Notes
When it was produced in 1933, this movement was made as a
Master Piece, intended to be exhibited. The case was made of
nickel with glazed back, similar to that used for movements
submitted to timing contests at observatories. Subsequently, in
the 1970's, it was cased in gold in order to be sold.
Breguet was the first to discover the phenomenon of resonance
and its applications. He made two long case regulators and
some watches fitted with two complete movements in the same
case and showed that the balances, regulated by the resonance
phenomenon are brought to oscillate step to step. As opposed
to those made by Breguet, this watch is not fitted with a double
movement but with a single wheel train, regulated by two
complete escapements linked together by a sun-and-planet type
gearing.
Albert G. Piguet
As a skilled pupil at the Ecole d'Horlogerie of the Vallee de Joux
in Sentier between 1930 and 1934, Albert G. Piguet (born 1914)
obtained various diplomas as a complete watchmaker including
calibres and complicated watches. He succeeded in completing
his studies within three years only, instead of the usual fora-, and
was therefore able to be trained as a prototype maker.
The class of watch and calibre makers of the Ecole d'Horlogerie
of the Vallee de Joux, established in 1923, was always intended
for gifted pupils who also manifested a certain aptitude for
maths and drawing and who wished to continue working in this
field. Pupils were obliged to study a calibre in all its aspects,
including the drawing of the plans, the calculation of the
mobiles and the manufacturing of all the parts, from the rough,
with only the assistance of specialised tools and lathes.
In the course of these classes, various types of work were
undertaken in order to overcome new problems, hence, soon
small size watches were being made. Therefore, some watches
made in this context have given characteristics which make
then unique pieces.
This is the case for the watch made by Albert Piguet, under the
supervision of the director of the school, Marcel Builleumier. It
was a double regulator of 17"' and 38 mm in diameter, the
smallest made of that series. From 1932 to 1934, 6 pocket
chronometers with double regulator had been produced by the
class of calibre makers, which were two types for each sizes: 45,
43 and 38 mm, of calibre Nos. 15, 16, 17.
On leaving the school in 1934, Albert Piguet found employment
as chronograph manufacturer and designer at Lemania, then
affiliated to SSIH. He was required to design the necessary tools
for manufacture, therefore involving him closely with
equipment and other suppliers. In 1941, he created the Omega
Speedmaster Chronograph, the first and unique watch worn on
the moon and the only one chosen by NASA and Russian
cosmonauts for all space missions with astronauts on board.
Excellent maker, Albert Piguet created a good number of
Lemania calibres produced from 1934-35 to the early 1980's.
Piguet, a man of strong character and sense of leadership,
became technical director of Lemania from 1948 to 1980,
overseeing the construction of chronograph calibres.
Albert G. Piguet was a board member of the Ecole d'Horlogerie
from 1946 to 1980 and President of that same board from 1977
to 1980.
Bibliography:
Documentation by Mr. Moonier, Ecole Technique de la Vallee
de Joux, Le Sentier;
La nwntre a deux regulaleurs, written by Svend Andersen for
Chronometrophilia N° 7;
Les Fcoles suisses d'Horlogerie, Fritz Linder, editeur, Zurich, pp.
214-215, 226-227, 232.
Interview with Mr. Albert Piguet.
Interview with Mr. J. Reymond, who worked closely with Mr.
Piguet at Lemania, for many years.