For sale we have a 36mm 1950s Le Cheminant Skymaster triple date moonphase watch. It is a high quality Felsa 693 automatic movement with shock protection. This is an uncommon and very aesthetically pleasing watch from the mid-century. This is a function packed watch which manages to be both complex and balanced in its design.
The dial is new old stock and is in excellent original condition. It is a silver gloss tone with applied gold tone numerals. The hour markers are an unusual coffin design, with Arabic 9, 12, 3, 6 balancing the dial. It has blue date numerals around the exterior, with a simple dash and dot minute track. It has a window for the moonphase, day and month. It is marked Le Cheminant Skymaster below 12 O’clock, with 17 jewels below the day month windows, and incabloc automatic below the handset.
The hands are of luminous Dauphine style, with sweep second hand. The white painted date pointer hand is original, with the blue painted tip. This pop of colour neatly ties in with the date ring around the exterior of the dial.
The case is well proportioned at 36mm x 36mm, with a lug-to-lug measurement of 46mm. It is gold plated and is in average condition. It is a classic circular case with notched bezel and tapered lugs. There is wear to the gold plate on the tips of the lugs and the inside of the lugs. The gold-plated crown appears to be original and has a neat coin edge finish.
The screw case back is Stainless Steel and is in average condition for the age. It is signed Automatic, waterproof, Antimagnetic, Incabloc. It has the serial number 4668.
The movement is a Felsa 693 Bidynator. It is an automatic movement with shock protection and sweep second hand. It has day, date and month display, with moonphase. The day is set with the pusher at 9 O’clock, the date handset at 4 O’clock, the month set at 2 O’clock and the moonphase set with the pusher at 8 O’clock. It has been serviced and is keeping time to -15 seconds a day.
We feel every vintage collection can benefit from a triple date pointing moonphase watch, and what better choice than one with a quality automatic movement?
Full condition report below. Please see the images as these compliment and aid the description provided below.
Dial:
The dial is new old stock and is in excellent original condition. It is a silver gloss tone with applied gold tone numerals. It has blue date numerals around the exterior, with a simple dash and dot minute track. It has a window for the moonphase, day and month. The discs are in excellent original condition. All signing is clear.
Hands:
The hands are original. They are of luminous Dauphine style. They are in good condition and the gold tone shines nicely in the light. The lume in-fill is a modern replacement. The central second hand is also original. The white painted date pointer hand is original, with the blue painted tip. It has some corrosion spots.
Glass:
The acrylic crystal is a replacement and is in good condition with no marking.
Crown:
The gold plated crown appears to be original and has a neat coin edge finish.
Case:
The case is gold plated and is in average condition. It is a classic circular case with notched bezel and tapered lugs. There is wear to the gold plate on the tips of the lugs and the inside of the lugs. The case has surface scratching consistent with ageing.
Caseback:
The screw case back is Stainless Steel and is in average condition for the age. It has light surface scratching and some slightly deeper scratches. The etched writing is legible.
Strap:
The watch comes on a new 19mm genuine leather strap.
Movement:
The movement is a Felsa 693 Bidynator. It is an automatic movement with shock protection and sweep second hand. It has day, date and month display, with moonphase.
The movement is in good condition and is working well, having been serviced. It is keeping time to -15 seconds a day, with an amplitude of 260 degrees and a beat error of 0.3 m/s.
Case dimensions:
Case width: 36mm
Case width with crown: 38.8mm
Case length: 36mm
Case length lug to lug: 46mm
Case Depth: 12.5mm
Lug width: 19mm