1940s Thuya Chronograph Watch with 'Phone Markers

A gents late 1940s / early 1950s Thuya "up & down" chronograph with telephone markers, all in beautiful condition.

The watch has a Venus 170 hand-winding movement which is working nicely.

Brothers Albert and Adolf Gilomen set up their watch making business in their home town of Lengnau, Switzerland, in 1924. They registered four brand names, namely Midland, Delma, Gil and Thuya. Initially Thuya was used as the company name but this subsequently changed to Delma. The company concentrated on supply precise watches which were robust but elegant at the same time. In the late 1940s when Landeron produced an advanced chronograph movement, Delma (Thuya) worked on a chronograph of their own and this was the start into their successful venture into sports watches including divers’ watches.

This particular watch measures 34mm diameter excluding the winding crown, pushers and lugs. The case has a plated bezel, an alloy centre and a stainless steel case back, a combination often seen just after the second World War. It is in very nice condition with just light surface marks to the back.

The lens is in lovely condition too.

The signed dial is in very good original condition. There are two subsidiary dials. The one at the 12 position to record up to 30 minutes (including the markers at three, six and nine minutes. These were aimed at the business man who made international telephone calls which were very expensive at the time. The calls were rounded to chargeable chunks of three minutes and so watch making companies came up with this scale to help people control their talking duration). There is also a constant seconds subsidiary dial at 6 o’clock.

A ‘new old stock’ leather strap has been fitted.

The watch will come in a new presentation box.

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All of our watches are checked over before listing, and are also checked for accuracy which is usually within around +/- two to three minutes over 24 hours (unless otherwise stated), which is considered respectable for a vintage watch.

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