1960s Wakmann Chronograph "Big Boy" Valjoux 236 40mm

Here we have a 1960s Wakmann Chronograph "Big Boy" Valjoux 236 featuring a 40mm chrome case that sits comfortably on your wrist with tapered lugs. Its curved flanks lead to a lug-to-lug length of 46.5mm and a case thickness of 11.5mm, giving the watch an impressive wrist presence. On the right side are the chronograph pushers, and in the centre is a deep-knurled crown. The characteristic wide rotating bezel features a black insert with a silver 60-minute scale. A domed crystal sits above a striking blue bicompax dial. An outer Tachymeter scale is printed on a white chapter ring surrounding a precisely executed minute track with applied baton indexes marking the hours and 60-minute numerals printed underneath. At 3 o’clock, a white ringed 30-minute register and at 9 o’clock, a white ringed running seconds, each with a tapered orange hand. Orange and black hands filled with lume are complemented by a tapered chronograph hand. At noon, we have the Wakmann motif and at 6 o’clock, ‘17 Jewels Incabloc’ completes this colourful vintage chronograph. On the reverse, a screw-down stainless steel solid case back, engraved around its edge with the details of the watch and the embossed sailing ship in the centre, inside an early manually wound Valjoux Cal. 236, 17 jewels, beating at 21,600 beats per hour. It comes paired with a well-suited 22mm strap and pin buckle.

 

This watch is sold as "Watch Only" and therefore comes with no original Wakmann box or paperwork. The watch comes paired with a well-suited 22mm strap and pin buckle. The watch is from Circa. 1960s and is sold in worn, vintage condition, but overall very fair condition, as you can see. The watch comes with our 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty.

This is the striking 1960s Wakmann Chronograph "Big Boy" as it is nicknamed, coming in at 40mm with a lug-to-lug of 46.5mm. You can see why it has that nickname. Powered by the rare Valjoux calibre 236, this blue dial chronograph with its contrasting white and pops of orange must have been such a shock to the system in the retailer windows in the 1960s. If you are in the market for something unique, this is definitely one to consider!

Reference : 13.36.00
Movement : Manually Wound Valjoux Cal. 236
Age : Circa. 1960s
Year : Circa. 1960s
Case Size : 40mm
Case Thickness : 11.5mm
Lug to Lug : 46.5mm
Lugs : 22mm
Condition : Pre-Owned
Box and Papers : None
Case Material : Chrome / Steel Back
Warranty : 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty
The wrist model's wrist size is 7inch

Icko Wakmann founded Wakmann Watch Company, running the business out of Portugal in 1943 as a distributor of luxury watch brands. He then moved to the US to avoid the tragedies happening in Europe. Opening up at Fifth Avenue 452, New York, in 1946, and in 1947, they were listed on the US Stock Exchange. Previously, his company ran In New York, he had his own technical workshops where he could process and design his own watches and became an important importer and distributor of watches to the US. During the war years, he manufactured aircraft cockpit clocks to US military specifications and was an official US military supplier. In 1947, Wakmann joined forces with Breitling, forming the Breitling Watch Corporation of America (BWCA) with Icko Wakmann as the company president. Developed their business in importing and from then on co-branded its cock-pit clocks used by the US military and US civilian aircraft. At this time, changes to the Import Act in the US meant Wakmann acted as a US-based “assembler”, where he imported incomplete watches and incomplete movements using their workshops; he assembled these timepieces on US soil and was able to avoid the added tax cost per unit, which kept their distribution competitive. During the 1950s and 1960s, Wakmann produced chronographs and multi-purpose technical watches for engineers and doctors who needed precise timepieces. Wakmann Watch Company sadly disappeared during the quartz crisis and was incorporated into Breitling by the end of the 1970s.