gran 198 Posted June 8, 2010 (edited) ST19, Venus 175 made by Sea-Gull (is not a LEMANIA..please stop calling it LEMANIA it is wrong) This movement has been around for a long time, but it is still a very popular movement used. We often got asked about this movement. The movement is nearly identical to the Venus 175 as parts are interchangeable. The only differences or improvements to the Venus 175 are the increased beat (the Venus had only 18000 bph vs Seagull’s 21600 vph) and the asians an added incabloc style shock absorber. Technical details: The Seagull 1901 is a 23 jewel, column wheel controlled, chronograph, lever movement operating at 21,600 bph. It has a running second dial at the 9 o'clock position, a 30 minute counter sub-dial at 3 o'clock, and a sweep second counter mounted centrally along with the timekeeping minute and hour hands. The chronograph functions are controlled through two buttons, one (at 2 o'clock) for starting and stopping the chronograph, one (at 4 o'clock) for resetting the second and minute counters. The column wheel prevents the action of the reset while the chronograph is running. Perhaps the most interesting item in the Venus 175 history is ironically how we came to be the recipients of its clone via Seagull in relatively recent times. Around 1957, a factory in Moscow started producing a copy of an earlier Venus Caliber - the 150. This was the legendary 'Strela' movement. A few years later Venus was planning to reduce the number of movements they offered and were planning to offer an upgrade of the 175 - the 180. But they realized they needed money to do so which they would generate by selling some redundant tooling they didn't need. They first tried to sell it to the Soviets (who had already shown an interest in copying them) but they were happy with the Strela and turned them down. But it just so happened that at the same time the Chinese Airforce was in need of a pilot's chronograph and for political reasons could no longer buy Strela's from the Soviets. So Venus offered them the 175 by selling them all the tooling to make the movements. The early 175 is seen in a Chinese military pilots watches. It was only in production for military purposes for a time and then was eventually released to civilians as the Seagull ST-19 in more modern times. Modern Seagull ST-19: So now you know the not-so-secret- which is that the handwound column wheel chrongraph found in those Chinese watches is actually not a Lemania or a Lemania clone but rather a Venus 175 clone. In fact, one might even make the case that it is a Venus 175 really, since it was manufactered using the original tooling - or at least was at one time. Of course blued screws are laquered and not flame blued and the final finish, decoration, and assembly is how shall we say, "all China", but the function and robustness stand. In fact, many watchmakers have given a sort of seal of approval to the ST-19 as one of the best movements to come out of China. Even the dirty versions seen in some of these cheap watches always seem to hold up well, but if you take the care to have it serviced, there is no reason it couldn't last for many years or even a lifetime. Hope this settles this issue once and for all Gunnar Edited June 8, 2010 by gran Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dingle 57 Posted June 8, 2010 thanks for the info. My next watch will have the *cough* lemania *cough* movement Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gran 198 Posted June 8, 2010 thanks for the info. My next watch will have the *cough* lemania *cough* movement dingleberry how could you Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dingle 57 Posted June 8, 2010 thanks for the info. My next watch will have the *cough* lemania *cough* movement dingleberry how could you sorry mate....couldn't resist Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
apoopoo999 0 Posted June 8, 2010 Funny a few weeks ago I was about to start a thread about this. I noticed a lot of sellers calling this movement a lemania and it made me confused Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
graman 2 Posted June 8, 2010 Hey Gran! How compatible would this be with a 7733? I have an old 60's case...NOS....probably had a 7733 in it...would one of these fit? Would love to get it running! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gran 198 Posted June 8, 2010 thanks for the info. My next watch will have the *cough* lemania *cough* movement dingleberry how could you sorry mate....couldn't resist I know..I know.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gran 198 Posted June 8, 2010 Hey Gran! How compatible would this be with a 7733? I have an old 60's case...NOS....probably had a 7733 in it...would one of these fit? Would love to get it running! Mmmmmmmmmmm.....you would have to ask Ziggy to be sure...difficulty is the position of the subdials...if 7733 subdial position is similar to 7753 no Chinese calibre will fit well me thinks.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gran 198 Posted June 8, 2010 Funny a few weeks ago I was about to start a thread about this. I noticed a lot of sellers calling this movement a lemania and it made me confused Damn now I have to do all the work..even the moderators are mocking me for this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
apoopoo999 0 Posted June 8, 2010 Hey Gran! How compatible would this be with a 7733? I have an old 60's case...NOS....probably had a 7733 in it...would one of these fit? Would love to get it running! The sub dials almost lines up perfectly, except the feet are in the wrong position though. The seagull movement will also fit in a 7733 case but the pushers dont line up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gran 198 Posted June 8, 2010 (edited) Hey Gran! How compatible would this be with a 7733? I have an old 60's case...NOS....probably had a 7733 in it...would one of these fit? Would love to get it running! The sub dials almost lines up perfectly, except the feet are in the wrong position though. The seagull movement will also fit in a 7733 case but the pushers dont line up. Thanks for input Edited June 8, 2010 by gran Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
apoopoo999 0 Posted June 8, 2010 Hey Gran! How compatible would this be with a 7733? I have an old 60's case...NOS....probably had a 7733 in it...would one of these fit? Would love to get it running! The sub dials almost lines up perfectly, except the feet are in the wrong position though. The seagull movement will also fit in a 7733 case but the pushers dont line up. Good info. Thanks. no problem, those 7733 and 7734 movements are getting expensive Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
graman 2 Posted June 8, 2010 They certainly are!.... Not for wee little tinkerers like me..... too much $$$. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
graman 2 Posted June 9, 2010 Thanks for the feedback guys....Shall continue my search! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
