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Thread: Helvetia Admiralty Pattern 3169 wrist Chrono

  1. #1
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    Helvetia Admiralty Pattern 3169 wrist Chrono

    Hello all just thought I'd show some pictures of my new acquisition.

    The Pattern 3169 is designated as a 1/5th second stopwatch, believed to be for use in naval gunnery, and Helvetia supplied an adapted version of their 'Stop' stop second chronograph to the Royal Navy for this purpose. This one is the same as the one in Konrad Knirims book and the RN serial number is only 11 earlier.



    As you can see the navy specified that the normal time telling hands be removed to just leave the seconds hand. The 8 o'clock pusher stops the seconds hand when pressed and when released it starts again. The 2 o'clock pusher resets to 12.



    When you push the pusher the lever at the top pushes against a spring and the two small wheels move upwards disengaging the centre seconds hand. When released the spring pushes the lever back down and the wheels re-engage and the hand starts again.



    The serial number on the back has been removed but in the right light I can see enough of it to date it to 1941.

    Here is a pic of a standard 'Stop' and some ads.







    They are small at 30mm but in about 1942 Helvetia came up with a larger, 35mm, version that also had a tachymeter scale.



    If anyone is interested in the Helvetia 'Stop' generally or its cousin the 'Sport' have a look at my page here: https://www.helvetiahistory.co.uk/th...ronostop-watch

    Thanks.

    Carl

  2. #2
    Grand Master Sinnlover's Avatar
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    It’s a nice little watch. There is one of these in Ziggys book.
    Are the hand posts still in the watch or have they been removed
    It might be quite nice to turn it in to a usable watch - yes I know it’s heresy but it could easily be returned to stock if needed.

    Oh and looking at your forum name are you a fellow collector of Enfields? (The bang type not brum type) :-)

  3. #3
    Master alfat33's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sinnlover View Post
    It might be quite nice to turn it in to a usable watch - yes I know it’s heresy but it could easily be returned to stock if needed.
    Heresy indeed! :).

    It’s lovely as it is. There are already a few of the three-handed versions around,
    even if they are pretty rare.

  4. #4
    Grand Master Sinnlover's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by alfat33 View Post
    Heresy indeed! :).

    It’s lovely as it is. There are already a few of the three-handed versions around,
    even if they are pretty rare.
    I know but it was the first thing I thought about when I saw one in Ziggys book years ago!
    Still as it stands it’s a perfect excuse to wear a watch on both wrists.

  5. #5
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    Very interesting,just how big is your collection?

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sinnlover View Post
    It’s a nice little watch. There is one of these in Ziggys book.
    Are the hand posts still in the watch or have they been removed
    It might be quite nice to turn it in to a usable watch - yes I know it’s heresy but it could easily be returned to stock if needed.

    Oh and looking at your forum name are you a fellow collector of Enfields? (The bang type not brum type) :-)
    The one in Ziggy's book is an Optima. Konrad Knirim has this exact model Helvetia in his.

    I think it may be possible to convert it back into a standard chronostop. I have plenty of other Helvetias to wear if I want to tell the time so I think I'll leave it as it is. I bought it for it for it's historical interest rather than to wear anyway.

    Ref the username. While one of my other interest is military history, mainly WW2, and it is after the SMLE (I am SMLE on WW2 Talk for instance), it is in a roundabout way as my 'last 3' when I was in the RAF were '303'. I do actually have a deactivated No.1 however.

    Would be very interested in what your have.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by alfat33 View Post
    Heresy indeed! :).

    It’s lovely as it is. There are already a few of the three-handed versions around,
    even if they are pretty rare.
    I'm sure I'll get one of the standard 'Stop' models sooner or later, they come up every now and again. Just need to be patient.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by bwest76 View Post
    Very interesting,just how big is your collection?
    I think somehow I'm up to about 40 Helvetias now, not quite sure how! From about 1905 to 1975. I think these are oldest and newest.

    Transitional about 1905:



    Dynotron 9154 electronic balance wheel watch, 1970-75:



    Or perhaps this alarm about the same date:


  9. #9
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    very nice.

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