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You are here: Home / Movements / Landeron 48

Landeron 48

Last Update: April 10, 2022

Brand:Landeron
Family:
Landeron 48 Family
Height:6.2 mm
Jewels:17
Reserve:41 hours
Frequency:18,000 A/h
Winding:Hand winding
Diameter:31 mm (13.75 ligne)
 Landeron Cal. 48 Complications:2-Button, Cam Switching Chronograph, Chronograph, Oscillating Pinion Chronograph
Hands:30 Minute Chronograph Hand at 3:00, Central 60 Second Chronograph Hand, Central Hour Hand, Central Minute Hand, Small Seconds Hand at 9:00
Distinguishing Technical Characteristics
Hand-Winding
Clockwise Balance Cock
Screwed Balance
Indexed Regulator
Balance
Balance at 12:00
Production: 1937 – 1970
1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s

Cal. 48 is one of a family of chronograph movements produced by Landeron from 1937 through the 1970s. In all, over 3.5 million examples were produced.

Landeron Cal. 48 is a 13.75 ligne movement with a cam switching chronograph system. A variety of 14 ligne variants were produced, as well as complicated versions with calendars, moon phase, and hour counters. Like all movements in the family it uses Heuer-style oscillating pinion rather than a traditional horizontal clutch to activate the chronograph function.

The preceding Landeron 47 movement (the first cam-actuated chronograph) featured three buttons Start, stop, and reset. Cal. 48 switched to two-button operation.

Landeron Calibre 48 Chronograph Operation

Unlike many 2-button chronograph movements, the stop function shares the reset button rather than the start button. Therefore, on many Cal. 48 family movements from Landeron, the buttons function as follows:

  • 2:00 – Start
  • 4:00 – Stop/Reset

The later Cal. 149, Cal. 189, Cal. 349, and later movements have a conventional start/stop button at 2:00.

Original hammer
Curved hammer
Note the different hammer shape in this alternate Cal. 48 image

The original Landeron 48 featured a deep, curving hammer, a feature carried on to the 54, 56, and 58. The Landeron 51/151 features a conventional “boot” hammer, as does the 55, 57, 59/159, 80/180, and 81/181. The Landeron 148 moved to a distinct “JI” hammer shape, a feature shared by the 149/189/349, 154, 185, 186, and 187/248. Finally, the Landeron 152/352 moved to a deeply bowed hammer, a feature shared by the 153/353.

This image from the Esombl-o-Graph manual shows the alternate hammer shape
Images are taken from official publications and are used here for commentary and educational purposes. Copyright is held by the original owner as noted.

Ranfft Pink Pages

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