Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Tissot Navigator Chronograph Lemania Movement Ref 817, late 1960s
- Maker / attribution
- Tissot (maker)
- Date
- late 1960s
- Historical period
- Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)
- Country of origin
- Switzerland
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Dimensions
- Case 40 mm
- Stock no.
- W-2575
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Bulang & Sons (W-2575)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Tissot Navigator Chronograph Lemania Movement Ref 817 (English)
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Record summary
Catalogued by Bulang & Sons (dealer), Copenhagen (stock number W-2575), this is a wristwatch by Tissot, made in Switzerland, dated late 1960s. The Atlas places it in the Modern Mechanical Horology period (1945 – 1969) of its Wristwatches collection. Recorded dimensions: Case 40 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
We love this Type XX style chronograph by Tissot. Featuring a rotating bezel for measuring elapsed time and a black dial with bold luminous Arabic hours, this watch has all the charm of a military chronograph that we know you guys love. And that bezel insert that has faded naturally of the decades just tops it off… Housed in a 40mm steel case the watch remains in really great minty condition with two pushers and a large winding crown, with a bi-directional bezel for measuring elapsed time. The bezel insert has faded beautifully over time to a ghost-like shade. The black dial has two sub dials and bold Arabic painted hours that have taken on a lovely patina. The dial has the so-called Box T logo and is signed T SWISS MADE T. This Tissot will come on the pictured Bulang and Sons strap. The Lemania calibre 827 manual-wind movement has been fully serviced by our watchmaker. This is a great looking and very rare chrono from a well-established brand. Please get in touch to start a conversation! Specifications: - Navigator Chronograph Ref 817 - 40mm steel case - Dates to late 1960s - Black dial with painted Arabic hours - Faded bezel insert - Lemania calibre 827 manual wind movement - Movement serial 250xxxx - Pictured Bulang and Sons strap - Fully serviced by our watchmaker This watch has been certified at Certifiwatch under registration number CF-0104348
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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