Valjoux Cal. 9 KVR (“Chronograph Valjoux Rattrapante”) is a pocket watch column wheel chronograph movement. Introduced around 1913, it was updated around 1945 and produced through 1975. It featured a six-column wheel to control the chronograph function. The chronograph used a central rattrapante seconds hand with a 30 minute counter.
The Valjoux 19 ligne family of pocketwatch chronograph movements from Reymond Frères SA of Les Bioux, Switzerland includes many variations. The basic version (5 KVM or 551) uses a single pusher, while Cal. 5 2F has a separate reset pusher. There is also Cal. 9 KVR, with a rattrapante hand, and Cal. 24 KV, a simple timer. Many are commonly called Valjoux Calibre 19”’, as was common at the time.
- Valjoux 5 KVM – Standard version (also called Cal. 551)
- Valjoux 5 2F – Separate reset pusher
- Valjoux 8 KL
- Valjoux 9 KVR – Split seconds (“Rattrapante”)
- Valjoux 24 KV – Timer, split seconds
- Valjoux 555 – Flyback version
- Valjoux 62 KVC – Timer
- Valjoux 75 KVMR – Timer, with forward and reverse function
This is a “lépine” pocketwatch movement, with the small seconds placed on the same axis as the winding crown. In a pocketwatch, this would place the small seconds at 6:00 with the winding crown at 12:00. The image above would show its placement in a wristwatch, with the winding crown at 3:00 and the small seconds at 9:00.