Grail Watch Reference

A Reference Library for Watches from Grail Watch

Travel Time Trio: ETA’s Calibre 2893

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When ETA names a movement, they usually use the last digit or two to signify added functions, then a numeral after a dash to indicate an update. Cal. 2892-2 was an update to Cal. 2892, and that movement added a date complication to Cal. 2890. But this isn’t how it works for ETA’s “Travel Time Trio”, Cal. 2893-1, 2893-2, and 2893-3. These were introduced together in 1992 and represent variations on one complication rather than updates.

Learn all about the ETA 2890 Family, including the 2893 Trio

ETA’s 2892: Evolving Eterna’s Thin Movement

If the ETA 2824-2 is a Volkswagen, the ETA 2892A2 is an Audi: Both are good, but one is decidedly more upscale. Last week I presented the timeline for the ETA 2890 family, checking it for accuracy against primary sources. The original Cal. 2892 was introduced as a thin 3.60 mm 12.5 ligne movement in 1975 and was replaced by a 11.5 ligne derivative around 1983. Although the transition from Cal. 2892-2 to today’s Cal. 2892A2 is a bit fuzzy, we can surely say that it came in the 1990s and that today’s watches universally use the latter, with its updated winding system and better finishing.

Eterna Cal. 1466 was the thinnest automatic movement with date

These movements were initially intended to be used as-is in thin watches. Cal. 2892 was derived from Eterna’s Cal. 1466, a legendary movement from 1962 that was used in the thinnest automatic watch with date at the time. Designed by Heinrich Stamm, this movement was used throughout the 1970s in higher-end thin luxury watches. One of the most famous of these was the Eterna-Matic 3000, a name that has come to be used to refer to the entire movement family. But these movements were not as reliable as hoped.

Contrary to popular folklore, every one of these movements had seven ball bearings supporting the rotor, the time-only and date versions were the same 3.60 mm thickness of the 2892, and the final movement, Cal. 1504, operated at 28,800 A/h as well. Eterna even made 12.5 ligne versions, though most were 13 ligne.

Cal. 2890 was a complete redesign of the Eterna movement

Cal. 2890 and 2892 were a total redesign of the Eterna movement. The task was taken up by Anton Bally, who would also work on the first generation of Flatline Quartz movements for ETA, the ultra-thin Delirium, and would eventually succeed Ernst Thomke as managing director of ETA. Looking at images of the two movements, it is as obvious that they are related as it is that they are different. The bridges are entirely different, with many components relocated and “beefed up” for reliability and ease of manufacture and servicing.

Cal. 2892 was the basis for a new initiative at ETA, the “Flatline” movements. These were created by Bally and his team, and included quartz movements based on the Cals. 2890 and 2892, Cals. 940.101 and 940.111, which were introduced in 1976. This line was soon expanded with more thin quartz and mechanical movements and were used in a wide variety of watches around 1980. But all of these watches shared a similar characteristic: They were thin and uncomplicated.

ETA’s 2892A2: A Platform for Complications

ETA’s movements saved the Swiss watch industry. The Swatch project generated much-needed volume and market share, the Delirium gave new prestige in quartz, and the quartz Flatline series was used in the vast majority of Swiss watches produced in the 1980s. At the same time, Günter Blümlein of IWC and Jaeger-LeCoultre saw complicated mechanical movements as path forward for the industry. IWC began this push in 1985, often using the chunky Valjoux 7750 as a basis.

This is one of the only official mentions of the perpetual calendar movements
Image: Europa Star 231, 1998

ETA would eventually build a popular automatic modular chronograph on the 2892-2 base, but first came the perpetual calendar Cal. 2890-9 and 2891-9 and the “Travel Time Trio” known as the Calibres 2893. These feature an adjustable 24-hour function to be used as a hand or disc, added to the dial side of the basic Cal. 2892-2 or Cal. 2892A2. More about them in a moment.

Complication maker Dubois Dépraz began producing modules to add to a Cal. 2892-2 base in the 1980s and these became popular with the rise of complicated watches. Soon, the thin 2892-2 was serving as a platform for complications rather than being the focus on its own.

The first such movements were the original perpetual calendar Cal. 2890-9 and Cal. 2891-9. These were clearly based on the original Cal. 2892-2 rather than the updated Cal. 2892A2, since they were updated and renamed as Cal. 2890A9 and 2891A9. But it is unclear when they first appeared, and very few watches appear to have used them.

This 2004 ETA advertisement includes the Travel Time Trio but not the perpetual calendars

ETA 2893 Movements

ETA released a trio of dual time zone movements in 1992, all known as Cal. 2893. Each movement has a slightly different implementation of a 24 hour second time zone display.

DateNo Date
24 Hour DiscETA 2893-1ETA 2893-3
24 Hour HandETA 2893-2

In all three movements, the central 24 hour display is quick-set using the crown in second position and is independent of the central hour hand, which is set using the crown in third position. Adjusting the 24 hour hand or disc does not cause the movement to “hack” or stop, so the timekeeping remains accurate when traveling.

Although common today, an independent hour hand like this was somewhat unusual at the time. Indeed, the popular Rolex GMT-Master II Ref. 16710 had just gained an independently-adjustable 12-hour hand four years earlier.

This 1992 coverage in Europa Star shows all three members of the ETA 2893 “Travel Time Trio”
Image: Europa Star 193, 1992

Tissot’s classic Navigator is the iconic Cal. 2893-2 application
Image: © Tissot

The rotating city disc found on the 2893-1 and 2893-3 is reminiscent of the famous Tissot Navigator, introduced in 1952 though now considered to be a 1953 model. Most ETA movements found their first home inside Tissot or Longines watches at this time, since both companies were closely related to ETA and indeed Anton Bally was particularly involved with Tissot at the time. He had created a Flatline III quartz movement for a new Tissot Navigator in 1985, and it should come as no surprise that Tissot introduced a new automatic Navigator using Cal. 2893-3 in 1995. This would also be one of the signature models for Tissot’s 160th anniversary in 2013.

The Sinn Frankfurt 6036 is one of my favorite GMT models
Image: © Sinn

The Cal. 2893 trio remain in production, but are quite rarely seen. They are often confused for one another, especially the two world time disc movements, and can be quickly interchanged with just a few parts swapped. Famous watches with these four-hand GMT Cal. 2893-2 include the Ikepod Seaslug, Panerai Luminor GMT (PAM 023, 029, and 063), Fortis Spacematic GMT, Hamilton Khaki Navy GMT, Montblanc Time Walker GMT, Sinn U2 and UTS and Frankfurt 6036 and 6060, the modern Bulova “Accutron” Astronaut, and Glycine’s Airman. More unusual are the Magellan 1521 with its huge bubble dial and crystal, the Arnold & Son True Moon’s 24 hour moon phase display, and the truly strange triple-movement Glycine Airman 7. Among those to use Cal. 2893-1 are Anonimo’s Dino Zei Aeronauta. The Meistersinger Adhaesio appears to use a modified Cal. 2893 as well.

Research Notes: ETA 2893

This April 1952 description proves that the Tissot Navigator was released a year earlier than previously claimed
Image: EJW 10, 1952

The image reproduced above shows the complete ETA 2893 lineup in 1992. This is clearly an announcement of introduction and definitively sets this as the date that these movements first appeared. This was before the first mention of the modern ETA Cal. 2892A2, but today’s ETA Tech Sheets show these movements sharing key components, including the oscillating weight. This lends credence to my theory in the previous article that these differences were implemented over time and retroactively named, rather than being a true model change-over.

ETA’s Tech Sheets also show that the difference between each 2893 movement lies in the main plate and the components attached to it on the dial side. Each movement (2893-1, 2893-2, and 2893-3) has a different main plate but many other components are shared. A spacer ring is used on the outer diameter to make room for these dial-side components.

The earliest use of any Cal. 2893 movement that I could locate was the Ikepod Seaslug. The rather unusual lug-less sloping case and the fact that famous designer Marc Newson was responsible is perhaps overshadowed by the unappetizing name! This model gained attention in Europa Star in 1995, 3 years after the 2893 trio were released.

The famous Tissot Navigator is described in detail in Eastern Jeweller & Watchmaker number 10, which was published around April 1952. This is notable because nearly every source places the introduction of this iconic watch in 1953, including Tissot, which commemorated its 60th anniversary in 2013. Strangely, the company also appears to have skipped the 40th anniversary of this model, waiting until 1995 to release the (limited edition) automatic Navigator even though ETA’s Cal. 2893-1 was announced in 1992.

It is notable that this modular movement pre-dates most of the complicated Cal. 2892A2 derivatives, Cal. 2894-2 (the chronograph), Cal. 2895-2 (with small seconds), Cal. 2896 (with big date), and Cal. 2897 (with power reserve indicator). Only the perpetual calendar Cal. 2890-9 and Cal. 2891-9 came first.

I strongly recommend examining the following sources of information about Cal. 2893:

Confirming the ETA 2892 Timeline

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One of my goals with Grail Watch Reference is to use primary sources to develop the best information possible. Although many aspects of horology are widely reported as truth, we can not completely rely on these stories: There’s just too much folklore out there! To illustrate, I will walk through my process of verifying the timeline of one of today’s top movements, ETA’s 2892A2.

This 2002 article from Watchtime is a typical re-telling of accepted horological history. Gisbert L. Brunner has written 30 books on watches and likely has good information, but one must be skeptical and find contemporary references. For instance, Brunner overlooks the fact that the original movement was not 11.5 ligne and wrongly places the date of Cal. 2892-A2 (sic) as 1983.
Image: Watchtime 6, 2002

1975: ETA Launches Cal. 2892

In 1975, ETA launched a new “flatline” movement family. Calibres 2890 and 2892 (with date) measured just 3.6 mm thick, a remarkable achievement for a robust and modern movement. Although most mechanical movements were swept away by the quartz revolution between 1975 and 1985, ETA’s high-end automatic movement remained in production. In fact, it was reduced in diameter in the 1980s, becoming Cal. 2892-2. But this movement had some issues, so another revision followed in the 1990s: Cal. 2892A2, with improved winding efficiency.

It is commonly reported that ETA launched Cal. 2892 in 1975. To verify this, I went into the archives of Europa Star to find the earliest mention of this movement in this contemporary source. The earliest mention I could find was a favorite of mine, this “family portrait” from ETA. It shows the broad range of movements offered as of November, 1975, including Cal. 2892, the now-common Cal. 2824, Valjoux 7750 chronograph movement, compact Cal. 2678, “Gabarit” Cal. 2878, and even the Cal. AS 5008 alarm movement.

This 1975 advertisement in Europa Star shows the key movements in the Ebauches SA family: ETA 2678, AS 5103/5106, ETA 2783, ETA 2824, AS 2063/2066, ETA 2878, FHF 411/412, ETA 2892, AS 5008, and VAL 7750
Image: EJW 149, 1975

Then, the May-June 1976 issue includes a writeup of the “New Automatic Extra-Flat Calibre.” Although not 1975, this wording strongly suggests that it was considered a recent development. An archived copy of the ETA website from 1998 also mentions that in 1975 “ETA launches the flattest automatic mechanical movement men’s watch, with centre second, date and rapid connection, to be mass produced.” And a 2002 WatchTime profile of Anton Bally, then head of ETA, notes that “Bally’s first task [at ETA] was to design and build a 3.60-mm-thin, 12.5-ligne, automatic mechanical movement with a calendar disk.”

Given these sources, I will deem the 1975 launch date for Cal. 2892 to be confirmed.

ETA introduced Cal. 2892 in 1975: A high-end extra-flat automatic movement in a sea of quartz!
Image: Europa Star 97, 1976

Note that this movement measured 28.00 mm diameter (12.5 ligne) rather than 25.60 mm (11.5 ligne) of the modern Cal. 2892A2. This is an important difference, since the reduction in diameter matched the mainstream Cal. 2824 as well as the thicker “Gabarit” Cal. 2872. As ever-smaller quartz movements were introduced, 11.5 ligne became the basic size expected for most watch movements until the 2010s.

Another important thing to note is that Cal. 2892 was considered a “Flatline” movement by ETA. They used this terminology for movements thinner than 4 mm, and continue to use it today. Other families included “Normline”, “Gabarit“, and “Manufacture”. ETA also calls out the instant date change, quick date correction (using the crown), and “stop-second” device, all of which were differentiators at the time. And unlike many previous movement families, the ETA 2890 family was only produced in 28,800 A/h “high-frequency” speed.

1983: ETA Shrinks the Movement as 2892-2

This drawing came from a later ETA tech sheet for Cal. 2892-2

Although many mechanical movements didn’t last through the 1970s, ETA’s Cal. 2892 remained attractive as a higher-end thinner movement for upscale watches. But the diameter was problematic for the designs emerging in the 1980s, necessitating a shrink. ETA removed a few millimeters from the main plate and trimmed the rotor to reach the same 25.60 mm diameter as other popular contemporary movements.

Cal. 2892-2, as it was known, appeared in the early 1980s for sure, as it was widely used later in that decade. But when was it launched? A few sources referenced 1983, though I also found mentions dating it 3-4 years earlier and 2-3 years later. Once again, I searched through Europa Star to see the first contemporary mention of this movement. And once again, I located an excellent temporal reference.

In 1984, ETA announced the winners of a competition to use “the latest ETA mechanical movements” in a contemporary watch. The movements were the now-common Peseux 7001 and 11.5 ligne ETA 2892-2.
Image: Europa Star 145, 1984

Although not a definitive date, it seems clear from the wording of this article that the reduced-diameter ETA 2892-2 was an advanced movement in 1984, and that ETA wanted to promote its use in new watch designs. Plus, Cal. 2892-2 is not mentioned previously in the archive. This strongly supports the 1983 date of introduction for Cal. 2892-2. It also definitely shows that this movement measured 25.60 mm (11.5 ligne) diameter. Some modern sources wrongly assume that the movement family always measured this size or alternately that it was only the modern Cal. 2892A2 that was reduced.

Cal. 2892A2: What’s In a Name?

ETA 2892A2

It is much harder to place a definitive date on the introduction of the updated Cal. 2892A2. Indeed, many people assume that this movement is equivalent to the shrunken Cal. 2892-2, that it is simply a renaming, or that it is a modern redesign. The truth is somewhat different, and perhaps more interesting.

First, let us clarify the name of this movement: It is “2892A2”, not “2892-A2” or “2892/A2” as one often sees. Although many publications and commenters use a variety of names, ETA has never used a dash or slash in the name. WatchTime is particularly egregious in this, as they seem always to call it “2892-A2”. Perhaps that dash is the reason there is so much confusion about the relationship of this movement to the similar Cal. 2892-2. Indeed, I found a reference to “Cal. 2892-2A” in Europa Star, and many references to “2892-2” and just “2892” in recent articles.

This 1998 advertisement is the first official mention of Cal. 2892A2 by ETA
Image: Europa Star 231, 1998

The earliest official mention of Cal. 2892A2 I could locate by ETA themselves was a 1998 advertisement for the complete line of mechanical movements. This contains the line, “for some years now, the ETA 2892A2 11 1/2”’ self-winding caliber has enjoyed considerable success with upmarket makers, often providing the basis for a variety of complex auxiliary functions.” ETA also included Cal. 2892A2 (and not Cal. 2892-2) on their website way back in 1998.

An earlier official reference came in 1996, in coverage of La Chaux-de-Fonds’ International Museum of Horology. This short article shows Anton Bally of ETA donating several “movements of interest” to the museum. Along with two Flatline quartz movements, ETA donated a “MECALINE 2892A2” and notes that this is “a product adapted specifically for use in chronometers.” I believe that I saw this exact movement on display during my visit to the museum a few years back.

Even earlier mentions came in coverage of various watches. A 1994 writeup of a new watch from Epos mentions that it uses “Cal. 2892-A2/9000” with full calendar and moon phase. It is typical to use a slash to denote a module on top of a base movement, and the Dubois Depraz 9000 module fits this description, so it all makes sense. At BASEL 96, Bertolucci boasts of their “2892-A2” being an “officially certified chronometer” while Dubey & Schaldenbrand uses a “modified calibre base ETA 2892-A2” with world time.

ETA’s 2892A2 is a extremely popular thin automatic movement

Clearly the updated movement was available as early as 1994, but this begs the question: What differentiates a 2892A2 from a 2892-2?

Users of the reduced-size Cal. 2892-2 apparently experienced poor winding efficiency, with the movement sometimes failing to wind enough to keep running on the wrist. ETA modified the rotor, reducing the chamfer to add mass at the edge. It is also said that they switched from a stud to a jewel on the upper winding bridge, though the official jewel count remains at 21. These are the generally accepted changes, but they could have been phased in over time and did not require a name change.

Perhaps there is a more important difference. As noted in ETA’s official copy, Cal. 2892A2 was designed for use in chronometers. Certainly this movement has always performed well, but the finishing and decoration of 2892A2 is far superior to 2892-2, even in basic models. This seems to be the true differentiator: Cal. 2892A2 was a higher-end product for the emerging chronometer and luxury automatic watch segment in the 1990s and 2000s, while Cal. 2892-2 seems to vanish over this same period. This also matches the naming of other ETA movements, in which a dash indicates a major revision while a number suggests finishing: Cal. 2894S2 is a skeletonized version of Cal. 2894-2, while Cal. 2890-9 and 2890A9 and 2891-9 and 2891A9 appear identical apart from finishing.

Interestingly, in a 2008 WatchTime article, Brunner takes no notice of Cal. 2892-2 at all. He simply repeats the claim that Cal. 2892-A2 (sic) was introduced in 1983. Clearly, Cal. 2892-2 existed and is different from 2892A2, but perhaps he’s not so far off. If the difference is in finishing and execution, and the modified components came without fanfare, these movements would be roughly equivalent. My previous belief, that Cal. 2892A2 was a major revision, could be off base.

As for the date of introduction for Cal. 2892A2, I’ll stick with 1996 since this is the first official mention. But it seems likely that it was a more gradual process, with third parties using the “A2” nomenclature at least as far back as 1994. I welcome corrections from my readers!

Research Notes: ETA 2892

Even a popular and well-documented movement like Cal. 2892 requires research and verification. We must rely on contemporary sources and first-party information, not folklore. Next I’ll dive into a murkier topic: Dating the other members of the ETA 2890 family. I was surprised to learn how early these movements appeared. This is one reason I questioned the accepted wisdom and timeline of Cal. 2892A2 in the first place. After all, many of these movements pre-date this change and yet include the modified parts. Surely the name change does not just refer to the rotor!

The “Cal. 2893 Trio” appeared as early as 1992, though they were rarely used.
Image: Europa Star 193, 1992

I strongly recommend examining the following sources of information about Cal. 2892 and its successors: