The movement of a watch represents the beating heart of any timepiece. It is the complex and sophisticated gear that ensures the accurate measurement of time, combining technique and art in perfect balance.
Every enthusiast knows that a watch is not just a design object or a status symbol: it is a high-precision machine. It is also true that nowadays, the circuitry of our electric toothbrush is more complex than a mechanical movement, but what can replace that indescribable ticking of the second hand or the enchantment in front of a caliber with hundreds of mechanical parts moving in unison?
Calibers are tangible expressions of watchmaking knowledge, and some of them have become iconic for their reliability, innovation, and impact on the industry. In this article we will explore some of the best-known calibres that have made history and continue to influence the contemporary watchmaking industry.
Piguet Caliber 21
Let’s begin this journey among the most popular movements with the Piguet Caliber 21, created by Frédéric Piguet. This is one of the most iconic hand-wound movements in the ultra-flat category; this caliber is a benchmark for high-end Swiss watchmaking, thanks to its combination of innovative engineering, precision, and aesthetic refinement.
The Piguet Caliber 21 is best known for its incredibly small thickness, making it one of the thinnest movements ever made. The engineering complexity required to achieve such a reduction in size, without compromising precision, is a testament to the level of skill of Frédéric Piguet and his team of master watchmakers.
Una delle principali sfide nella creazione del calibro Piguet 21 è stata ridurre al minimo lo spessore del movimento mantenendo al contempo la sua funzionalità e affidabilità. E’ conosciuto anche per essere stato utilizzato da Cartier nel 1904 per dare vita al primo orologio da polso da uomo: il Cartier Santos-Dumont.
Valjoux Caliber 22
The Valjoux 22 caliber was introduced in 1917 and produced until the 1970s. During these decades, it was one of the most popular hand-wound chronograph movements mounted on high-quality watches. Many of these watches were designed for professional uses, such as aviation and sports competitions. The robustness of the movement made it ideal for situations where precision was critical, even in harsh conditions.
With a frequency of 18,000 alternations/hour and chronograph sorting by column wheel, it is well known for its qualities and excellent workmanship, witness the fact that it has been used by the great brands of fine watchmaking, becoming one of the mechanical icons of the 20th century.
Una delle varianti più celebri del Valjoux 22 è la versione con funzione flyback. Questa complicazione permette di resettare e riavviare immediatamente il cronografo con una sola pressione del pulsante reset, senza dover fermare e azzerare manualmente. La funzione flyback era particolarmente apprezzata dai piloti, che potevano così effettuare rapidi calcoli di navigazione durante il volo.
Valjoux Caliber 7750
The Valjoux 7750 caliber is the world’s most popular automatic chronograph movement. Introduced in the 1970s by ETA and born from the hand of master watchmaker Edmond Capt., it has been used by brands such as Heuer, Breitling, and IWC. Its robust construction and ease of maintenance make it an ideal choice for sports watches and chronographs for everyday use. The versatility of this caliber has given rise to numerous variations and customizations.
Landeron Caliber 39 and 48
The Landeron 39 is a hand-wound chronograph movement developed in the 1930s by the Fabrique d’Ébauches de Fontainemelon (FEF), also known as Landeron. It was one of the first fine chronograph movements to integrate a column-wheel drive system.
The Landeron 48 is perhaps the most iconic movement produced by Landeron; it is a hand-wound chronograph with a cam-operated divider, central chronograph seconds, and a 30- or 45-minute counter. Introduced in 1937, it was used in a wide range of chronographs until the 1970s, making it one of the most popular postwar calibres.
It is known for its chronograph control system with two pushers: the first to start and stop the chronograph, and the second to reset it to zero. This reliable movement has been fitted to a wide range of watches such as Heuer, Breitling, and Gallet, contributing to the spread of mechanical chronographs.
Venus Caliber 188
The Venus caliber represents one of the most fascinating chapters in the history of Swiss mechanical watchmaking. Made by Venus SA, a leading Swiss manufacture founded in 1923 in Moutier, these chronograph movements were distinguished by their robustness, precision and technical sophistication. The company was a benchmark for mechanical chronographs until the 1960s, when it was later absorbed by Valjoux (now part of ETA and the Swatch Group).
Venus calibres were adopted by some of the most prestigious houses such as Breitling, Minerva, Universal Genève. Many 20th century military watches also fitted Venus movements for their reliability on the battlefield. These calibres were ideal for aviation and military applications because of their precision and robustness, as well as the ease of applying modifications to introduce various complications.
In the 1960s, faced with increasing competition and the need for more mass production, Venus SA was acquired by Valjoux. Some Venus designs were then used and modified by Valjoux to create new calibres, such as the famous Valjoux 7750.
The Venus 188, from 1966 later to become the Valjoux 7730, is one of the company’s most famous hand-wound mechanical movements, with chronograph sorting by cams. It has a diameter of 31.58 mm by a thickness of 6 mm, 17 jewels and 18,000 alternations/hour. Among its functions, we find central chronograph seconds and a chronograph minute counter at 3 o’clock. Famously, Breitling Top Time brought fame and approval to this fine movement.
Lemania Caliber CH27 C12
The Lemania CH27 C12 is one of the most celebrated chronograph calibres of all time. This hand-wound movement (the number 27 stands for the diameter i.e. 27mm), is derived directly from the Lemania 2310 and is known to be the basis of some of the most iconic chronographs in history, including theOmega Speedmaster and the Patek Philippe 5070.
With its balance oscillating at 18,000 alternations and with the chronograph shunting entrusted to side-mounted shuttles, this incredible caliber is composed of more than 220 parts with an (innovative at the time) Incabloc shock-resistant system.
Omega Caliber 321
The Omega caliber 321 is one of the most celebrated and beloved chronograph movements in watchmaking history. This hand-wound movement, is known for its extraordinary robustness, precision, and the pivotal role it played in Speedmaster models, including the iconic Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch.
Caliber 321 was first introduced in 1946. It is based on the Lemania caliber CH27 C12 design, developed by Lemania (which was part of the SSIH Group, predecessor of Swatch Group). This movement was used in many prestigious chronographs, but it became famous mainly through its collaboration with Omega.
When Omega launched the first Speedmaster CK2915 in 1957, the caliber 321 became the beating heart of this iconic chronograph. The movement retained its presence in Speedmasters until 1968, when it was replaced by Caliber 861.
One of the most appreciated features of Caliber 321 is its use of the column wheel, which ensures extremely smooth and precise chronograph drive. The build quality and strength of the movement have made it ideal for professional applications and space missions.
Zenith El Primero Caliber
The Zenith El Primero is one of the most famous chronograph calibres ever. Introduced in 1969, it was the first automatic chronograph movement with a frequency of 36,000 vibrations per hour (5 Hz). This caliber is known for its ability to measure extremely precise time intervals and was also used by Rolex for the famous Daytona from 1988 to 2000. Even today, El Primero is still a symbol of technical innovation and superior performance.
Beta 21 caliber
The Beta 21 caliber is one of the most revolutionary movements in watchmaking history, known for being the first Swiss quartz movement to be mass produced and used in commercial wristwatches. This movement represents a milestone in the watchmaking industry and symbolizes Switzerland’s entry into the quartz era in response to growing global competition in the field, especially from Japan with the Seiko Astron.
It was developed by the Centre Electronique Horloger (CEH), a Swiss consortium founded in 1962 and composed of 21 major Swiss watch companies including Patek Philippe, Rolex, Omega, Piaget, IWC, Longines, and others. The goal of this group was to address emerging technological challenges and develop a competitive quartz movement. The research work culminated in 1969 with the launch of the Beta 21 caliber, which was officially presented at the Basel Fair in 1970.
The Beta 21 caliber represented a major innovation for Swiss watchmaking, showing that the Swiss industry was able to compete with the new quartz technology. However, the movement had some limitations: it was relatively large and complex compared to later Japanese quartz movements, such as those from Seiko, which proved cheaper and easier to mass produce.
Despite its limited production (only about 6,000 units were made), the Beta 21 caliber was a precursor to later innovations and paved the way for the development of more compact and efficient quartz movements.
Caliber 214
Caliber 214, first introduced in the Bulova Acc utron (Accutron stands for “Accuracy Through Electronic”), is one of the most innovative movements in the history of watchmaking, known for marking a radical breakthrough in timekeeping mechanisms. Launched in 1960, this movement represented the world’s first electronic caliber and introduced unprecedented precision, anticipating the advent of quartz watches.
This innovative electromechanical movement is based on a vibrating tuning fork for timekeeping. The tuning fork vibrates at a frequency of 360 Hz, much higher than the 2-5 Hz of traditional mechanical movements. This high frequency ensures greater precision and extremely smooth movement of the second hand.
With a daily deviation of about 2 seconds per day, it uses a metal tuning fork (a small fork-shaped component) that vibrates through an electromagnetic system powered by a battery. The vibrations are converted into a rotary motion by a small motor and an escape wheel.
Thus, thanks to this revolutionary caliber, designed by Max Hetzel, the traditional oscillating balance wheel of mechanical watches was replaced, allowing for superior accuracy due to the stable frequency of vibrations. In addition, the use of electronic components made the movement more resistant to shocks and temperature variations than traditional mechanical movements.
Conclusions
Watch calibres are not just mechanisms: they are engineering masterpieces and symbols of tradition, innovation, and passion. Whether it is a sturdy Omega 321, a sophisticated Lemania 1873, or a legendary chronograph like the Zenith El Primero, each caliber tells a unique story. Watchmaking enthusiasts know that understanding a movement means appreciating the watch in its entirety, from its outer beauty to its inner complexity.
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