Certina Chronolympic Regatta – a very special watch
What makes it special? It looks like a 3 hand watch, but yes, it have a Valjoux 72 movement, no subregister but – a stophand in the center to time the regatta start session of 5 – 10 – 15 minutes. That was common with some Lemania movements like 134x and 5012/5100/5200 lines.
credit: hashtagwatchco.com
Hardfacts
Reference 8701 504
Caliber 29-064, Valjoux 728, 17 jewels, 46hrs power reserve
Size 40 x 44 x 14 cm
Manual winding, no date, center chronominute and second, hourcounter at 7
bracelet ends with 22mm
Built since 1971, Launch before the Munich Olympia Games in 1972
Today around 30-35 are known (08/2022)
They come on a Tropic, Certina RSA or -most rare- on the Olympia bracelet.
credit: Quadrilette172 / Watchtime Forum
The Reference Number
The reference above the serial on the caseback of the regattas (in the years 1958-1974) shows these infos:
credit: www.vintagecertinas.ch
First two digits shows the movement: the 87 stands for the Certina 29-064, a Valjoux 728
Second two digits stands for the case material: here 01 for a steel case
Last three digits indicate the appropriate model or the case style – 5o4 stands for the Chronolympic “Regatta” Chronograph
(source: www.vintagecertinas.ch)
credit: vintagecertinas.ch
Dialvariants
Here you can see 4 types of dials for this regatta watch. They might be test dials because on is withouth brand or logo.
credit: cenic-watches.ch
The paintless wonder dials
As we know from some Heuer watches with blue dials the color can change with the time, so seen on the blue Monaco or Carrera BN and some others. We have seen 2 watches with color change and some loose dials on ebay from time to time.
credit: Antiquorium
credit: ebay
The Ebauche logo on the dial
credit: watchlegend.blogspot.com
Eska on the dial
credit: timeline.watch
Ulysee Narding Chronolypic – unique watch on custom demand or built together?
There is just a found on the web, only this one watch. So maybe it´s just put together in a case with printed the logo on a clean dial or it might be real?
We still believe in count 3 to make a series. Would love to hear your opinion, if there are any UN expert knows something.
credit: Louis Lanier on FB
Just a regatta watch? No, read here the story of the australian balloonist named Peter Vizzarda, a World Champion Balloonist, who landed on a Certina Chronograph as his Skyward Companion
https://www.thewristorian.com/post/aeronaut-your-average-tool-watch
Credit
Thanks a lot to Nicolas from cenic-watches for showing the great stuff!