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You are here: Home / Families / Venus 175 Family

Venus 175 Family

Last Update: June 23, 2019

BRANDS: Vénus

Production: 1942 – 1960
1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s
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The Cal. 175 family consists of standard and split-seconds (“rattrapante”) column wheel chronograph movements with hand winding. All are 14 ligne (31.0 mm) diameter and between 5.7 and 8.55 mm in height. They operate at 18,000 A/h and have a 7-column wheel to control the chronograph.

All models feature small seconds at 9:00 on the dial. Basic models feature a 3-9 subdial arrangement with a 30-minute chronograph counter at 3:00, while many add a 12-hour chronograph register at 6:00. Complicated calendar models add a date by pointer subdial at 12:00 with moon phase and full calendar optional.

This 1943 Breitling Duograph ad shows one of the earliest rattrapante wristwatches, powered by Cal. 179

This family of watch movements is highly regarded today as one of the best movements produced in the classic period. It incorporates four key technical accomplishments:

  1. A compact size suitable for wristwatches
  2. An hour counter, which was still fairly uncommon in chronograph movements
  3. A widely-produced rattrapante function, which was extremely rare throughout its production run
  4. A full calendar, which was competitive with the best Valjoux and Universal movements

The Cal. 175 family was based on the 13 ligne Cal. 150 family, introduced in 1938 rather than the 12.5 ligne Cal. 170 introduced around the same time. The line was introduced in 1942, with production perhaps delayed a few years due to the war. It was refreshed in 1949, and retired around 1960 as Venus was integrated into Valjoux as part of Ebauches SA.

After production ended, the design and machinery used to produce the Cal. 175 family were sold to the Tianjin Watch Company in China. This became the basis for the Tianjin Sea-Gull TY2900/ST19 Family, introduced in 1963 and re-introduced for current production today.

Venus 175 Family

ComplicationsStandardSplit Seconds
BaseVenus 175
Venus 176
Venus 179
Hour CounterVenus 178Venus 185
Date, Hour CounterVenus 183Venus 189
Date, Moon Phase, Hour CounterVenus 184Venus 190
CalendarVenus 194
Calendar, Moon PhaseVenus 198Venus 205
Calendar, Hour CounterVenus 192Venus 193

More detail on the history of Vénus is available in the Grail Watch article, “The Rise of Vénus, Legendary Chronograph Maker“

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Calibre Start Year End Year Jewels Diameter (mm) Height (mm) Complications
ML 106 20 31.0 5.7 2-Button, 7-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph
ML 36 23 31.0 5.7 2-Button, 7-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph
Venus 175 1942 1960 17 31.0 5.7 2-Button, 7-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph
Venus 178 1947 1960 17 31.00 7.10 2-Button, 7-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph
Venus 179 1944 1960 26 31.6 7.1 2-Button, 7-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph, Split Seconds Chronograph
Venus 183 1949 1960 17 31.0 5.7 2-Button, 7-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph, Date, Date by Pointer
Venus 184 1949 1960 17 31.0 5.7 2-Button, 7-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph, Date, Date by Pointer, Moon Phase
Venus 185 1949 1960 20 31.6 7.1 2-Button, 7-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph, Split Seconds Chronograph
Venus 189 1949 1960 31.0 2-Button, 7-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph, Date, Split Seconds Chronograph
Venus 190 1949 1960 31.0 2-Button, 7-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph, Date, Date by Pointer, Moon Phase, Split Seconds Chronograph
Venus 192 1950 1960 31.0 7.1 2-Button, 7-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph, Date, Day, Month
Venus 193 1950 1960 31.0 8.55 2-Button, 7-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph, Date, Day, Month, Split Seconds Chronograph
Venus 194 1950 1960 31.0 7.1 7-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph, Date, Day, Month
Venus 198 1950 1960 31.0 7.1 2-Button, 7-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph, Date, Day, Month, Moon Phase
Venus 205 1950 1960 31.0 8.55 2-Button, 7-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph, Date, Day, Month, Moon Phase, Split Seconds Chronograph

ML 106

ML 36

Venus 175

Venus 178

Venus 179

Venus 183

Venus 184

Venus 185

Venus 189

Venus 190

Venus 192

Venus 193

Venus 194

Venus 198

Venus 205

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