Bovet Chronograph Three Registers 38mm Spillman Case

This Bovet chronograph dates from the 1940s and is an irretrievable timepiece due to its rarity and excellent condition.

Although the best-known vintage chronographs date from the 1960s and 1970s, the history of wrist chronographs began much earlier. The 1940s and early 1950s in particular were a crucial period for chronograph design. Before 1910, the wristwatch was long regarded as a ladies' accessory. During the First World War, chronographs appeared on the wrists of soldiers, who adopted this fashion in their civilian lives after the end of the war. Many chronographs from this period are revered as the ultimate chronographs thanks to their clean lines. They mark the beginning of wristwatches.

One of them is this Bovet chronograph from the late 1940s. Founded in London in 1822, Bovet is a traditional manufacturer that made numerous contributions to the development of chronographs.

This particular Bovet chronograph is very rare, mainly due to its dial with three registers, as most chronographs from this period only had two registers. Further, it features a "multicolor" dial whose pure and unmistakable design is difficult to put into words, so we'll let the pictures do the talking. The edge of the dial features a tachymeter scale in blue and a telemeter scale in red. These overlap with the three sub-dials. Depending on the viewing angle and incidence of light, the inner round surface of the dial takes on a darker or lighter color tone, which is why this dial is also called a "two-tone dial". And then there are the metallic hands, which take on a beautiful blued hue.

The 38 mm stainless steel case, which was oversized for the time, is another special and rare feature of this chronograph. Charles Rodolphe Spillman, born in 1861, had made a name for himself in the Swiss watch industry in the 1890s. The Spillman case was one of the best-known case manufacturers from this period and accepted orders from numerous well-known watch manufacturers. The Spillman case is characterized by its elegant faceted lugs.

Condition report
Dial: great condition - even patina - no scratches - fully intact tachymeter and telemeter scales - original hands.

Case: intact lugs - slight signs of wear - sharp engraving of the case number on the back.

Movement: manul-wound Valjoux 71 caliber - values on the timegrapher: rate: -2s/day, amplitude: 246 degrees, beat error: 4.2ms. Starting, stopping and resetting the chronograph to 12 works perfectly.

Summing-Up
This Bovet chronograph is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful chronographs from the middle of the 20th century. Its rarity and excellent condition make this timepiece an irretrievable collector's item.

Case number: 4300

Int.Exe.: 1259025