As mentioned below again, there are the 157 sense and their big sister - the 142 - has long been. Shortly after the presentation of the caliber 5100 in 1978 brought Lémania the models on sale. Collectors are also known with names like Breitling, Heuer and Orfina.
Some of the watches were externally identical, but there were also more or less large deviations in design. Helmut Sinn also has served on the shelves of Lémania, for lack of a keen interest in mechanical chronograph watches were to get dirt cheap and promised good profits in the sale.
Seen in the 157 is a kind of dinosaur, a veteran of the Swiss sports watches scene of the late 70s and early 80s. Inspired by the minimalist clean lines of the Porsche Design model, the function is far ahead of beauty, but that does not make the clock unattractive. The renovation by Lothar Schmidt, the former quite simple knitted bowls were changed a guide to sealing technology, the glass seat and the drive bracket. The handle received a stable tube with flank protection, water resistance increased to 200m. The pretty rickety steel tapes were replaced by significantly wertigere, moreover, a variant of pure titanium is available.
The company was founded in 1961 by the sense and flight instructor Helmut Sinn watch lovers. After its optical requirements, the offered watches were produced in the private label sector in Switzerland. The success lies not long in coming: The elimination of a trading range, due to the direct-sales, the watches had a sensational price / performance ratio. As a pilot, he also had the best contacts in the scene and was able to count from the start to an interested clientele. At the age of 84 years Helmut Sinn sold the company in 1994 to Lothar Schmidt.
Born in Neunkirchen in Saarland in 1949 Lothar Schmidt studied after high school in Saarbrücken engineering. In the 70s he had the first contact with the watch industry, he was technical director of a housing company. In 1980 he moved first as a freelancer for IWC Schaffhausen, with responsibility for the development of an innovative case and strap production. He worked out solutions in dealing with the extremely difficult to machine materials titanium, platinum and ceramics. Under its auspices, the first Porsche Design models, the Ocean 2000, the Zirkonoxydgehäuse the Da Vinci and the housing of the Grande Complication arose. From 1990 he was responsible for building the entire production technology at A. Lange & Söhne in Glashütte. Lothar Schmidt recite the VDO Group in 1994 as an authorized officer, to attain, in the same year with the purchase of the company meaning his dream of independence.
With the takeover by Lothar Schmidt came in mind to turn away from the private label sector, the name was changed in meaning special Uhren GmbH. Gradually, the entire model range has been technically renovated, changed the supplier and the material. Regulating the works and the installation of the watches was carried out at sense itself, as well as a branch operation in Thuringia. To this end, the headcount from 14 to 53 was increased. Meanwhile, more than 10,000 watches a year are delivered. With his brilliant technical skills Lothar Schmidt conceived also always new innovations such as synthetic oils watches for high temperature ranges, the dehumidifying technology using copper sulphate capsules and filling the housing with the inert gas argon. Other milestones include the unlimited waterproof, filled with silicone oil diver's watch, and - most recently, - scratch-resistant watch case nickel-free, ice-tempered, stainless steel, enhanced with advanced sealing technology. The testing of all these innovations is usually in units of the military, the BGS and the GSG9.
The direct sales approach was maintained happily and extended by a number of selected depot-dealers. So the watches can be viewed and purchased directly on site.
Since 1998, Lothar Schmidt also has its own housing company. Together with Dr. Ing. Ronald Boldt (formerly Head of Technology and Quality Assurance bem glass Uhrenbetrieb) and Dipl. Ing. Walter Fricker (owner of the housing Firm Fricker in Pforzheim), he founded the Saxon SUG watches Technologie GmbH in Glashütte.
Case, strap and comfort
The shape is based on the current models of the 70s and is known for example from the Omega Speedmaster Mark IV and V. For a normal leather strap the pillow form is less suitable, with a thick rubber or the optional steel band makes the 157 but a good figure.
Case and bracelet are bead-blasted to the requirements for a pilot's watch to be ge-right. The flat sapphire crystal is one-sided internally dis-reflected and embedded flat in the housing without supernatant. The handle and the screw-down crown are quite large and well protected against bumps, the back is secured with an O-ring seal. As befits a pilot's watch, the dial is deep black matt lacquered, hand and are Indice with luminous material be-inserted.
That the soil does not need glass is easy to ver-ache. First, the caliber is built anyway hardly be attractive to be-drawing, on the other hand, these are a rugged sports watch. Since a glass floor has nothing to look for. Out-addressed practically, I find that the first third is printed on the Rehaut as Pulsometer, the tachymeter scale starts from only sensible 190 km / h.
The end members of the steel band so I sanded on the inside, that they can be more ab-angles. So the band is better on the arm and is not from so unnatural that one of the few shortcomings of this model represent-sets.
Both the steel and also with the slightly fragrant vanilla, rubber band, the 157 wears very comfortable. Even when playing a sport she suppressed by avoiding sharp edges anywhere.
Operation & Readability
Thanks to the handy crown and the large oversized handle make operation a breeze. Although the switching mechanism of the 5100 calls for a bold print, the gear changes are clean and clear but to feel.
Also the locations of the pointer without problems. While it has never felt to use a particularly high quality work, all settings are but a very small game. When setting the time, the 24-scale is quite helpful, one must not only locate the switching point of the date display. Even its setting is done quickly thanks to quick adjustment via the crown. The 24-hour display can, however, not - as is often assumed - use it as a second time zone, since with the normal hour hand is fixed gekop pelt.
Extremely well is the legibility of the clock. The chronograph hands are painted red and can not be accidentally confused with the time display. Through the central 60-minute counter, the reading of the stop minutes is much simpler than the usual 30-minute auxiliary counters. The pointer is distinguished by its arrow shape of the central stop second. Pointer and Indice are covered with SuperLuminova in a particularly bright mixture, one can observe the lights sometimes even a day. The combination of internally anti-reflective glass and matt black dial makes the 157 the best-read clock in my collection.
The completeness ha LBER should also be noted that the pointers are correct in their length to their scales quickly adapted. A fact which I attach great importance always.
Work & transitional values
From the manual winding caliber 1863 automatic counterpart was formed in 1972 in 1341 in which Omega Speedmaster Mark III and IV under the name in 1040 (as a chronometer in 1041) has been used. Also Tissot used the plant in some Navigator models. This caliber had no Day of the Week and the 24-indication (for Omega reserved) concentric with the small seconds, but already had the central minute counter. In 1978, from the present caliber 5100, Omega also it was used in the Mark V as caliber 1045. Also worth mentioning would be developed by Ebel parallel caliber 1352, without 24-hour display and decentralized propagate minute counter. This excellent work is still of Ebel and - also used by Breguet and Rainer Brand - in adapted versions.
Presumably there is hardly any uglier lever movement with chronograph mechanism as the Lemania 5100 To save costs in production, it consists of pillars and stamped plates. At the factory parts hardly costly milling are necessary. In addition, the unidirectional, car must matic elevator without ball bearings require, the rotor infected with its carbide bush on a simple mandrel of the same material. The transmission system has a simple leaf spring acts as a pawl mounted on the rotor and acting on an intermediate.
The complete chronograph dial train is little which makes servicing easy on the dial side and consists mostly of plastic parts, as well as the date display and control units. Even before the fourth wheel of the plastic has not stopped. This fact also explains the small number of jewels, metal need not be protected from plastic with rubies. But the thing also has advantages: The plant weighs only 21g and can therefore tolerate up to 7G to acceleration, not surprisingly, that it is widely praised as an extremely robust.
The chronograph features, as opposed to the usual horizontal couplings (eg Valjoux, Lemania other) or the oscillating pinion controlled (eg ETA 7750), a permanent Clutch. If the Chrono stopped, engages a pair of pliers and just blocked the center wheel. The clutch slips then merrily to himself. It is often claimed, this coupling would be turned off ver-wear out and therefore you would have the chrono running quite often. Not true, the coupling is so strong that they can easily grind for 10 years without taking damage. The problem lies elsewhere: The oil in the nested pointer axes can block the long-term work, if one does not care regularly by the current Chrono for good distribution.
Actually, it is likely that 5100 already since 1998 no longer exist. The tools for the production were so worn that the Nouvelle Lemania might produce no more parts. The buyers of the caliber had also reduced the company Alain Silberstein, Fortis, Tutima, Paul Picot and meaning, so that in any case no large numbers more were expected. After this announcement, Fortis, Tutima and Sinn protested most violently, so the tools have been redesigned and the poorly produced parts by hand brought to the required tolerances. This more expensive but the caliber of former CHF 250, - first to CHF 400, - a year later to CHF 900, -. This also explains the dramatic price increase in appropriately equipped watches. Since the beginning of 2002, the production of 5100 has finally been turned-sets, are delivered only stocks.
The measured power reserve is surprisingly high, with over 50 hours.
Unfortunately, the declining quality of the tools has passed in spite of manual post-mark on the gear values. Belonged to the caliber 5100 the most accurate mechanical works, are currently five years ago with the current models, the postural deviations in the range of 12-15 s / day. In practical use, a daily process of about 8 seconds was noted.
Qualitative impression
All you can see from the outside, makes - even in the face of the still low price - an excellent impression. Of course it is, this is a rough instrument watch for inserts, so please do not ask deburred and beveled pointer. The dial is printed but very clean, set the pointer correctly and the finish of drive and tape could not be better. Not at this price, definitely. The clock makes lots of fun, partly because they properly what endures, partly because they do not look like beginners class. On the contrary, the price is often questioned and assessed the clock as much more expensive.
This fact is clearly a merit of Lothar Schmidt, I had already 157er 142er as well as from the bygone era in hand. We see the shell to just that now better components (apart from work exclusively from Germany) are used.
Conclusion
That the work not as potent as in ancient times, one can sense certainly not be blamed. Robust it is all and I have the 157er all summer never spared by really. Whether biking, hiking or in the water, it was never taken off. Despite all the hardships they simply unobtrusive and faithful works like a good dog. That is also the older times and do not remember exactly does do it, everyone likes forgive. Who lags the second, perhaps ought to hold dear for another clock out for the rest of the watch lovers it is still very, very long be there. As I'm sure.
