Calibre database
Movement Encyclopedia
Every movement record uses the same field structure so calibres can be compared directly: dimensions, jewelling, frequency, winding and setting systems, escapement, balance, architecture, known applications, identification features and servicing notes.
Records
Movement records
142 of 142 movements · Compare calibres side by side
United States · 1940 – 1969Hamilton 992BThree-quarter plate nickel movement with damascened finish, motor barrel and micrometric regulator; designed specifically to satisfy railway time-service requirements.21 jewels · Swiss lever, exposed pallets
United States · 1883 – c. 1920sWaltham Model 1883Full-plate 18 size model produced in enormous quantity across many grades, from low-jewel utility movements to adjusted railroad grades.7 to 21 depending on grade jewels · Lever
France / Switzerland · c. 1770 onwardLépine Calibre (bar movement)Jean-Antoine Lépine's abandonment of the full top plate in favour of separate bars and bridges mounted on a single plate, removing the fusee and allowing a dramatically thinner watch.Variable; often jewelled to the escapement only jewels · Cylinder or lever depending on period
Switzerland · Mid-twentieth century to presentETA/Unitas 6497A large, simple bridge-type hand-wound calibre originally supplied as a pocket-watch movement and later widely re-used, undecorated or finished to order, in mechanical wristwatches valued for their visible, easily serviced construction.17 (base); higher-jewel and decorated versions exist jewels · Swiss lever
Switzerland · 1969 to present, with interruptionsZenith El PrimeroAn integrated automatic chronograph running at an unusually high 36,000 vph, giving 1/10-second chronograph resolution; launched in 1969 in close competition with other automatic chronograph projects and narrowly escaped destruction during the quartz crisis.31 (typical) jewels · Swiss lever
Switzerland · 1988 – c. 2015Rolex Calibre 3135A robust in-house self-winding calibre with a free-sprung, adjustable-mass balance, produced in very large numbers and forming the backbone of Rolex's core professional and dress models for over two decades.31 jewels · Swiss lever with Rolex's own pallet and escape-wheel production
Switzerland · 1967 – 1970s (as supplied); later revived under related referencesJaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 920An extremely thin automatic movement using a 22-carat gold peripheral micro-rotor rather than a full rotor, allowing exceptional slimness; supplied by Jaeger-LeCoultre to several prestige houses and adapted as the basis for celebrated in-house calibres elsewhere.Approx. 28 jewels · Swiss lever
Japan · 1969 – mid-1970sSeiko Calibre 6139Automatic column-wheel chronograph with vertical coupling and a 30-minute recorder17 or 21 depending on market version jewels · Swiss-type lever, Seiko manufacture
Switzerland · 1936 – 1950sLongines Calibre 13ZNA highly regarded pre-war and post-war column-wheel chronograph movement, valued by collectors for its finishing and its flyback function on certain references.Approx. 17–19 jewels · Swiss lever
Germany · 1994 to the mid-2000s (original Lange 1 calibre)A. Lange & Söhne Calibre L901.0The manual-wind movement introduced in the Lange 1, the flagship model of the relaunched A. Lange & Söhne after German reunification, notable for its asymmetric dial layout and dual-barrel long power reserve.Approx. 53 jewels · Swiss-type lever, in-house manufacture
United States · Late 1920s to the early 1930s, with assembly from parts continuing after the Hamilton purchaseIllinois Bunn Special (60-hour grades)Three-quarter plate railroad-grade movement with a long-running barrel arrangement marked for a 60-hour run, produced in the final independent years of the Illinois Watch Company.21 or 23 depending on grade jewels · Swiss lever with jewelled pallets
United States · c. 1890s to the 1940s across successive modelsWaltham VanguardWaltham's top railroad grade, produced across several models and both 18 and 16 size, with high jewel counts, gold settings and heavy adjustment to position, temperature and isochronism.19, 21 or 23 depending on grade jewels · Lever, jewelled to the centre on the highest grades
United States · From the 1860s through the mid-twentieth century across many gradesElgin B. W. RaymondA grade name rather than a single calibre, applied by Elgin to railroad-standard movements for most of the company's history, so that examples differ fundamentally in plate layout between early key-wind and late twentieth-century production.15 to 23 depending on grade and date jewels · Lever
England · c. 1700 to the late nineteenth centuryEnglish full-plate fusee movementA continuous top plate over the whole train, with a fusee and chain equalising mainspring torque and, on most examples, a pierced and engraved balance cock. The construction is the defining form of the English trade and the direct counterpart to the Continental bar movement.Unjewelled on plain work; jewelled to the escapement or more on better watches jewels · Verge on early work; English right-angle lever on nineteenth-century examples
Switzerland · c. 1916 introduction, with production continuing for several decadesValjoux 23A column-wheel chronograph calibre with laterally coupled clutch, supplied as an ébauche to a very large number of brands and finished to their own standards.17 typical jewels · Swiss lever
Switzerland · c. 1937 onward, with production continuing into the 1970sLanderon 48A cam-and-lever (shuttle) chronograph rather than a column wheel, designed for simpler and cheaper manufacture and adjustment, and supplied in very large numbers across the mid-century chronograph trade.17 typical jewels · Swiss lever
Switzerland · 1930s onward, with the design later produced in the Soviet UnionCortébert Calibre 616A large, robust bridge-type hand-wound pocket calibre whose design was transferred to Soviet production after the Second World War, where it became the basis of an extremely long production run.15 to 18 depending on version jewels · Swiss lever
Soviet Union (Chelyabinsk) · Second half of the twentieth centuryMolnija 3602A Soviet pocket-watch calibre derived from the Cortébert 616 design, produced in very large quantity at Chelyabinsk and widely used in both plain and presentation pocket watches.18 jewels · Swiss-type lever
Switzerland · 1971 onward, later produced within ETAPeseux 7001A very thin manual-wind wristwatch calibre with an open, easily accessible bridge layout, widely used in dress watches and extensively adopted as a teaching and modification base.17 jewels · Swiss lever
Switzerland · 1970s onward, still in productionETA 2824-2A compact automatic calibre with a ball-bearing-mounted rotor and reversing wheels, supplied in several finishing grades from Standard to Chronometer and used by a very large number of brands.25 jewels · Swiss lever
France · c. 1840 to the early twentieth centuryFrench round (Paris) clock movementTwo circular brass plates carrying the going and striking trains in a compact drum, made as a standardised unit by specialist movement factories in Paris and the Franche-Comté and sold to case makers across Europe.Generally unjewelled; some better movements jewelled at the escapement jewels · Brocot or plain deadbeat; recoil on cheaper work
Austria and later Germany · Early nineteenth century through the late nineteenth centuryVienna regulator movementA light, finely finished weight-driven movement between rectangular plates, designed to run on very little power in a slim glazed wall case, with high-grade examples approaching precision-regulator standards.Generally unjewelled; the finest examples jewelled at the escapement jewels · Deadbeat, with high-grade examples having jewelled pallets
United States (Lancaster, Pennsylvania) · Produced for military contracts from the early 1940sHamilton 4992BA high-grade 16-size American movement built to a navigational specification, with a centre-seconds train and a plain, service-oriented finish rather than decorative damascening.22 jewels jewels · Swiss lever
United States (Waltham, Massachusetts) · Late nineteenth century into the early twentieth centuryWaltham Riverside MaximusWaltham's top commercial grade, distinguished from ordinary Riverside grades by a higher jewel count, gold jewel settings, decorative finishing and closer adjustment.23 jewels on the standard specification jewels · Swiss lever, with gold centre wheel and raised jewel settings on the finest examples
England · Company active from the 1890s until the early twentieth centuryLancashire Watch Company lever movementMachine-made English movements produced at Prescot in an attempt to answer American and Swiss factory competition with interchangeable parts rather than outworker handwork.Ranges from unjewelled trade grades to fully jewelled examples jewels · English lever, with Swiss-pattern work on some later grades
Switzerland (Geneva) · Introduced in 1977 and still in use in developed formsPatek Philippe calibre 240An ultra-thin automatic built around a recessed 22-carat gold micro-rotor rather than a full-diameter rotor, which keeps overall height low and leaves room for modules above the base movement.27 jewels on the base calibre jewels · Swiss lever
Switzerland · In use from the 1960s to the present in developed formsVacheron Constantin calibre 1120Vacheron Constantin's version of the ultra-thin automatic designed by Jaeger-LeCoultre as the 920, in which the rotor sits within the movement's outer diameter rather than above the plate.36 jewels jewels · Swiss leverSwitzerland (Saint-Imier) · Mid twentieth centuryLongines calibre 30CHAn in-house column-wheel chronograph made by Longines itself rather than bought from a specialist ébauche house, with a flat, legible layout and a single register.17 jewels on standard examples jewels · Swiss lever
Germany (Glashütte) · From the mid 1990sA. Lange & Söhne calibre L921.4A three-quarter plate movement in German silver with gold chatons, blued screws and hand-engraved balance cock, laid out so that the asymmetric Lange 1 dial has each indication over its own mechanism.Not recorded in a source consulted here jewels · Swiss lever
Germany (Schramberg) · Mid twentieth centuryJunghans calibre J83A German wristwatch calibre family made in grades from ordinary commercial work up to versions submitted for chronometer certification.Made in several jewel counts, including chronometer-grade versions jewels · Swiss lever
France · Nineteenth centuryJapy Frères ébaucheRough movements made by machine in large quantities and sold unfinished to watch and clock establishers, who fitted escapements, jewelling, dials and cases.Supplied unjewelled or partly jewelled, to be finished by the buyer jewels · Supplied without escapement on many ébauches; cylinder and lever both common when finished
France · Mid twentieth centuryLip calibre R25A French manual-winding wristwatch calibre from the Besançon factory, made in commercial grades for Lip's own watches.Made in several jewel counts jewels · Swiss-pattern leverJapan (Shizukuishi, Iwate) · From 1998Seiko calibre 9S55The mechanical calibre with which Seiko resumed high-grade mechanical production at the Shizukuishi studio, assembled and adjusted by hand to an in-house accuracy specification stricter than the standard chronometer test.26 jewels jewels · Swiss lever with Seiko's own Spron hairspring materialJapan · From 1983Seiko calibre 7A28The first analogue quartz chronograph movement, using three separate stepping motors so that the chronograph hands run independently of the timekeeping train and can be reset instantly.15 jewels jewels · None; quartz oscillator with stepping motors
Switzerland · Mid-20th century onwardUnitas 6498Large three-quarter-plate pocket-watch ébauche17 (variants differ) jewels · Swiss lever
Switzerland · Mid-20th centuryA. Schild 1130Bridge calibre for wristwatch use17 (variants differ) jewels · Swiss lever
Switzerland · Mid-20th centuryFHF 96Bridge calibre for general wristwatch production17 (variants differ) jewels · Swiss lever
Switzerland · Late 20th century onwardETA 2892-A2Thin automatic bridge calibre21 jewels · Swiss lever
Switzerland · Mid-20th century onwardLemania 2310 (and 861 relations)Column-wheel manual chronograph17 to 18 depending on version jewels · Swiss lever
Switzerland · 1940s–1960sVenus 175Column-wheel manual chronograph17 jewels · Swiss lever
Switzerland · Mid-20th centuryLanderon 248Cam-switched manual chronograph17 jewels · Swiss lever
Switzerland · Mid-20th centuryFelsa 690 BidynatorAutomatic bridge calibre with bidirectional rotor winding17 (variants differ) jewels · Swiss lever
Switzerland · 1950s onwardEterna-Matic calibre familyAutomatic calibre using a ball-bearing-mounted rotor21 (variants differ) jewels · Swiss lever
Switzerland · 1940s–1960sZenith 135Manual calibre designed around an unusually large balance18 (observatory versions differ) jewels · Swiss lever
Switzerland · 1939–1960sOmega 30 mm calibre family (30T2 and derivatives)Manual bridge calibre built for precision timekeeping15 to 17 depending on grade jewels · Swiss leverSwitzerland · 1929 onwardJaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 101Extremely small rectangular manual calibreVaries by generation jewels · Swiss leverSwitzerland · 1950s–1960sPatek Philippe 12-600 ATAutomatic calibre with a heavy central rotor30 (sources vary) jewels · Swiss lever
Switzerland · 1950sRolex 1030Automatic calibre with bidirectional rotor winding25 (variants differ) jewels · Swiss leverSwitzerland · 1960s–1970sRolex 1570Automatic bridge calibre with free-sprung regulation26 jewels · Swiss leverJapan · 1968–1977Seiko 6105Automatic calibre designed for dive watches17 jewels · Swiss-style leverJapan · 1976–1988Seiko 6309Robust automatic calibre built for high-volume production17 jewels · Swiss-style leverJapan · 1996 onwardSeiko 7S26Automatic calibre designed for low-cost mass production21 jewels · Swiss-style lever
Japan · Late 20th century onwardMiyota 8215Automatic calibre supplied widely to the trade21 jewels · Swiss-style lever
Switzerland · 21st centurySellita SW200-1Automatic calibre dimensionally comparable to widely used ETA architecture26 jewels · Swiss lever
United States · Early 20th centuryHamilton 992Bridge-layout railroad-grade movement21 jewels · Swiss lever
United States · Early 20th centuryIllinois Sangamo SpecialHigh-grade bridge railroad movement21 to 23 depending on grade jewels · Swiss lever
United States · Late 19th to early 20th centuryElgin VeritasHigh-grade railroad movement21 to 23 depending on grade jewels · Swiss lever
United States · Late 19th to early 20th centuryWaltham Crescent StreetRailroad-grade movement in bridge and plate layouts19 to 21 depending on grade jewels · Swiss lever
United States · Early 20th centurySouth Bend Grade 227High-grade bridge railroad movement21 jewels · Swiss lever
Russia · 1970s onwardPoljot 3133Manual chronograph derived from a Swiss cam-switched design23 jewels · Swiss lever
Russia · Late 20th century onwardVostok 2409Robust manual calibre for mass production17 jewels · Swiss-style leverGermany · Mid-20th centuryGUB Calibre 60.3Manual calibre from the East German Glashütte combine17 (variants differ) jewels · Swiss leverGermany · Mid-20th centuryJunghans J80Manual German wristwatch calibre17 jewels · Swiss-style lever
Czech Republic · Mid-20th centuryPrim Calibre 66Czechoslovak manual wristwatch calibre17 jewels · Swiss-style lever
India · 1960s onwardHMT Citizen-derived manual calibreManual calibre produced under Japanese technical collaboration17 jewels · Swiss-style lever
China · Late 1950s onwardShanghai A581Early Chinese series wristwatch calibre17 jewels · Swiss-style lever
China · Late 20th century onwardSeagull ST19Column-wheel manual chronograph derived from a Swiss design21 (variants differ) jewels · Swiss-style lever
United States · 20th centuryChelsea ship's bell clock movementSpring-driven marine clock movement with a striking trainTypically unjewelled or minimally jewelled jewels · Platform lever escapement
Germany · Late 20th century onwardHermle 451 chiming movementThree-train spring-driven chiming movementUnjewelled to minimally jewelled jewels · Deadbeat or recoil escapement by version
Germany · 20th century onwardKieninger chiming movement familyThree-train chiming clock movementUnjewelled to minimally jewelled jewels · Deadbeat or recoil escapement by version
United Kingdom · Early 20th century onwardSynchronome master clock movementElectrically rewound impulse master clockJewelled at the impulse contact in better examples jewels · Gravity impulse with electrical rewinding
France · 1920s onwardATO battery-electric clock movementBattery-driven electromagnetic clock movementUnjewelled to minimally jewelled jewels · Electromagnetic impulse
France · 1920s–1950sBulle-Clock movementBattery-electric clock in which the pendulum carries a coil moving over a fixed magnetUnjewelled jewels · Electromagnetic impulse to a pendulum-carried coilSwitzerland · 1938 – 1974Valjoux 72Column wheel17 jewels · Lever
Switzerland · 1978 – 2004Lemania 5100Cam-switched17 jewels · LeverSwitzerland · 1942 – 1968Omega 321Column wheel17 jewels · Lever
Switzerland · 1940 – 1960Landeron 51Cam-switched17 jewels · Lever
Switzerland · 1955 – 1960Universal Geneve 215Micro-rotor28 jewels · Lever
Switzerland · 1950 – PresentUnitas 6497Standard17 jewels · Lever
United States · 1892 – 1920Waltham 1892Full plate17-23 jewels · Lever
United States · 1903 – 1920Elgin Grade 291Full plate7 jewels · Lever
United Kingdom · 1947 – 1970Smiths 12.15Standard15 jewels · Lever
East Germany · 1964 – 1979GUB SpezimaticStandard26 jewels · Lever
Soviet Union · 1972 – PresentRaketa 2609.HAManual-wind lever movement with directly driven central seconds17 in the documented 2609.HA reference jewels · LeverSoviet Union · 1980 – PresentVostok 2416BStandard31 jewels · LeverChina · 2000 – PresentSea-Gull ST1901Column wheel19 jewels · Lever
Germany · VariousHermle 340-020Spring-driven, balance-regulated Westminster chime movementNot recorded jewels · Anchor
Switzerland · 1967 – PresentAudemars Piguet 2120Ultra-thin36 jewels · Lever
Switzerland · VariousBreguet 591Standard25 jewels · Lever
Switzerland · 1960 – 1970Piaget 12PMicro-rotor30 jewels · Lever
Switzerland · 1994 – PresentGirard-Perregaux 3100Standard27 jewels · Lever
Switzerland · 1988 – PresentBlancpain 1185Vertical clutch37 jewels · Lever
Switzerland · 1988 – PresentFrederic Piguet 1150Twin barrel28 jewels · Lever
Switzerland · 1995 – 2012Ebel 137Column wheel27 jewels · Lever
Switzerland · 1923 – 1940Minerva 13-20Column wheel17 jewels · Lever
Switzerland · 1940 – 1950Angelus 215Column wheel17 jewels · Lever
Switzerland · 1940 – 1970Excelsior Park 40Column wheel17 jewels · Lever
Switzerland · VariousBovet 15Cam-switchedNot recorded jewels · Lever
Switzerland · 1939 – 1960Movado 95MManual-wind chronograph with hour recorder17 jewels · Lever
Switzerland · 2015 – PresentTudor MT5602Standard26 jewels · Lever
Japan · 2009 – PresentGrand Seiko 9S85Hi-Beat37 jewels · Lever
Japan · 2019 – PresentCitizen 0100High-Accuracy QuartzNot recorded jewels · Quartz
Germany · 2015 – PresentNomos DUW 3001Ultra-thin27 jewels · Lever
Germany · 2016 – PresentGlashütte Original 36Standard27 jewels · Lever
Germany · 1999 – PresentA. Lange & Söhne L951.1Column wheel40 jewels · Lever
Switzerland · 2005 – PresentPanerai P.2002Triple barrel21 jewels · Lever
Switzerland · 1996 – PresentChopard L.U.C 1.96Micro-rotor32 jewels · Lever
Switzerland · VariousParmigiani PF701Micro-rotor29 jewels · Lever
Switzerland · VariousRoger Dubuis RD821Standard33 jewels · Lever
Switzerland · VariousRichard Mille RMAC3SkeletonizedNot recorded jewels · Lever
Switzerland · VariousHublot Unico HUB1242Column wheel38 jewels · Lever
Switzerland · 2017 – PresentBulgari BVL 138Micro-rotor31 jewels · Lever
Switzerland · 1973 – PresentETA 7750Cam-switched25 jewels · Lever
Switzerland · 1914 – 1974Valjoux 22Column wheel17 jewels · Lever
Switzerland · 1938 – 1960Venus 150Column wheel17 jewels · LeverSwitzerland · 1940 – 1974Valjoux 88Column wheel17 jewels · Lever
Switzerland · 1960 – 1970AS 1900Standard17 jewels · Lever
Switzerland · 1955 – 1965Felssa 4007NBidirectional automatic25 jewels · Lever
Switzerland · 1950 – 1960Eterna 1427Ball bearing21 jewels · Lever
Switzerland · 1962 – 1970Buren 1280Micro-rotor30 jewels · Lever
Soviet Union · 1975 – 2000Slava 2427Twin-barrel27 jewels · Lever
Japan · 1975 – 2015Orient 46943Standard21 jewels · Lever
United Kingdom · 1967 – 1970Smiths W10Standard17 jewels · Lever
United States · 1935 – 1952Hamilton 982Standard19 jewels · Lever
United States · 1883 – 1919Waltham 1883Full plate7-17 jewels · LeverUnited States · 1880 – 1900Elgin Grade 76Full plate15 jewels · LeverGermany · VariousKieninger HTWClockNot recorded jewels · Anchor
United States · 1880 – 1910Seth Thomas 8-Day LyreClockNot recorded jewels · Anchor
United States · 1920 – 1930Ansonia SunwatchSundial0 jewels · None
United States · 1880 – 1890Waterbury DuplexRotary0 jewels · Duplex
United States · 1896 – 1920Ingersoll YankeeDollar watch0 jewels · Pin lever
United States · 1960 – 1970Timex M24V-Conic0 jewels · Pin lever
Switzerland · 1960 – 1970EB 8800Standard1-17 jewels · Pin lever
Switzerland · 1867 – 1900Roskopf ProletaireSimplified0 jewels · Pin lever
Switzerland · Design rooted in 1950s Unitas pocket-watch ébauches; still in production in updated formETA 6497Large hand-wound pocket-watch-derived layout with small seconds at 6 o'clock; the Unitas 6497 lineage is one of the last widely produced pocket-watch-sized ébauches.17 jewels in standard form jewels · Swiss leverSwitzerland · Introduced 1974; production interrupted by the quartz crisis, revived in the 1980s and continuingValjoux/ETA 7750Automatic cam-and-lever chronograph with the chronograph mechanism driven from the going train; deliberately engineered for industrial production rather than traditional column-wheel refinement.17 or 25 jewels depending on version jewels · Swiss lever
Switzerland · 1960s–1970s productionA. Schild AS 1687/1688Compact automatic ébauche supplied to dozens of Swiss brands during the period when most houses bought rather than made movements; typical of the ébauche system at its peak.17–25 jewels depending on version jewels · Swiss lever
Switzerland · 1950s–1970s productionFontainemelon FHF 72Workhorse hand-wound ébauche from one of the largest Swiss ébauche makers, later absorbed into ETA; found under countless brand names.17 jewels typical jewels · Swiss leverGermany · 1960s–1970s productionJunghans W 738Mass-produced German automatic from the Black Forest's largest maker, representative of West German volume production distinct from the Swiss industry next door.17–21 jewels depending on version jewels · German lever
United Kingdom · 1950s–1960s productionSmiths 0104One of the last all-British mass-produced wristwatch movements, made at Cheltenham; later Smiths production increasingly used imported or partially imported content.15–17 jewels depending on version jewels · English lever
France · 1950s–1960s productionLip R148In-house French calibre from Besançon, the historic centre of French watchmaking; Lip was unusual among French firms in designing and making its own movements rather than buying Swiss ébauches.17 jewels typical jewels · French lever
Switzerland · Mid-twentieth century productionDoxa 11½''' hand-wound familyRepresentative of the many small-to-mid Swiss brand calibres of the mid-century period; Doxa is better documented for its later dive watches, but its hand-wound production was typical of the industry.15–17 jewels depending on version jewels · Swiss leverThe schema supports thousands of entries. Where a field is unknown for a given calibre it is recorded as unknown, not estimated silently.
Method
Visual movement identification
1. Architecture
Full plate, three-quarter plate, or separate bars and bridges. This is usually the fastest route to a national tradition and a broad period.
2. Escapement
Crown wheel, cylinder, duplex, lever or detent. The escapement constrains both date and likely market.
3. Markings
Grade names, jewel counts, adjustment statements, patent and import marks, and punch marks from ébauche suppliers.