Last month saw the simultaneous release by two competing German brands of a new chronograph calibre with central minute hand. This particular display replicates a function of the legendary and sadly discontinued Lemania 5100: namingly, a central minute counter allowing a more natural reading of measured time than the ubiquitous 30 minutes subdial commonly found on chronographs.
I guess the demise of the Lemania 5100 can be attributed to a somehow related string of facts: Lemania’s lack of focus on low-cost movements prior to the Quartz Crisis made them ill-prepared to facing competition and to undergoing restructuration. No matter how good their movements from the 1970’s might have been, those did not match with the Valjoux 7750 in terms of modularity, scalability and profitability, which spelled their doom. My essay titled Modifying the 7750 to substitute the 5100 out tries to explain in details the reasons that led to the demise of the Lemania 5100:
Brief introduction of the players
Sinn Spezialuhren
Founded by German pilot and flight instructor Helmut Sinn in 1961, Frankfurt-based company Sinn Spezialuhren GmbH gained respect amongst military and civil aviation professionals thanks to its functional designs, direct marketing prices and outstanding quality.
In 1994 Mr. Sinn sold the company to Engineer (of applied sciences) Lothar Schmidt, who had previously been responsible for manufacturing titanium watch for Porsche-Design in the 1970s and rebuilding the brand A. Lange & Söhne.
It was also at that time that Sinn’s management agreed to manufacturing watches for two your French entrepreneurs: M.M. Carlos A. Rosillo and Bruno Belamich. Their fresh brand Bell & Ross had an exclusivity on the French market, therefore forbidding Sinn from arvertizind and selling its products in that specific territory.
After selling his first watch company, Herr Sinn eventually set up a new watch manufacture, Guinand, which enjoys a solid reputation in Japan for their military designs and mechanical complications.
Damasko
An aviation parts manufacturer turned watch manufacturer in 1994, Damasko Uhrenmanufactur founders Petra and Konrad Damasko rapidly made a name for themselves in the watchmaking realm with their high-tech military mechanical watches mostly distributed through direct manufacturing. Besides their functional design, Damasko has taken the habit of redesigning parts or components of their watches to improve durability. Instead of resting on their laurels and using mass-produced technology, they invest time and resources in finding ways of improving existing components.
Novelty, Oh Sweet Irony
Both Damasko and Sinn have been making mention of a similar calibre, and the rumor is it has been in the works for the last 5 year. I’m not sure about the nature of their competitiveness, but its seems that the two brands are clever enough to share intellectual property like the Diapal escapement, which was patented by Damasko.
Ironically, the easiest way to obtain a central minutes counter like on the Lemanias 1340 and 5100 consists of modifying the very caliber that spelled their doom: the Valjoux 7750. The main 3 reasons being that:
- All patents covering the Valjoux 7750 have fallen into public domain after 1995
- There are nowadays more than half-a-dozen ebauche makers capable of producing clones of the 7750
- The Valjoux 7750 has proven to have an architecture that is well-suited to modifications
I would thus expect either watches from the two respective manufacturers to come close in terms of specifications. The main differences are in dimensions: for their EZN 10, Sinn chose to fit the calibre in a 46.5 mm titanium case. Damasko opted for a more reasonable diameter of 42.0 mm for their DC 86.
Both watches are announced for early 2012, so I will try to supply the reader with detailed informations on the calibre as they become available.
I believe the demise of the Lemania 5100 had more to do with Swatch Group corporate restructuring and brand direction (in-house vericalization) rather than competition with the 7750. The 5100 was renowned for its durability as is the 7750 but had more plastic parts thus less appealing to higher price point brands. When Lemania was renamed Breguet and virtually stopped supplying movements outside of Breguet (with few exceptions) the end of the 5100 as we know came to be. Obviously Breguet had no use for a watch with plastic parts with the revival and direction of the brand.
Today you can find the Lemania 5100 renamed the ETA C01.211 and is used by the SWATCH and TIssot brands for around $400
Hi everyone….
As collector’s most of us, serious watch guys, have owned both the 7750 and the Lemania 5100.
Each has it’s appeal and function depending on the job to be done. To compare the two is really not quite honest, because they are birds of a different feather.
To try to compare the 42mm Damasko… which ” opted for a more reasonable diameter of 42.0 mm “A small wrist size watch” for their DC 86″ to the Sinn EZN 10, at 46.5mm a “MANS” watch i.e. men who have 8″ wrist and larger…” is most unfair.
Further, the Sinn is made from a “superior grade and singular titanium”, never before seen in the market place. Not to mention all the other great first this watch boost! Their is really no comparison other than a passingly similar dial and case design.
At 6,200 in the US “with the titanium bracelet” and a fit and finish that is second to none. The SINN EZN 10 will sell out and become one of the “Great” collectors watches. In years to come the price will only go up on these beautiful watches. Make no mistake, one day you will say SH$#* I should have bought that Sinn EZN 10 when I had the chance!
Regards,
Patrick