UMF 52-32 (M44)

Description

In 1938, the Gebrüder Thiel GmbH in Ruhla, Germany, launched the caliber “Start”, a simple pin lever movement without jewels, which was made until the 1960ies. Its further development was the caliber “Chronos”, starting in 1950, which contained an indirectly driven center second indication and was constructed from the beginning with a balance bridge.

The last, 8th, version, which was released 1959, got the official name “UMF 44” and was made until 1963. The specimen shown here was made in the 26th week of 1962.

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The brass base plate is punched and little decorated with a dot pattern. The upper plate is beared on three pillars.

You can see the simple click mechanism, which consists only of one single piece, a punched click spring.

The construction of the UMF 44 is simple and clean: Mainspring (at “11:30”), directly driven center minute wheel, second wheel, third wheel and escapement wheel. The latter one is controled by a pin lever. The screwless ring balance, which is not shock protected is beared in two ruby-less pivot bearings under a bridge.

The indirectly driven center second hand is driven by a second gear on the second wheel.

As on all Ruhla pin lever movement, it builds very high, which makes it a bit difficult to put the escapement lever under its cock. The pro side of this construction is, that it is pretty rugged.

On the dial side, you see the height-adjustable pivot bearing at “9”, and the rocking bar winding mechanism.

In the lab

Timegrapher result

Technical data

Usage gallery

Links