Cal. A07.111 is an oversized automatic movement with date produced by ETA in the Valgranges family from 2004 through 2021. It was the first member of the Valgranges family and was used as the basis for the later Cal. A07.161 and Cal. A07.171. Many watchmakers used the movement in watches larger than 42 mm through the 2010s but it was withdrawn from the market after 2021 as ETA stopped selling movements outside the Swatch Group.
Cal. A07.111 was also known as Longines Cal. L691, used in the Master collection. The similar Cal. L699 (A07.L01) lacks a date and is used in the Weems and Lindbergh Hour Angle watches. Cal. L697 (A07.L11) adds three retrograde functions (day, date, and 24 hour hand) as well as a power reserve indicator at 6:00.
Both Victorinox Swiss Army and Chopard used Cal. A07.111 in their collections through the 2010s.
ETA Valgranges History
Then-new ETA president Thomas Meier announced the Valgranges family at BaselWorld in 2004. The name was derived from Valjoux, the historic movement maker behind Cal. 7750, and Granges, the site of production. Meier expected the Valgranges range to become a new “standard reference, like Valjoux, on which it is based, because this movement has a soul.” The 16.5 ligne (37.22 mm) movement was used in larger watches, with Victorinox Swiss Army being one of the first customers. The line was later adopted by Maurice Lacroix, MeisterSinger, Longines (using OEM names), Certina, Concord, and others.
Cal. A07.111 was the first shown, with the power reserve Cal. A07.161 and chronograph Cal. A07.211 following in early 2005. The final official family member was introduced later that year: Cal. A07.171 added a 24 hour function useful for dual timezone watches. All shared the same width and thickness, making it easy for watchmakers to add complications in the same line.
The Valgranges movements were used by quite a few companies both inside the Swatch Group and out, but they did not displace ETA’s more-popular narrow-diameter movements. Instead, given the constant threat of ETA restricting sales of movements, most switched to the Sellita versions of the primary ETA families: Sellita SW200 (ETA 2800), Sellita SW300 (ETA 2890), and Sellita SW500 (ETA 7750). Although other makers used the 7750 wheel train in non-chronograph movements (notably Habring2 and Naoya Hida), the Valgranges concept failed to catch on.
When ETA ceased offering mechanical movements outside Swatch Group in 2021, the Valgranges line were officially phased out. Proprietary movements for Swatch Group customers continued, but the Valgranges brand and website were withdrawn.