Important Watches, Wristwatches and C...
Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Apr 24, 1999
LOT 271
Vixa, Type 20, Antimagnetic, circa 1954. Fine, water-resistant, stainless steel military wristwatch with retour en vol round button chronograph and register.
CHF 1,500 - 1,800
C. three body, polished, satine, screwed case back, revolving reeded bezel, lapidated lugs. D. black with radium-coated Arabic numerals, auxiliary seconds and 30 minutes register dials. "Skeleton " radiumcoated hands. M. 16"' rhodium plated, 17 jewels, lever escapement, monometallic balance, selfcompensating Breguet balance-spring. Signed on the dial, numbered on the case. Diam. 39 mm.
| Grading System | |
|---|---|
Grade: AA |
Very good |
Case: 3 |
Good |
Movement: *4 |
Fair Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense |
Dial: 4-5-01 |
Fair Poor HANDS Original |
Notes
Since the 1950's, the French Defense Minister decided to
provide the highly specialized crew of the Air Forces (C.E.V.:
Centre d'Essai en Vol, Mirage Fl, Jaguar, Mirage 5G, etc.) with
accurate chronographs. These watches had to feature the relour
en vol function (Function Taylor), a power reserve of more than
35 hours, a precision with not more than 8 seconds difference in
24 hours and 300 times: start-stop and return to zero
of the chronograph without any problem. Among those
chronographs, the Vixa watch was the only one featuring a
German movement, Caliber Hanhart 4054, very similar to the
one which was mounted on the Luftwaffe pilots' watches.