The Valjoux 23C is a “triple date” hand-winding chronograph movement in the Valjoux 72 family.
Cal. 23C was introduced as early as 1916 and produced through 1974. Versions before 1938 had a single chronograph pusher (“monopusher”) but Willy Breitling’s dual-pusher concept was added after this.
The Valjoux 23C and 72C are almost identical except that the latter adds a 12 hour counter at 6:00 on the dial.
- Central hours and minute hands
- Central chronograph seconds
- Central date by pointer
- 30 minute counter at 3:00
- Date corrector at 8:30
- Running small seconds at 9:00
- Day and Month corrector at 10:00
- Day window at 11:30
- Month window at 12:30
Valjoux Triple Calendar Functions
This is a “triple calendar” movement, with day and month shown via disc through dial windows and the date indicated by a central hand.
- Day of week wheel with window at 11:30, advanced using an inset pusher at 10:00 with a deeper press
- Month wheel with window at 12:30, advanced using an inset pusher at 10:00
- Central date hand, advanced using an inset pusher at 8:30
Valjoux does not recommend operating the day, month, or date adjusters between the hours of 20:00 and 2:00. This is to protect the calendar mechanism, which advances at midnight.
Note that the month does not automatically “roll over” with the date. It must be manually set using the inset pusher.
Valjoux 23C Applications
The Valjoux 23C was used by many brands, notably including Breitling, Bulova, Certina, Doxa, Enicar, Favre-Leuba, Girard-Perregaux, Heuer, Nivada, Roamer, Tissot, Ulysse Nardin, Vulcain, Wittnauer, and Zodiac.
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 |