Today's offering showcases an original and large c. 1920's Swiss single-button chronograph in 18K gold with enamel dial.

Chronograph watches were originally designed as precision instruments, serving the needs of doctor's, pilots, auto racers, and other professionals who demanded a high level of precision in their timing. Equipped with special functions to aid the wearer in the task at hand, these fine mechanisms played an integral role in their owner's lives.

Three of the most utilized features on a chronograph were a special dial for timing events up to 30 minutes in duration, "telemeter" markings around the dial that made calculating the distance of sound-based phenomena such as munitions blasts and thunderclaps at a glance, and a tachometer scale for easily determining speed and distance, such as on this watch.

This rare early chronograph watch is powered by an early Landeron/Hahn caliber movement. For those unfamiliar with chronographs, due to their complexity, in vintage times most brands, including respected firms like Rolex, Breitling, and Heuer, did not fully manufacture their own movements but rather purchased them from companies who specialized in making the sophisticated mechanisms.

One of the well-known chronograph movement makers of the period was the the Swiss firm Landeron. Their movements are best known for powering some of Heuer's and Baume et Mercier's chronographs, as well as watches from Gallet and other Swiss watch houses.

The movement on the watch is running strong and true, and the chronograph resets crisply and to a perfect zero, although their is damage to the bezel which prevents the installation of a crystal. Please see the photos. It is being sold as-is and priced accordingly.