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Tourneau Chronograph (Ref. 712451) "PVD" Lemania Cal. 1873, 1990s — view 1 of 6
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Wristwatches · Wristwatch

Tourneau Chronograph (Ref. 712451) "PVD" Lemania Cal. 1873, 1990s

DocumentedDocumented from a dealer's listing; attribution and date as stated by the dealer.
Maker / attribution
Lemania (maker)
Date
1990s
Country of origin
Switzerland
Object type
Wristwatch
Stock no.
TRN712451
Credit line
Dealer listing, Craft & Tailored (TRN712451)
Catalogue title (original)
1990s Tourneau Chronograph (Ref. 712451) "PVD" Lemania Cal. 1873 (English)

View the source record (dealer listing) ↗ (opens another website in a new tab)Suggest a correction

Record summary

Catalogued by Craft & Tailored (dealer), Los Angeles (stock number TRN712451), this is a wristwatch by Lemania, made in Switzerland, dated 1990s. The Atlas places it in the Mechanical Renaissance period (1990 – 2010) 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 — Craft & Tailored

For decades the New York City established watch retailer Tourneau has dominated the United States market. They even set the world record by opening the largest single watch store on earth, twice in under 10 years. But watch retailing under the Tourneau banner alone wasn't enough, so the juggernaut stamped its name on the dials themselves and sold mountains of their very own brand. Everything from simple and elegant time-only pieces to the maximally complicated perpetual calendar, Tourneau has done it all. And within that wide spectrum, during the 90s, Tourneau experimented with some fantastic finishes and complications, such as this amazing PVD coated chronograph, the Ref. 712451. Stock # TRN712451 Brand Tourneau Style Chronograph Model 712451 Serial 4225326 Size Men's Material Stainless Steel W/ Factory PVD Finish Dial Matte Black Millimeters 36 Strap 2pc Rubber Strap CASE & BRACELET The case of this Tourneau chrono is finished from the factory in a matte black PVD. It features matching black pump pushers and crown, and the case extends out to into a monoblock lug design with the perforated black rubber strap sitting flush underneath. DIAL & HANDS The dial is deep black, with a case matching the outer tachymeter ring in a slightly more grained black. The hour markers burst off the dial in a beautiful golden cream, the tritium having taken on some age over the years. The dial also showcases three sub-registers, two for the chronograph function and one for the running seconds. This Tourneau chrono is a fantastic piece not to be overlooked or underestimated. ACCESSORIES None. The watch is running and keeping time, previous service history is unknown,

Historical context

Mechanical Renaissance (1990 – 2010)

Mechanical watches return as cultural objects; independent watchmaking flourishes.

Mechanical watches returned as cultural and luxury objects. Complications, tourbillons and new materials proliferated; independent watchmakers such as George Daniels, F.P. Journe and Philippe Dufour revived artisanal watchmaking; collecting vintage watches became a major field.

Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Quartz 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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