ETNA LIGH-JET ALARM WATCH with LIGHT
(... and some other information about mechanical alarm wristwatches...!) (listing is NOT complete!)
My Etna Ligh-Jet:Bought from
@watchman recently. Runs very accurate and alarm works perfect!
I only changed the strap, wich was difficult as the space between case and lugs is very tight.
Only the original, light bowed springbars could be used and goes now perfect with grey natostrap.
History and description:1971: Brevinex S.A. of Geneva introduces the ETNA Light-Jet.
A mechanical watch with mechanical alarm function,
and electric lightning by two power cells in the strap.
Steel case with two crowns, white dial with “12” and batton hour indexes.
Central second in blue and additional hand for alarm setting.
Alarm dial 15 Min. intervals
Seconds: 1/5 Sec dial
Inscriptions:
ETNA
ligh-jet
17 jewels
incabloc
Particularity:1. This Etna Alarm has no alarm dial from 02,30 until 03,30 Hr….
There is a ETNA watch with date at 3 o’clock, with window just in place of the missing alarm indexes! Maybe they used only 1 kind of dial and just stamped a hole for the date version.
2. The Etna Alarm has written on the dial “LIGH-JET”, but the Etna Date with Light (No Alarm) has LIGHT-JET.
Strange difference between LIGH and LIGHT, as “ligh” doesn’t exist as word…
… Mistake in printing the dial? ? …
Technical informationCase: steel
Crystal: mineral crystal
Crown: 1 (lower) = winding 1st click, and setting the clock 2nd click
2 (upper)= winding 1st click and setting the alarm 2nd click.
Once the alarm did ring (+/- 15 Sec.), the alarm barrel has to be wind up again.
Dimensions:Diameter case 36mm without crowns, dial is 27mm
Lug to lug 39mm
Lug width 18mm
Thickness 11mm
Light: Inside the case there is a micro bulb lamp, the light is initiated by a pushbutton on the (original) bracelet. Insede the bracelet, there are two batteries integrated.
To see the light working, switch on bracelet, (2 x 1,5V batteries incorporated in the bracelet):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VvmFzCn56E
The calibre Cal. AS1930The Calibre AS1475 is an alarm movement from A. Schild, Switzerland, produced in various versions from 1954 through 1974. This calibre was a double barrel hand-wound movement, beating at 18,000 A/h. In 1956, Cal. AS1568 was introduced, adding a date display.
These calibers were replaced in 1970:
An up-rated 21,600 A/h versions: AS1930 and AS1931, without and with date respectively.
To hear the sound of a AS1930 Cal. (here Oris):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sn_MHUKXg88Other brands with the famous AS1930 calibreThis AS calibre, (sometimes elaborated) is widely used in the alarmwatches of today:
Tissot, Benrus, Bulova, Girard-Perregaux Memostar, Breguet, Delbana, Doxa, Helbros, Jenny Sealab Alarm, Maurice LaCroix, Revue Thommen-(New), Oris, Wittnauer, Etc…
And copied by others! Citizen, Poljot (= Cal.2612.1) , Seconda …
Other famous alarm watches with different Cal. :The iconic alarm watch = VULCAIN Cricket.
Since 1951, Vulcain with Cal.120; the president’s watch (Eisenhower, Trumann, Nixon, Johnson)
The Vulcain Cricket restarted some years ago, but success is not yet assured.
(Also Revue-Thommen used Vulcain Cal.120, named Revue RT80.)
But Vulcain used also the AS1931 in some series!
https://www.bobswatches.com/rolex-blog/resources/history-vulcain-cricket-presidents-watch.htmlThe Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox from 1951 and further are different: they make their own Cal. :https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memovox
Also Omega Memomatic had an automatic alarm Cal.980, wich came actualy from Lemania.
Jura Watch Co, brand Cimier, with Ronda1223 handwound
And …of course, … Seiko Bell Matic, Cal 4006 (17j day-date) and 4005 (27j-date only)
--------------------------------------------------------------------- ENJOY !
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