerva is regarded for its key role in the development of the chronograph mechanism. Here is a lovely chronograph from the 1940s, cased in an elegant 37mm steel casing, featuring rounded pushers and painted Arabic numerals with radium on the original black dial. The case remains in beautiful condition with a snap case back and unusual flat bezel. The black dial has the Minerva scroll-signature, a tachymeter scale in silver and aged radium hours. The syringe hands have nicely matching lume. The case, dial and Valjoux 22 movement are all signed Minerva. The watch will come fitted with the picture Bulang and Sons leather strap. The watch has been fully serviced by our watchmaker. We have a lot of love for cool vintage chronos. Please get in touch and let us share our passion with you! Specifications: -Minerva Chronograph -Dates to 1940s -37mm steel case with screw case back -Black dial with radium Arabic hours -Syringe hands with matching lume -Valjoux 22 manual wind movement -Comes on pictured Bulang and Sons strap -Fully serviced by our watchmaker -Includes a handmade leather watch pouch
Historical context
Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking (1900 – 1945)
The wristwatch displaces the pocket watch; waterproof cases, self-winding and grand complications.
The wristwatch overtook the pocket watch. Military use in the First World War, aviation, water-resistant cases (1926), automatic winding (1923–31), rectangular Art Deco designs and early chronographs and calendars defined the period.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Industrial Revolution
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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