LOWENTHAL | Chronographe Rattrapante | Super Jumbo "Extra Big" 39mm | 1st Ownership | Highly Collectible | Sector Dial | Beyer Chronometrie Zurich | 1940s
LOWENTHAL | Rattrapante
Valjoux caliber 84
Single Owner
1940s
For your collection of incredibly technical fine and impressive Lowenthal vintage chronographs, there is this Rattrapante, produced in the 1940s in exeptional condition, 1st ownership, never polished, 100% original condition - serviced and maintained through its lifetime by Beyer Chronometrie, Zurich / Switzerland.
The facts: Super jumbo 39mm case - never polished (!!), sector dial with superb finish creating a unique surface changing effect on the dial, signed with the rare entire signature “Chronograph Lowenthal Rattrapante” inclusive telemeter & tachymeter.
This jewel is in its uniquely preserved collector's condition thanks to regular maintenance over 80 years, exclusively in the hands and outstanding skills of the renowned watchmakers at Chronometrie Beyer in Zurich / Switzerland. What a stroke of luck!
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It is difficult to say what is more sophisticated about this chronograph, the “Mono-Rattrapante” complication or the almost unbelievable quality and effect of its “Sector Dial”.
Either way, the dial is easier to understand, you turn your wrist in the light and the dial changes its sector in the north & south from dark to light - and its sector in the east & west from light to dark. You can see the difference in the pictures - but, you can only understand it when you wear this chronograph on your wrist. Because the exceptional quality and the special effect of this dial of outstanding quality is impossible to capture in photography. The full effect is amazing.
More about the chronograph function & the rattrapante complication later in this description.
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Lowenthal was a subsidiary brand of Bovet Fleurier in Switzerland.
Lowenthal chronographs were produced in significantly smaller numbers than their Bovet counterparts and are therefore today, in well-preserved condition, absolute rarities and thus sought-after collector's items. In particular, the Lowenthal Mono-Rattrapante Chronographs with the Valjoux 84 movement, based on the Swiss patent CH185465 which was filed in 1935 and granted in 1936. Originals of these rare Lowenthal pieces are signed “Brevet” together with the Swiss cross.
The Valjoux caliber 84 is a column wheel chronograph movement. It features a six-column wheel controlling the chronograph function and has two pushers and a 30 minute chronograph register. It was exclusively produced between about 1936 and 1950 for Bovet Frères for their “Mono Rattrapante” and especially for their exclusive Lowenthal Rattrapante.
And what does Rattrapante mean? The word “rattrapante” is derived from the French “rattraper” and means to catch or retrieve. In the literal sense, it refers to a second second hand, the so-called trailing hand, which is “dragged along” by the chronograph hand. For this reason, mechanical chronographs with a split-seconds hand are also commonly referred to as double or split-seconds chronographs, in which the seconds “jump”.
The rare mono rattrapante is characterized by a mechanical complication with less susceptibility - a variant of the split-seconds chronograph or rattrapante with only one stop hand and two chronograph pushers. When the lower pusher is held down, the stop hand stops at the intermediate time and jumps to the position it would have occupied if it had continued to run without stopping. The maximum possible difference interval is therefore 60 seconds.
What can you do with a rattrapante watch? Rattrapante chronographs and their additional second stop second hand are ideal for measuring smaller time intervals, for example within a larger time span.
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Rattrapante for the wrist | The first wristwatches with rattrapante complications were offered around 1912. The movements were still the size of a pocket watch, but were increasingly miniaturized so that by 1930 they were just as large as normal wristwatch movements. It was a remarkable achievement for the watchmakers of the time to fit so many levers, springs and pincers into such a small space. The complication of the Mono-Rattrapante is one of the most sophisticated in the world of wristwatches.
A split-seconds hand or rattrapante (from the French rattraper 'to catch up') is a second second hand in mechanical chronographs and earlier accurate stopwatches. The watch hand is synchronized with the “normal” hand and thus dragged along. To stop the time, this synchronization can be interrupted by the user and the trailing hand then remains in place. In this way, any intermediate time can be read off without stopping the movement.
To explain in easy words: The purpose of the rattrapante chronograph is to measure two simultaneous events. To explain this using a quite easy example: Two cars cross the finish line at different times. The mono rattrapante works as follows: When the first car crosses the finish line, press and hold the bottom pusher, which stops the second hand; you can then register the time. When you release the pusher, the second hand immediately jumps to the position it would have been in if you had not stopped it and continues running so that you can stop it when the second car crosses the finish line.
The movement called the rattrapante - formerly known as the “jumping second” - was invented in the 18th century by Adolphe Nicole. It was only later, in the 1930s, that the movement was miniaturized to such an extent that it could also be built into wristwatch cases.
Patek Philippe launched its first rattrapante wristwatch in 1922.
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>> Like to understand the function and power curve of a chronograph?
Especially a chronograph with column wheel, like this Lowenthal with one of the finest movement calibers Valjoux has ever built, the Valjoux caliber 84? Well then, enjoy studying the following lines and technical explanations..
The chronograph is one of the most complex complications in watchmaking due to its many levers.
The column wheel is a steel wheel in the movement of chronographs, which is equipped with the so-called columns (small turrets). It controls and synchronizes all the important switching operations of the chronograph mechanism. Due to the high manufacturing costs, the column wheel is considered a criterion of value and quality. Other names for the column wheel are “column wheel”, “Swiss lock” and “crown wheel”.
>> Basics of the chronograph mechanisms with column wheel..
Difference: column wheel vs. column cam | The differences between the chronograph with a switching cam and the chronograph with a column wheel: Apart from the fact that they differ in their switching mechanism, the column-wheel chronograph does not have a diverter. The switching finger on the chrono center wheel is not a solid finger, but a bent spring. The advantage of this is that there is no need for the aforementioned adjuster, as the spring is simply pulled over the teeth of the minute-counter wheel when zeroing and the wheel does not have to be moved out of reach. If the switching finger were fixed, it would get stuck on the minute counter wheel without the adjuster and would most likely break off.
With the cam chrono, the shift lever consists of two parts and generally the cam chrono has fewer parts. It also has fewer complicated parts, which makes it easier to manufacture and, because it is more economical to produce, it is produced more often than the switching wheel chronograph.
Starting the chronograph | When the start/stop pusher is pressed, the shift lever pulls on the shift lever hook, which turns the column wheel's locking teeth one position further. The heart lever is lifted, now rests on the outside of a column of the column gear and hooks into the heart lever locking shaft. At the same time, the lever releases the derailleur. In addition, the locking lever is also lifted during this process and now rests on the outside of a column of the control wheel, thus releasing the chrono center wheel. However, the rotation of the gearshift organ also causes the clutch lever to drop from a column into a gap, thus closing the engagement between the clutch wheel and the chrono center wheel.
The chronograph has now been started | But how exactly does the transmission of power to the wheels work? Well, underneath the entire chronograph mechanism is the base movement of the watch, which runs continuously. Its rotary movement is picked up at the position of the seconds wheel. The seconds wheel has a long shaft that extends into the plane of the chronograph mechanism. The driving wheel is firmly pressed onto this shaft. As the driver wheel is in constant mesh with the clutch wheel, these two wheels always rotate with the base movement. After starting the chronograph, the clutch wheel is swung towards the chrono center wheel using the clutch lever on which the clutch wheel is mounted, and the two wheels mesh.
Our chrono center wheel, on which the second hand is located, now also rotates. After exactly one revolution of the chrono center wheel, its indexing finger engages with the teeth of the minute counter wheel and turns it one tooth further. This also causes the minute counter wheel, on which the minute counter hand is located, to rotate and the minute counter wheel ratchet jumps one tooth gap further. This process can be seen very clearly on the dial side when the chrono center hand passes through its zero position.
If you now press the start/stop button again, the ratchet wheel is rotated one position further on its ratchet teeth and the clutch lever slides back to the outside of a column of the ratchet wheel. This causes the clutch wheel to move out of engagement with the chrono center wheel again. At the same time, the blocking lever falls into a gap between the columns of the column wheel to prevent it from turning in the event of an impact and distorting the measurement result. In doing so, it rests on the outside of the toothing of the chrono center wheel and holds it in place.
Now the chronograph stops and you can simply read off the measured time.
Zeroing the chronograph | When the zeroing pusher is pressed, the heart lever locking shaft is displaced and the heart lever falls into a gap in the ratchet wheel, which has rotated under the heart lever when the chronograph was stopped. In doing so, the heart lever lifts the changeover mechanism so that the minute counter carrier wheel is out of reach of the shift finger of the chrono center wheel. At the same time, it lifts the locking lever off the toothing of the chrono center wheel.
The chrono center wheel is now free to rotate and the surfaces of the heart lever press on the zero setting hearts of the chrono center wheel and the minute counter wheel. Due to the special inclination of the surfaces on the heart lever and the special shape of the zero setting hearts, the wheels are turned forwards or backwards until the lever rests against the surfaces of the hearts and the wheels have reached their zero position. As long as the heart lever hits the hearts in such a way that the forces pass the pivot point of the wheel, the heart and gears with the hands on them are turned until the flat side of the hearts is reached. At this point, the force applied by the heart lever passes through the pivot point (= zero position). This is how the chronograph was moved back to its zero position.
The hour-counting mechanism | Unlike the rest of the chronograph, the hour-counting mechanism is located on the dial side. In addition, it does not draw its power from the fourth wheel of the base movement, but directly from the beginning of the power chain, the mainspring barrel. The hour counter wheel consists of a shaft with a fixed pinion, which engages with the teeth of an additional pinion located on the mainspring barrel. This shaft rotates permanently with the mainspring barrel. The zero-setting heart, the wheel disk and the pointer shaft are connected to the permanently rotating shaft by a kind of loose riveting and a friction spring.
Now you only need three more levers for the rest of the hour counter mechanism: the zero setting lever, the blocking lever and the switching lever for the hour lever as well as a small spring. The spring keeps the zero setting lever permanently away from the hour counter wheel. When the chronograph is started, a small rotary movement is transmitted from the control element, the switching cam, via the release lever through the movement to the dial side. The zero setting lever for the hour counter mechanism is mounted on this release lever. Turning the release lever also moves the zero setting lever. At the same time, the zero setting lever deflects the blocking lever, which is lifted off the teeth of the hour counter wheel. This causes the upper part of the hour counter wheel to rotate due to the friction produced by the friction spring. The chrono now also counts the past hours.
When the two o'clock pusher is pressed, the blocking lever is now placed against the teeth again and the hour counter hand is held in place again. To set the zero position, the pusher is used to actuate the switching lever for the hour lever. This moves the zero setting lever against the force of the small spring to the hour counter wheel and presses against the zero setting heart. This rotates until the flat side of the zero setting lever rests against the heart lever and has thus assumed the zero position. The fact that the locking lever is in engagement with the lever automatically lifts it off the toothing of the wheel disk during zeroing. This means that the rotation to zero can be carried out without damage. In contrast to the zero setting of the chrono center and minute counter wheel, the heart lever is not pressed against the hearts by a spring. For operation, this means that the zero setting pusher must always be fully depressed in order for the hour counter hand to reach the zero position.
Chronographs with rattrapante mechanism | Alongside the tourbillon, the rattrapante chronograph, also known as the double-hand or split-seconds chronograph, is one of the most ingenious mechanisms in watchmaking.
The rattrapante chronograph is also often called a double-hand or split-seconds chronograph. An additional chronosecond hand runs above the actual chronosecond hand. When the chronograph is running, a third pusher can be used to stop this upper seconds hand and stop an intermediate time, while the lower seconds hand simply continues to run. If you press the pusher again, it runs after the second hand that has continued to run, positions itself directly above it again and continues to run as normal. But how exactly does this work?
Basically, this is a normal chronograph with a horizontal clutch. However, the shaft of the chrono center wheel was drilled through lengthwise and another zero-setting heart was mounted on this shaft. The so-called double hand wheel is now inserted and mounted through the shaft of the chrono center wheel. There is a spring on this wheel, at the end of which a round ruby is attached, which presses against the additional zero-setting heart of the chrono center wheel when mounted. Due to the constant pressure on the zero setting heart, the double hand wheel always rotates automatically to the set position. Normally, the two center hands should be exactly on top of each other in this state. We have now implemented the double hand wheel that rotates with the normal chrono center wheel. Now we come to the control mechanism of the additional hand. We assume that the chronograph is running and that both center hands are positioned one above the other. Pressing the third pusher now activates the additional device of the rattrapante mechanism.
The third pusher is used to actuate the shift lever with the pawl against the shift lever spring. The shift wheel has two positions, which are determined by the double-pointer shift wheel lock. The two positions refer to “double pointer pliers closed” and “double pointer pliers open”, which is determined by the columns of the column wheel. When the tongs are closed, they hold the double-hand wheel, which is generally completely smooth or slightly roughened, in place. If the chrono center wheel is still turning in this position, the double hand heart runs under the jewel roller. Depending on the distance from the center, the double hand lever is lifted more or less.
If the third pusher is pressed again, the double-hand pincers come to rest on two pillars of the double-hand column wheel and open. This releases the double pointer wheel. Immediately, the jewel roller, which is under the influence of the spring, runs along the double-hand heart to its lowest point (between the heart jaws). Because the double-hand heart is located on the chrono center wheel, both wheels (chrono center wheel and double-hand wheel) always have the same position in relation to each other in this position, regardless of the position of the chrono center wheel in relation to the movement. If you now place the two hands on top of each other so that they have the same position, they look like a single hand from above. This is also referred to as the rattrapante hand jumping.
The rattrapante hand can be started and stopped as often as required when the chrono hand is running because this mechanism is independent of the chrono hand's zero setting. If the chrono hand is already at zero, the rattrapante hand also jumps to zero. Conversely, the chrono hand can also be started or stopped as often as required while the rattrapante hand is at zero or any other position.
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All of this is found in this Lowenthal Rattrapante from the 1940s, in a unique state of preservation. A collector's item in a class of its own - contemporary history and the highest level of craftsmanship for your wrist.
In addition to all these technical facts, you have likely noticed the remarkable and rare sector dial with its special features described at the top of this description - and have you also noticed the other special features? This Lowenthal Chronograph is rounded off by its wonderful blued breguet hands inclusive blued totalisators & its olive pushers. The olive pushers are a variant of the rectangular pushers, but slightly more elliptical. The geometry of these pushers, which resembles the shape of an olive, gave them their name. They are highly sought-after on the market due to their special nature and rarity.
This masterpiece of a Rattrapante is serviced from our master watchmakers in year 2025 and covered with our 1-year guarantee for you.
All in all - an extraordinary timepiece from the 1940s by Lowenthal. Incredibly impressive!
Manual movement Valjoux 84
Diameter 39 mm without crown
Technical indications | Keeping time -15 sec/day
Serviced 2025
Differential taxation according to § 25a UStG. No taxes included. | Differenzbesteuerung nach § 25a UStG. Kunstgegenstände und Sammlungsstücke, Sonderregelung.