2014

26. december 2014

The Lancia watch brand

The Mikrolisk index lists Lancia as a brand from Vulcain et Volta / Ditisheim & Co. Ditisheim & Co. has more than 100 brands and names of models listed in Mikrolisk.

The Vulcain watch brand still exists and they have made this very informative book about the companys history. It was founded in 1858 in La-Chaux-de-Fonds.

Vulcain factory in 1920s

Vulcain's most famous watch is the Cricket model with an alarm. Vulcain became known as "the watch of Presidents" because Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon and Lyndon Johnson all wore a Vulcain Cricket at some point. Vulcain was a highly esteemed brand with its own inventions and movements.

But back to Lancia. This was probably a subbrand made by Ditisheim assembled from stock movements and cases.

Lancia watches are very rare. Here some of the few examples I have found, which all seem to date from the late 60s and 70s:

The Lancia watch brand should not be confused with promotional watches from italian car manufacturer Lancia.

12. november 2014

Lancia Worldtime Incabloc Automatic

This is my first buy from eBay! Why this watch?

It is big and bold:
Width w/o crown: 43,7 mm
Width with crown: 46,5 mm
Length: 43,7 mm
Depth: 15,2 mm
Lugs: 19,3 mm

Lancia Worldtime Incabloc

It has the now classical "Mortima-style" watch case with hidden lugs - see previous post for more info.

Everything seems to be original except for the crystal which has been replaced, the seller informs. Both inner bezels work perfectly.

I like that it has an automatic movement with both day and date. That is an upgrade compared to most watches with this case.

Lancia Worldtime Incabloc

The movement is an France Ebauches FE 3612. According to Ranfft it has 17 jewels, 44h power reserve. According to the inscription on the dial it furthermore has an Incabloc shock protection system.

Ranfft dates the movement to around 1975. The eBay ad also said 1975 although I don't know where this info comes from.

The seller tells me that he has bought the watch at a local market site in Holland. The day-markings are in Dutch as well.

The brand is Lancia from Swiss Ditisheim & Co. and this watch has probably been assembled in France as the movement is French and the case probably also. Read more about Lancia watches here.

The watch case is brass plated and after all these years it is not supposed to be in perfect condition. This Lancia clearly has some small scuffs and edges were the plating has been worn off and that just adds to the personality. Scratches can be seen in closeup photos but are almost not visible when wearing the watch.

I found a blogpost from Horlogeforum.nl with this exact Lancia Worldtime. It seems the seller has serviced the watch and movement a few months before it was put up for sale at eBay. Nice to know.

Lancia Worldtime Incabloc

The watch also met the last requirement for this blog and was affordable: 185 euro.

I have seen one watch almost similar. Source. This other watch has the same blue dial and day markings in the dutch - but the internal diver's bezel is red and the movement is an FE 4612 (which has day and date quickset compared to FE 3612).

Lancia Worldtime Incabloc

CLICK HERE - GO TO THE NEWEST POST ON THIS BLOG ABOUT LARGE VINTAGE WATCHES

11. november 2014

Same chunky cushion watch case "Mortima-style" - different brands

A very nice large cushion shaped watch case with hidden lugs - seems to have been used by a wide variety of brands in the 70s. Some indicates the width to be 43 mm whereas others says 44 mm. I measure it to have these exact measures:
Width w/o crown: 43,7 mm
Width with crown: 46,5 mm
Length: 43,7 mm
Depth: 15,2 mm (depending on type of crystal - often domed)
Lugs: 19,3 mm

A reasonable theory is that the majority of these cases originates from the same manufacturer. This manufacturer has produced the entire watch (white label) or has just sold the cases - which then has been fitted with movement, dial and hands locally.
Supported by this source the main manufacturer could be Mortima. However normally all products from Mortima has the diver engraved on the back and only some of the watches below has this Mortima signature. If you want to know more about Mortima there is a bunch of info in these posts: History of Cattin & Cie, history of Mortima and large Mortima watches.

Please find below a collection of all the models with this case that I have come across while surfing. The list is sorted alphabetically.

In the end of this article there is more info about the ancestors of this cushion-shaped watch case-type that dates long back. I 1968 Heuer introduced the Camaro which I believe was an important inspiration for the watch case discussed here. It was then combined with elements from the super compressors - especially the internal rotating bezel - and some colorful dials that matches the style of the 1970s. Remove the lugs, which was also a trend at the time, and the "Mortima-style" was born ;-)

The Heuer Camaro introduced in 1968 must have been an inspiration for the "cushion-shaped-hidden-lugs-compressor-style" watch case that was popular in the 1970s. See examples below.

THREE CROWNS AND TWO INTERNAL BEZELS

Aurore Luxe Antichoc 17 Jewels
Source: eBay

Difor Antichoc
Source: eBay

Fresard Ancre 17 rubis Incabloc
Source: eBay

Grand Prix 21 Jewels Super De Luxe Datomatic

Source: eBay

James 25 rubis Datomatic