# My Grandfather's Lovi watch



## alan2001 (Mar 1, 2019)

Hi folks, I hope someone out there can help!

My mother has this watch that belonged to her father. She says he received it as a gift in the 1950s, so it might be older than that. Apparently he obtained it from a friend who used to travel from Perth (Scotland) to Switzerland quite often.

I have not found a single mention of a "Lovi" watch anywhere on this forum or the wider internet, so I was wondering if anyone can tell me anything about it?

It's Swiss Made, presumably with a gold-plated case, 30mm dial, 17 jewels, "antimagnetic". Unfortunately it isn't working - the stem pulls all the way out, so it's going to need a visit to my local watchmaker. The inner case back has no markings and I can't make out any information on the movement.

I'm not expecting it to be valuable (or particularly interesting) but evidently it was well-used by my grandfather, so I'd really appreciate if anyone can shed any light on this piece.

Here are some photos:














































Thanks for reading. 

Alan


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## stdape (Mar 9, 2018)

Lovely looking watch see why he wore it. Problem with Swiss watches they made a lot of movements for companies with some with company names. Also some names are very hard to trace, as i have found myself. The movement number if present might help date, possibly located under the dial. Be worth getting fixed, and whoever does it might be able to locate the movement. But keep in Family, i love it as i am sure others will. As for stem might not be screwed down inside little screw just inside


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## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

Alan that's a cracking old chronograph, 1950's looks about right, although earlier in the decade. Not sure which movement it contains but worth getting it fixed. Can I suggest our resident watch repairer @simon2 who can be contacted at https://www.essexclockandwatchclinic.com/

Also haven't heard of LOVI as a watch brand, could be a private label made for a company or jeweller?


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## simon2 (Dec 5, 2010)

If you get stuck. I will look at it for you. Just ask.


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## alan2001 (Mar 1, 2019)

Hi folks, belated thanks for your replies.

That's a shame no-one's heard of Lovi! Oh well.



stdape said:


> Lovely looking watch see why he wore it. Problem with Swiss watches they made a lot of movements for companies with some with company names. Also some names are very hard to trace, as i have found myself. The movement number if present might help date, possibly located under the dial. Be worth getting fixed, and whoever does it might be able to locate the movement. But keep in Family, i love it as i am sure others will. As for stem might not be screwed down inside little screw just inside


 It's definitely staying in the family! My brother is actually going to be receiving this from my mum - I already got my grandad's pocket watch, which I have had serviced, and wear with pride whenever I get the chance to wear my kilt!

Thanks to Simon for the kind offer, but I have a watchmaker here in town who has done amazing work for me in the past. As a favour to my brother, I'll be taking this watch in so he can have a look and hopefully get it going again at a reasonable price. He's in his 80s and loves to get old watches going again, and I'm confident this will be an easy job for him (hopefully!)

Thanks again!


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## harryblakes7 (Oct 1, 2010)

Hi, there will be a makers mark stamped into the movement by the large balance wheel

Might be a Landeron or a Venus Chronograph movement

I have a few spares for Landeron if you get stuck

As others have said the "Swiss" makes used generic names and i too have never heard of Lovi, who makes these names up i wonder!!

Great looking watch, thanks for sharing it with us


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## alan2001 (Mar 1, 2019)

> Might be a Landeron or a Venus Chronograph movement


 Well now, I think we're getting somewhere! I just had a very close look with my new loupe, and lo and behold, there is a marking there hidden amongst the machinery.

It says "L48". So I googled that, which led me here:

Landeron 48

So thanks to you too! :biggrin:


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## harryblakes7 (Oct 1, 2010)

Ah brilliant!! :biggrin:


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## alan2001 (Mar 1, 2019)

Hello again folks,

I'm back with an update! I've just picked up the watch from my beloved local watchmaker, and it's all working perfectly again! :clap:

I said to him that I really couldn't spend more than £100 (UK pounds) on it, so he worked on it for the past week and that's what he charged me. I think I got off lightly. He knew at a glance it was a Landeron movement, and all the info I gleaned from here and the wider internet was already known to him.

My mum says she's not seen it running for at least 40 years.

Now it's time to try out a few different straps. I'm going to carefully use it for a while before grudgingly relinquishing it to its rightful owner (my brother).

Very happy. :biggrin:


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## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

Great to see an old watch brought back to life! Thanks for reporting back


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## alan2001 (Mar 1, 2019)

I'm happy to report that it's still keeping perfect time into the next day! We'll see how long that lasts.

I put on a spare strap, and I think it's transformed it into a somewhat handsome piece. Would be nicer if the strap was actual leather, of course! Might have to see about that.










I actually have another question. I know the outer ring of numbers in blue is the tachymeter (which I have now learned about). Does anyone know the point of the ring of red numbers, going from 0-20?

Thanks.


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## spinynorman (Apr 2, 2014)

It does look good on the strap. It's always good to see an old watch brought back to life, in a family that will treasure it.


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## Fitz666 (Aug 22, 2013)

Found this on Gear Patrol for the 0-20 bezel.

This is a scale used to determine the distance from the wearer to an event that can be both seen and heard. Sudden lightning storm move in while you're on your backcountry trek? Trigger the chronograph timer when you see the flash, stop it when you hear the thunder clap. See if you're safe from harm by reading the distance in miles or kilometers on the telemeter scale. The speed of sound in air is effectively a function of air temperature (we'll ignore the minor effects of humidity and altitude), so the scale is usually calibrated at a typical ambient temperature.

https://gearpatrol.com/2014/02/04/timekeeping-101-read-bezel/


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## Badman67 (Aug 12, 2018)

I believe during the war they would use this scale to determine the distance of the guns firing shells?Beautiful looking watch. Design and patina just perfect!


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## Always"watching" (Sep 21, 2013)

Dear @alan2001, thanks so much for posting that watch on the Forum for our perusal - and I do like the animation...

I have had a look through my own resources as well as checking online for references to Lovi but have (so far) drawn a blank. I do like that watch, especially those wonderful shaped hands with their elegantly thin ends - delicious. I am also very glad that you took the trouble and money to get the watch up and running; it would be a shame to see it vanish without trace - and how many Lovi watches are still out there? I agree with JoT about the date of the watch - early 1950s - and as a final note, I do hope you can find a nice aged leather strap for it.


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