Valjoux 23/72 Family

BRANDS: Valjoux

Production: 1916 – 1974
1910s	1920s	1930s	1940s	1950s	1960s	1970s	1980s	1990s	2000s	2010s	2020s

The Valjoux 23/72 family is one of the most celebrated and long-lived watch movements of all time. Originally a monopusher, the family was the premier showcase for Willy Breitling’s dual-pusher chronograph patent in the 1940s. A full calendar was added shortly after, and this movement family found its way into high-end watches from Rolex, Patek Philippe, Girard-Perregaux, Jaeger-LeCoultre, and many others. It was updated with a faster beating escapement in the 1970s and soon ended production. But the family lives on, with makers such as Panerai still celebrating the Valjoux 72.

The Valjoux 23/72/88 are characterized by their 3-9 or 3-6-9 subdial layout, 9-column wheel, and distinctive U-shaped bridge visible on the back. Another distinctive aspect of the Valjoux 23/72 family is that the pusher at 2:00 is slightly closer to the crown than the one at 4:00. This is easier to feel in the hand than to see in a photo.

Most Valjoux movements in the classic period were chronographs, and the Valjoux 23/72 movement family was dominated by movements measuring 13 ligne (29.50 mm) in diameter. But this family also includes a few unusual cousins:

The compact 10.5 ligne (23.35 mm) calibres: 69 DX and 89 DX
The non-chronograph calibres: 78 VZSC, 89 DX, and 90 VZSCL

Valjoux 23/72 Family History

The Valjoux 23 was a refinement of the Valjoux 22, reduced in size from 31.3 mm to 29.5 mm for the smaller watches in demand in 1916. It was soon joined by the elegant triple calendar Valjoux 23C. Both were monopusher chronographs with just a 30 or 45 minute counter at 3:00 on the dial and small seconds at 9:00.

The Valjoux 72 added a 12 hour counter at 6:00 on the dial. This was introduced possibly as early as 1938 but certainly by 1946, when the triple calendar Valjoux 72C was introduced. A moon phase display was added in 1947 in the Valjoux 88. The movements were continually updated over the next two decades, with a Breguet hairspring and appropriate regulator added, and the entire line moved to the dual-pusher design by the 1950s.

Production of the original 23/72/88 series ended in 1974, with Valjoux turning to the cam-operated 7736 for volume production. But the column wheel family was updated to operate at 21,600 A/h at that time, becoming the Valjoux 236, 726, and so on. These were only produced for a short time in the 1970s but were prized by watchmakers and continue to find their way into limited-edition watches even today.

Notable special variations in this family include the Rolex 722, Patek Philippe 1518 perpetual calendar, and more. The Rolex version of Cal. 72 used a Microstella regulator and were marked “ROW” (Rolex Werke) and known as “72 A”, “72 B”, “722”, or “722-1”. The Rolex version of Cal. 726 was known as Cal. “727”.

Valjoux 23/72 Family Movements

The Valjoux Cal. 23/72 family was primarily made up of eight movements, with all others being variations on these. Many components are shared between most or all of these movements, with the main variations happening together over the long production of the series.

Cal. 23 VZ – Basic movement with no hour counter
Cal. 72 VZH – Basic movement with hour counter
Cal. 72c VZHC – Cal. 72 with triple calendar
Cal. 88 VZHCL – Cal. 72c with moon phase
Cal. 78 VZSC – Non-chronograph triple calendar
Cal. 90 VZSCL – Cal. 78 with moon phase
Cal. 69 DX – Compact 10.5 ligne chronograph
Cal. 89 DXC – Compact 10.5 ligne triple calendar

Complications	18,000 A/h No Chrono	18,000 A/h No Hours	18,000 A/h Hour Counter	21,600 A/h No Hours	21,600 A/h Hour Counter
Base		23 VZ 69 DX	72 VZH 722	236	726 727
Flyback		230	720	235	725
Date		232		234
Triple Date	78 VZSC	23C	72c VZHC 723		730
Flyback and Date				237
24 Hour Hand			724		729
Calendar and Moon Phase	89 DXC 90 VZSCL		88 VZHCL		886
Tide Calculator			721

Calibre	Start Year	End Year	Diameter (mm)	Diameter (ligne)	Height (mm)	Complications
Valjoux 23 VZ	1916	1974	29.50	13	5.85	2-Button, 9-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph
Valjoux 230	1954	1974	29.5	13	6.47	2-Button, 9-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph, Flyback Chronograph
Valjoux 232	1969	1974	29.50	13		2-Button, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph, Date, Quick Date Correction
Valjoux 234	1974	1979	29.50	13	6.25	2-Button, 9-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph, Date
Valjoux 235	1971	1974	29.50	13	5.85	2-Button, 9-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph, Flyback Chronograph
Valjoux 236	1974	1979	29.50	13	5.82	2-Button, 9-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph
Valjoux 237	1971	1974	29.50	13	6.90	2-Button, 9-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph, Date, Flyback Chronograph, Quick Date Correction
Valjoux 23C	1916	1974	29.50	13	6.95	2-Button, 9-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph, Date, Date by Pointer, Day, Monopusher Chronograph, Month
Valjoux 69 DX	1936	1966	23.35	10.5	5.65	2-Button, 8-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph
Valjoux 72 VZH	1938	1974	29.50	13	6.95	2-Button, 9-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph
Valjoux 720			29.50	13		2-Button, 9-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph, Flyback Chronograph
Valjoux 724			29.50	13	6.95	2-Button, 24 Hour Hand, 9-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph
Valjoux 725	1971	1974	29.50	13	7.35	2-Button, 9-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph, Flyback Chronograph
Valjoux 726	1969	1974	29.50	13	6.95	9-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph
Valjoux 729	1974	1979	29.50	13	6.95	2-Button, 24 Hour Hand, 9-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph
Valjoux 72c VZHC	1946	1974	29.50	13	7.35	2-Button, 9-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph, Date, Day, Month, Quick Date Correction, Quick Day Correction, Quick Month Correction
Valjoux 730	1971	1974	29.50	13	6.95	2-Button, 9-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph, Date, Day, Month, Quick Date Correction, Quick Day Correction, Quick Month Correction
Valjoux 78 VZSC			29.50	13	6.10	Date, Day, Month, Quick Date Correction, Quick Day Correction, Quick Month Correction
Valjoux 88 VZHCL	1947	1974	29.50	13	6.95	2-Button, 9-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph, Date, Day, Month, Moon Phase, Quick Date Correction, Quick Day Correction, Quick Month Correction
Valjoux 886			29.50	13		2-Button, 9-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph, Date, Day, Month, Moon Phase, Quick Date Correction, Quick Day Correction, Quick Month Correction
Valjoux 89 DXC			23.35	10.5	6.00	Date, Day, Month, Moon Phase, Quick Date Correction, Quick Day Correction, Quick Month Correction
Valjoux 90 VZSCL			29.50	13	6.10	Date, Day, Month, Moon Phase, Quick Date Correction, Quick Day Correction, Quick Month Correction