Why We Love it

It's a treat that we get to see beautifully patinated chronographs at our HQ, but it is quite unusual to have an unbranded one that holds such a mysterious allure!

Are you sitting down? Good.

For starters, this is a beautiful and oversized 38mm steel case with screw case back. Its design is reminiscent of early "Clamshell" cases as well as those found on period chronographs and military watches from Angelus, Heuer, etc.. The dial, with its telemetre tracks, looks rightfully technical, but the rich black finish, Arabic markers, and crisp gilt printing give this piece a distinctly dressy feel. Inside, the  Valjoux 22 movement (which was produced for roughly six decades!) chirps away at 18,000 beats per hour, paying homage to the Swiss powerhouse whose drivetrains have become synonymous with quality and reliability.

No one really knows who made this or where it was sold, but let’s just agree that if the dial said "Patek Philippe" or “Heuer” on it, this piece would be going for several times the asking price. The fact that we can offer you something of this quality and design without a prohibitive price tag is delightful, and someone is going to have a very good day when it gets strapped on for the first time!

The Story

Inspiration for the architecture of the legendary Calibre 72, the Valjoux 22 is the older yet less famous movement from the storied manufacture. For six decades, the Calibre 22 was a dependable, robust calibre used by the top brands of the time.

Originally designed for pocket watches, the Valjoux 22 is a 14 ligne, 31.3 mm column wheel chronograph which powers timekeeping, subsidiary seconds, central seconds chronograph, and a 30 minute register at 3:00. Produced from 1914 through 1974, it is a venerable movement with one of the longest histories of service and are at the heart of the some of the world’s most impressive chronographs - whether or not they have a name on the dial!