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You are here: Home / Movements / Vénus 103 CHR

Vénus 103 CHR

Last Update: September 27, 2022

Brand:Vénus
Family:
Unknown
Height:
Jewels:15
Reserve:47 hours
Frequency:18,000 A/h
Winding:Hand winding
Diameter:23.3 mm (10.5 ligne)
  Complications:Cam Switching Chronograph, Chronograph, Monopusher Chronograph
Hands:Central 60 Second Chronograph Hand, Central Hour Hand, Central Minute Hand, Small Seconds Hand at 6:00
Distinguishing Technical Characteristics
Hand-Winding
Clockwise Balance Cock
Indexed Regulator
Balance at 3:00
Barrel at 10:30
Production: 1933 – 
1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s

Cal. 103 CHR was the first chronograph movement produced by Vénus. Introduced in 1933, it was based on their 10.5 ligne round movement family, which began with Cal. 75 and was widely produced in the 1920s and 1930s. It is a monopusher movement with a running central chronograph hand and no stop or counter mechanism.

Cal. 103 CHR is unusual in many ways. It has no counters or start function, with a continuously-running central chronograph hand reset on demand using the pusher. It was conceived without the conventional column wheel, relying instead on simple cams to reset the running seconds hand. The pusher was co-axial with the crown. A similar mechanism was used on Cal. 131 CHR, a tonneau-shaped movement produced later in the 1930s.

Later iterations of a chronograph on Cal. 103 appear quite different, with a column wheel and separate pusher at 4:00. It is likely that these, although still called Cal. 103 CHR, are a completely different design.

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

Images are taken from official publications and are used here for commentary and educational purposes. Copyright is held by the original owner as noted.

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