Posted by: georges
zaslavsky 10/17/2004,
02:29:59
Hi
I think
it is time to give tribute to the best cam operated calibers
ever built the omega 1040, 1041 and 1045 and their
derivatives the Lemania 1340 and Lemania 5100.
The omega 1040 was based on the Lemania 1340. The 1040 was
built by the engineer Raoul Henri Erard from La Chaux de
Fonds and manufactured by lemania. Invented by Marius
Meylan Piguet, its rotor mounted on ball bearings makes
object of patent 558. 556 deposed the 28 th December 1970.
Both the omega 1040 and Lemania 1340 are haute horlogerie
movements and they are both 28800bph. The main difference
between the omega 1040 and the lemania 1340 is that the
omega has 22 jewels, a 24 hours indicator placed at 9 in the
second subdial and a date at 3 hours things that the lemania
1340 hasn't the lemania 1340 is only 17 jewels. The finish
of both movements is different, one has the rose copper
finish the other a gray finish. Both have bidirectional
winding system and kif shock protection. In 1973 was
launched the first cosc chronograph caliber the 1041 it
equipped the legendary Speedmaster 125 made for celebrating
the 125 years of omega and built to 2000 examples, making of
it the first officially certified chronograph chronometer in
the world.
The production of the lemania 1340 and omega 1040 lasted
till mid 1975. Besides omega, wakmann, Sinn and tissot used
the lemania 1340.
(courtesy of herr ranft site)
In 1974, omega decided to find a replicant to the caliber
1040 because it was too costly to manufacture. A new caliber
was born the 1045 (ssih lemania 5100). It was a highly
complete caliber with day and date at 3, 24 hour indicator
at 12, centre seconds and minutes same as for 1040, 12 hour
display same a for 1040 and seconds display at 9 same as for
1040. This movement used some nylon parts which gave a
better auto lubrication. This caliber was concepted by
Albert Piguet and Louis Baumgartner from Lemania in
collaboration with Hans Kocher and Paul Marmier from the
ssih technical staff. However this movement was
characterized by a vertical clutch invented by Hugues
Bürgi and patented under n°580. 831 dating from
10th July 1973.
The 1045 powered Speedies were highly successful watches in
their time like many other 5100 powered watches like the
tourneau, hamilton, Porsche design and Heuer chronographs.
The 1045 movement stopped to fit Speedies in 1987, 1987 was
the last year of production of the 1045 where it fitted an
automatic chrono with the moon watch case. In the early
eighties early nineties the 5100 powered
forties,Sinn,eberhard and tutima chronographs.
The movement production ceased some days ago because Sinn
sold its last 142 5100 powered chronos.
The lemania company was sold to Heuer in 1984, Heuer resold
the company to Breguet in 1989. Swatch Group bought Breguet
and Lemania in 1999. The lemania 1340 now lemania 1350 was
reborn under the influence of Breguet after more than 20
years of non production. The movement is now a 25 jewels
movement and has a rhodium plated finish.
Conclusion and considerations: The lemania calibres 1340
and 5100 and their omega derivatives 1040, 1041 and 1045
represented the best cam operated self winding chronos ever
built to this day. They don't wobble, they are robust,
highly reliable,trouble free,long lasting and they are a
great investment for a lifetime chrono. My own advice would
be to have a look at chuck maddox's site in order to view
the most famous 5100, 1045, 1040 and 1340 powered
chronographs. I love my omegas. I love Rolexes.
Rolex and omega forever