THE ESSENTIALS

MAKE: LEMANIA
MODEL: 818
YEAR: 1975
BOX/PAPERS: NO/NO
CASE DIAMETER: 40MM
CASE MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
BRACELET MATERIAL: NATO
MOVEMENT: MANUAL WIND

From the mid-1940s to approximately 1970, Lemania was the exclusive supplier of mechanical chronographs to the British military. Under the specifications set by the Ministry of Defence, they were all monopusher chronographs, whereby the start, stop, and reset functions were controlled by a single button at the 2 o’clock position, helping to prevent the chronograph from being accidentally activated.

In 1969, the MoD published a new specification, DEF-STAN 66-4, which was amended the following year to allow the manufacture of two-button chronographs. From that point onwards, four manufacturers dominated military chronograph supply with watches powered by the Valjoux 7733 movement: Hamilton, CWC, Newmark, and Precista.

However, few people realise that Lemania produced one final small batch of chronographs in 1975 and 1976, totalling only 500 units. These were powered by the Lemania 1872 movement, which was also used in other military-issued chronographs, including those supplied to the South African Air Force, as well as civilian chronographs such as later Speedmasters. These watches very rarely come up for sale and remain among the most collectible British military watches.

The present example comes from the 1975 batch and has remained in honest condition over the years. There are minor marks throughout the 40 mm fixed-bar case, as you would expect from an issued watch. The dial is lovely: all of the tritium lume plots are present and have aged to a gorgeous creamy hue. There is some minor bubbling to the dial, similar to what you might find on a Tudor Submariner from the same era.

The movement has been freshly serviced and is running well at +5 s/d, with 250° amplitude and a 0.1 ms beat error. We paired it with these period brass military natos: if you know you know.