1938

Venus 150

June 23, 2019 by

Venus Cal. 150 is part of the Venus 150 family of movements. It is a hand-winding column wheel chronograph movement. It is the base movement in the family. Cal. 151 is similar but without the beveled edge of Cal. 150. The dial features a 3-9 subdial arrangement.

Cal. 150 was introduced around 1938, updated in 1949, and retired around 1960. The Soviet Strela movement is a copy of the Venus Cal. 150.

	No Hour Counter	Hour Counter
Standard	Venus 150 Venus 151	Venus 152
Date		Venus 186
Date, Moon Phase		Venus 187
Day, Date, Month		Venus 191

Venus 150 Family

June 23, 2019 by

The Venus Cal. 150 family is a 13 ligne column wheel chronograph movement series. Introduced in 1938, it featured a 3-9 or 3-6-9 subdial arrangement, with small seconds at 9:00 and 30 minute counter at 3:00. Most versions have a 12-hour chronograph counter at 6:00, and many feature a date pointer at 12:00 or full calendar.

It is closely related to the 14 ligne Cal. 175 family.

	No Hour Counter	Hour Counter
Standard	Venus 150 Venus 151	Venus 152
Date		Venus 186
Date, Moon Phase		Venus 187
Day, Date, Month		Venus 191

Valjoux 71

June 23, 2019 by

Produced from 1914 through 1974, the Valjoux 71 is a larger (14”’, 31.3 mm diameter) predecessor to the famous Valjoux 72. It is similar to the Valjoux 22 but with an added 12 hour counter at 12:00.

Valjoux 72

June 14, 2019 by

The Valjoux 72 is a celebrated hand-winding chronograph movement produced from 1938 through 1974. Implementing Willy Breitling’s dual-pusher design with a column wheel, it remains desirable to this day. The design of the chronograph works, visible at the back, are particularly appealing. Note that some place the date of introduction for Cal. 72 as 1946.

The Valjoux 23 and 72 are almost identical except that the latter adds a 12 hour counter at 6:00 on the dial.

Central hours and minute hands and chronograph seconds
30 minute counter at 3:00
12 hour counter at 6:00
Running small seconds at 9:00

The Valjoux 72 was used by many manufacturers. One notable example is the Rolex Cal. 72 A or 72 B (Valjoux 722), which was a modification of the Valjoux 72 made to Rolex specifications. Changes include the use of a Microstella regulator and Rolex finishing, including the initials ROW for “Rolex Werke”. An updated 722-1 in the late 1960s had an updated spring on the hour wheel.

Other brands using this movement include Anonimo, Baume & Mercier, Breguet, Breitling, Certina, Doxa, Eberhard & Co., Enicar, Eterna, Franck Muller, Gallet, Girard-Perregaux, Heuer, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Longines, Minerva, Nivada, Ulysse Nardin, Universal Genève, Wakmann, Wittnauer, and Zodiac.

	18,000 A/h No Chronograph	18,000 A/h No Hour Counter	18,000 A/h Hour Counter	21,600 A/h No Hour Counter	21,600 A/h Hour Counter
Base		Valjoux 23	Valjoux 72 Valjoux 722	Valjoux 236	Valjoux 726 Valjoux 727
Flyback		Valjoux 230	Valjoux 720	Valjoux 235	Valjoux 725
Date				Valjoux 234
Triple Date	Valjoux 69 Valjoux 78	Valjoux 23C	Valjoux 723 Valjoux 72C		Valjoux 730
Flyback and Date				Valjoux 237
24 Hour Hand			Valjoux 724		Valjoux 729
Calendar and Moon Phase	Valjoux 89 Valjoux 90		Valjoux 88		Valjoux 886
Tide Calculator			Valjoux 721