Military-issued watches, especially those from the first and second world wars, are especially beloved by the watch community. They typically offer a killer combination of world history and utilitarian design that makes them irresistible to collectors. And this Lemania from the '50s is an incredible example of this.
While the brand is best known for being a movement maker—having designed chronograph movements for Omega, Heuer, Tissot, and later Breguet—Lemania also made a few watches under their own name. But we emphasize the word "few" – Lemania branded watches tend to be both sought-after and very rare, with the military-branded ones being the rarest of all.
This amazing piece is powered by the Lemania cal. 15 movement, a manually-wound mono-pusher movement that would later serve as the base movement for the cal. 2220. The blue-ish hue to the dial lume is due to the use of a rare promethium lume, a material used by watchmakers for being safer than radium, but quickly replaced by tritium because of promethium's diminutive 2 1/2 year half-life.
It also features all the requisite military markings on the case back—including an "HS" which refers to Hydrographic Service, a branch of the British navy—as well as the broad arrow emblem on the dial.
Ultimately, this is an incredibly clean, once-in-a-lifetime watch that has all of the aspects that make military watches so desirable.
SPECS
| Stock # | LMHS3960 | |
| Brand | Lemania | |
| Style | Military | |
| Model | Mono-Pusher Chronograph | |
| Serial | N/A | |
| Size | Men's | |
| Material | Steel | |
| Dial | White | |
| Millimeters | 38 | |
| Bracelet | 2pc Leather Strap |
CASE & BRACELET
The beautiful stainless steel case has been polished but shows very little signs of wear. It comes with its original crown and single pump pusher. The case back retains all of its military markings in deep condition. The watch comes supplied on a 2pc handmade leather strap.
DIAL & HANDS
The white dial is in fantastic condition, featuring large, legible Arabic numerals at the hour markers, the 12 and 6 of which feature lume that has aged to a teal blue hue, with lume plots to match, indicative of the promethium lume used. The original hands feature more of the green promethium lume that matches the dial. The lume in the dial and hands show no degradation when inspected under U.V. light.
ACCESSORIES
None. The watch is functioning perfectly and keeping time, previous service history is unknown.
