The Valjoux 7750
Octane|250 - April 2024
Rendered obsolete in the late 1970s, Edmond Capt's wonder movement is not only back, but selling 200,000 units a year
MARK MCARTHUR-CHRISTIE
The Valjoux 7750

UNLESS YOU'RE FORTUNATE enough to have a watch with a manufacture movement (one made in-house), yours will be an ébauche; an engine made by a specialist maker and bought-in by a watch firm. If it's a chronograph, chances are there'll be a Valjoux 7750 behind the caseback hence the old Swiss saying: 'Vous n'êtes jamais à plus de 1.83m d'un Valjoux 7750. It's probably the single most common mechanical chronograph movement.

It very nearly wasn't like this. When the 7750 started life as a young movement back in 1973, the watch industry had hit a peak of craftsmanship, tech and materials quality. It meant Seiko, Zenith and an alliance of Breitling, Buren and Heuer were all able to claim the release of the first automatic chronograph movement within a sneeze of each other: the cal.6139, El Primero and cal. 11/Chronomatic, respectively.

All of a sudden, venerable Valjoux was left wondering what had happened. The firm needed a new automatic chronograph movement to offer a cost-effective competitor.

この記事は Octane の 250 - April 2024 版に掲載されています。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、8,500 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。

この記事は Octane の 250 - April 2024 版に掲載されています。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、8,500 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。

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