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You are here: Home / Families / Valjoux 23/72 Family

Valjoux 23/72 Family

Last Update: June 14, 2019

BRANDS: Valjoux

Production: 1916 – 1974
1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s
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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
Complications18,000 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
Base23 VZ
69 DX
72 VZH
722
236726
727
Flyback230720235725
Date232234
Triple Date78 VZSC23C72c VZHC
723
730
Flyback and Date237
24 Hour Hand724729
Calendar and Moon Phase89 DXC
90 VZSCL
88 VZHCL886
Tide Calculator721
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Calibre Start Year End Year Jewels Diameter (mm) Height (mm) Complications
Valjoux 23 VZ 1916 1974 17 29.50 5.85 2-Button, 9-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph
Valjoux 230 1954 1974 13, 17 29.5 6.47 2-Button, 9-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph, Flyback Chronograph
Valjoux 232 1969 1974 17 29.50 2-Button, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph, Date, Quick Date Correction
Valjoux 234 1974 1979 13, 17 29.50 6.25 2-Button, 9-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph, Date
Valjoux 235 1971 1974 17 29.50 5.85 2-Button, 9-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph, Flyback Chronograph
Valjoux 236 1974 1979 17 29.50 5.82 2-Button, 9-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph
Valjoux 237 1971 1974 29.50 6.90 2-Button, 9-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph, Date, Flyback Chronograph, Quick Date Correction
Valjoux 23C 1916 1974 17 29.50 6.95 2-Button, 9-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph, Date, Date by Pointer, Day, Monopusher Chronograph, Month
Valjoux 69 DX 1936 1966 17 23.35 5.65 2-Button, 8-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph
Valjoux 72 VZH 1938 1974 17 29.50 6.95 2-Button, 9-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph
Valjoux 720 17 29.50 2-Button, 9-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph, Flyback Chronograph
Valjoux 724 17 29.50 6.95 2-Button, 24 Hour Hand, 9-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph
Valjoux 725 1971 1974 17 29.50 7.35 2-Button, 9-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph, Flyback Chronograph
Valjoux 726 1969 1974 17 29.50 6.95 9-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph
Valjoux 729 1974 1979 17 29.50 6.95 2-Button, 24 Hour Hand, 9-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph
Valjoux 72c VZHC 1946 1974 17 29.50 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 17 29.50 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 17 29.50 6.10 Date, Day, Month, Quick Date Correction, Quick Day Correction, Quick Month Correction
Valjoux 88 VZHCL 1947 1974 17 29.50 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 17 29.50 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 17 23.35 6.00 Date, Day, Month, Moon Phase, Quick Date Correction, Quick Day Correction, Quick Month Correction
Valjoux 90 VZSCL 17 29.50 6.10 Date, Day, Month, Moon Phase, Quick Date Correction, Quick Day Correction, Quick Month Correction

Valjoux 23 VZ

Valjoux 230

Valjoux 232

Valjoux 234

Valjoux 235

Valjoux 236

Valjoux 237

Valjoux 23C

Valjoux 69 DX

Valjoux 72 VZH

Valjoux 720

Valjoux 724

Valjoux 725

Valjoux 726

Valjoux 729

Valjoux 72c VZHC

Valjoux 730

Valjoux 78 VZSC

Valjoux 88 VZHCL

Valjoux 886

Valjoux 89 DXC

Valjoux 90 VZSCL

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