1960s HOGA/Vulcain "Surfboard" Chronograph Valjoux 7733 35.5mm

Here we have an incredible classic late-1960s Hoga/Vulcain "Surfboard" Chronograph Reference 2318, a distinctive collaboration between HOGA and Vulcain, featuring a 35.5mm brushed chrome tonneau-shaped Vulcain-made case that sits squarely on your wrist, with sharp, prominent straight lugs that embody the era's bold design language. Its robust flanks lead to a comfortable lug-to-lug length of 43mm and a slim case thickness of 11.5mm. On the right side are classic pump-style chronograph pushers, flanking a central coin-edged crown that controls the movement. A minimalist bezel holds a domed crystal above a striking and highly stylised "Surfboard" dial. An outer Tachymeter scale chapter ring sits above a red Telemeter km/h scale and a precisely executed minute track, framing a distinctive and rare horizontal, oval-shaped "surfboard" block that sweeps across the centre of the dial to encompass the dual sub-registers. At 3 o’clock, a recessed 30-minute register tracks elapsed time, perfectly balanced at 9 o’clock by a recessed running-seconds register, each with red hands. Applied block-hour indexes give the dial impressive visual depth, complemented by white baton hands and a vibrant white tapered chronograph second hand that adds a sporty pop of colour. At noon, the HOGA motif completes this highly visually dynamic vintage chronograph. On the reverse, a solid screw-down case back protects the inner mechanics, stamped on the inside Vulcain Watch Co. Swiss. Inside is the legendary manually wound Valjoux 7733 movement, housing 17 jewels and beating at a reliable 18,000 beats per hour. Introduced in the late 1960s as an evolution of the Venus 188, this cam-lever chronograph movement became the absolute backbone of the era's sports timers, renowned by collectors for its bulletproof reliability and ease of service. The watch comes paired with a well-suited 19mm Forstner ladder bracelet that fits up to a 7-inch wrist.

This watch is sold as "Watch Only" and, therefore, comes with no original HOGA box or paperwork. Coming fresh from service. It is paired with a well-suited 19mm Forstner ladder bracelet that fits up to a 7-inch wrist. The watch is from Circa. Late 1960s and is sold in worn vintage condition, with a few signs of wear across the case, as you can see from the photos. The watch comes with our 12-Month NON-Waterproof Warranty.

The "Surfboard" is one of those chronographs that instantly makes you smile. The design is pure late-1960s brilliance, bold, playful, and unlike almost anything else from the period. What surprises me most is just how much value these still represent. For a vintage chronograph with an iconic dial design, a quality Vulcain-made case, and the legendary Valjoux 7733 movement, I think they remain remarkably affordable in today's market. This particular example is made even more appealing by the fact that it has just benefited from a fresh service and is running exactly as it should, giving its next owner the confidence to enjoy it straight away. I would not hesitate to add this vintage chronograph to your collection today!

Reference : 2318
Movement : Manually Wound Valjoux 7733
Age : Circa. Late 1960s
Year : Circa. 1960s
Case Size : 35.5mm
Case Thickness : 11.5mm
Lug to Lug : 43mm
Lugs : 19mm
Condition : Pre-Owned
Box and Papers : None
Case Material : Chrome
Warranty : 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty
The wrist model's wrist size is 7inch

Hoga, short for Horlogerie Garantie, was a Swiss watch brand established in Tramelan, Switzerland, in 1930 by the Choffat family. The company specialised in avant-garde and mechanical digital timepieces and was best known for popularising mechanical digital watches. These distinctive timepieces featured numbers printed on internal rotating discs rather than traditional hands, which were visible through a small window in the dial. In 1955, Jämes Choffat developed a patent that laid the groundwork for Hoga’s iconic Directime line, launched in 1958 to compete in the U.S. market. These watches employed modified Swiss movements, such as the UT 567, to power their unique jumping hour mechanism. In 1972, Hoga became part of the ARSA (Auguste Reymond SA) group, leading to a gradual cessation of its independent manufacturing. Based in Tramelan, Reymond SA was also affiliated with ASUAG. Following the acquisition, ARSA took over as the head of the group, which included Hoga, Béguelin et Cie, and Montres DAMAS. Vulcain was founded in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, in 1858 by Jacque Ditisheim and his three sons. Specialising in pocket watches, they quickly branched out into wristwatches for military use during the 1940s. After five years of research and development, they created the famous Cal. 120 Cricket movement, which was released in 1947. In 1988, they were approached by Finnish jeweller Keijo Paajanen, who suggested that they start again by offering their Cricket timepiece to American Presidents during their state visits. Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and George Bush Sr all received one. Refusing to jump on the Quartz bandwagon, they relaunched themselves in 2001 with the Cal.V21. An Alarm, a mechanical movement.