Bovet Chronograph 1940s Valjoux 77

This is a vintage 1940s chronograph by Bovet. Bovet was founded in 1822 by Swiss watchmaker, ƒdouard Bovet. Bovet chronographs were sold by Bovet Freres in the early 1940s and by Favre-Leuba from 1948 to 1950. Before Favre-Leuba bought Bovet, the logo on the dial of Bovet watches simply had the name of the company in a typical typeface, but in the early 1940s their watches had their stylized logo without the “Freres”. Most Bovet of this era utilized the Valjoux 84 lever movement with stem wind, but they were also known to use the Valjoux 77. This is my Christmas 2021 present ...

Leif has done a great summary of the variations in the forum (please visit : https://www.watchuseek.com/threads/bovet-rogers-chronograph-history.4928863/)  as follows: 

There seem to be 6 classes of watch, possibly separated into the WWII (1943-5) and post-war (1946-7) years branded either Bovet or Rogers.

 

1. Type '250':

These have a Valjoux 77 (13''') movement with syringe hands and are all Bovet-branded in plain type face. Many have an SXK (Eska Sylvan Kocher) import mark. All have a serial number on the back between 999999 and 999500, and the number '250' stamped on the inside of the back. There seems to have been a 'standard' pale dial, but with a variety of dark (or 'tropical'?) variations. Some include a tachymeter. I have been able to find 9 examples of this type through eBay etc.

 

2. Type 249:

These have a Venus 170 movement (12.5''') with syringe hands. Some are branded Rogers in plain type face (with UXC import mark). Others are branded with the 'underlined' Bovet logo (with SXK or EOP import mark). All have a serial number on the back between 999499 and 999000, and the number '249' stamped on the inside of the back. There are a mix of pale and dark dials. I have been able to find 7 examples of this type through eBay etc.

 

3. Type 248:

The only Type 248. It has a Venus 170 movement (12.5''') with tachymeter and blued leaf-shape hands. The dial is copper-toned, but whether this is intentional or tropical is hard to say. The use of pale type on other dark dials, makes me suspect the latter in which case it would appear to be identical to the other 'pilot-syle' examples with a white face and blue type. It has '248' stamped inside the back. There is one other example of a '248' movement and case, which has a Rogers signed movement, but the dial has been replaced. Both watches have a serial number between 998999 and 998500. There is another watch with a pale dial and leaf-shaped hands, but unknown type number. It has a serial number between 999499 and 999000 (i.e. within the range of Type 249).

 

4. TYPES 1004, 1005, 100X (POST-WAR?)

Three further classes may have been produced after the war, but based on these designs. The internal number changes from a 3 digit code to a 7-digit code which is never the same but always commencing with '100'. Confusingly, the serial numbers on the back are also 7 digit codes starting with these numbers. They range within 1005000-1005500, with one exception (starting 1004), which has seven jewels, rather than 17 as normal.

 

5. Type '1004'(?)

This type has a Venus 170 movement, with leaf-hands on a dark dial, and is very similar to type 248 above, but Bovet-branded, and uses a km, rather than a mile scale and reads 'TELEMETRE', rather than 'TELEMETER'. The signing of the movement is not picked out in yellow as is the case with all other Venus 170 movements. However, the SXK import code suggests a US market. 2 examples known. The internal number of one begins '1004', the serial number begins '1005'. The serial and type number of the other is unknown.

 

6. Type '1005'

This type has a Venus 170 movement, and all Rogers-branded with an apparently standard pale dial and alpha hands. The internal number begins with '1005'. 3 are known.

 

7. Type '100X?'

One example is known with a Valjoux 77 movement, and syringe hands but a 'late' serial number in the 1005000-1005500 range. The internal 'type' number is unknown.

 

Favre-Leuba era

Chronographs manufactured by Bovet Freres in the Favre-Leuba period (1948-50) all seem to have been Landeron 49 cam-switching models. They utilised an entirely different case with no 'type' number and serial numbers commence with '3'. I have not looked further into these. There is also one example of a Rogers Venus 170 that is not made by Bovet with a six-digit serial number beginning with '5' and no type number. It has entirely different case with rectangular pushers.