A Blast from the Past: Part 2 [lots of pics]

[Wiz 0]

Hi guys!

 

Last Sunday I had the occasion - or more the chance - to be invited by a friend of my parents, who is a retired executive from the watch industry, and who agreed to give me a tour through his impressive ancient timepieces collection, and allowed me to take a few pics so I could share with you guys.

 

This is the part two: Watches and Watch Movements.

 

 

 

 

The owner used to be an executive for Helvétia, a now bankrupt watch company, so he had some naked movements that were used for shows.

 

 

 

 

 

Now this is definitely something you won't see every day: It's a Jaeger Lecoultre Calibre 426, on of the smallest movement ever built. It's not as small as the 101, but still, the diameter is only 12.4mm!

 

This is pretty much the size of the thumb of a nail (as long as your hands are not too big )

 

The watchmakers that are able to assemble such movements are kind of rare. Like the 101, all the parts are made by hand to fit one specific movement. The building is so precise that the parts are not interchangeable from one movement to another.

 

 

 

 

Now here is another pretty amazing movement, it's an Audemars Piguet Calibre 2120, the ancestor of the 2121 found in the Royal Oak Jumbo. It once was the slimest automatic movement in the world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jaeger, Made in France.

 

 

 

 

Another movement you won't see everyday. This is the exact same movement that was used in the very first Jaeger Lecoultre Reverso. They were not in house, Jaeger ordered them from the Tavann manufacture, that was also working for Cyma.

 

 

 

Nicely decorated Record movement:

 

 

 

 

L'Epine watch in a cane.

 

 

 

 

Few more watches.

 

 

 

Does that bracelet reminds you of anything...? The owner of the collection has been an executive for Zuccolo Rochet, a company that builds various stuffs for the watch industry, including all of Breiling's straps and bracelets.

 

At some point, they decided to issue the same bracelet as the one of the Navitimer, minus the patented end links and with their own bucckle. When Breitling realized it, they were not quite happy. They threatened to sue them, so they stopped selling the bracelet, but unfortuntely they also lost Breitling as a client in the process.

 

 

 

More watches.

 

 

 

Airain Chronograph:

 

 

 

Eloga Chronograph, powered by a Venus 170.

 

 

 

Various watches.

 

 

 

Seiko Kinetic with 1/10s Chronograph.

 

 

 

 

More watches.

 

 

 

 

Zenith.

 

 

 

 

Jaeger.

 

 

 

Jaeger Lecoultre Reserve de Marche.

 

 

 

Omega De Ville.

 

 

 

 

Watch for blind people (no kidding).

 

 

 

Lip 2000.

 

 

 

Universal Genève.

 

 

 

Lady's Breitling. Veeery small watch.

 

 

 

 

Record lady's watch, also very small.

 

 

 

 

Hope you enjoyed, thanks for watching.

 

PS: Part 1 >>> http://www.replica-watches-guide.com/forum...showtopic=21521

[Member X 91]

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet

[Nisv 0]

Allright, thanks for sharing

[Baldrick 1]

Beautiful collection, the Valrex is a real beauty,

[Del 4,463]

Very interesting post with great photos - thanks for posting!

[seclark007 11]

Awesome! Full of pieces that you'll not see every day! Thanks for sharing with us.

 

S

[Luthier 1]

What did you say, his address is?

[WebWind 1]

Beautiful pieces and great pics. Thanx for sharing.

[admiralsas 0]

 

WANT WANT WANT!

 

:facepalm:

[myaz 3]

Completly fascinating. Thanks for going through the trouble of posting all that

[trailboss99 994]

Wow, impressive!

[DeLaForce 2]

Thanks for the pics and commentary, cool stuff

[machiavegli 6]

What did you say, his address is?

 

Ditto... That AP would fit nicely in my pocket if I came to visit

 

-Mach