Langendorf ?

Description

For cylinder movements, an identification is often not possible, and even when it has got an unusual size of 11 1/2 lignes, you won’t find a match.

The only hint might give the embossed number “13” on the balance cock bearing, which might indicate a caliber 13, but in the standard movement finders, there’s no trace of a caliber 13, unfortunately.

Technically, this movement is on par with most of the better cylinder movements, as also here all important bearings contain rubies. Together with the two cap jewels for the balance wheel bearing, you get the total of 10 Rubis.

The gear train construction is a bit odd, since the seconds wheel is neither in direct line to the stem (Lepine) nor at a 90° angle (Savonette), which means, that a decentral seconds indication is not possible on this movement.

Besides this, the gear train is standard with the directly driven center minute wheel, followed by third wheel, seconds wheel and steel escape wheel, which is beared under its own cock.

As escapement, a cylinder escapement is used, which tell us, that the movement might be dated somewhere around 1900. Its three-leg anular balance is of course not yet shock protected, and its precise frequency (probably 18000 A/h) can roughly be regulated with a long regulator arm.

On the dial side, the setting lever spring with its long hole, which covers both time setting wheels, is an indication for the Langendorf origin.

The switch between winding and time setting is realized with a pin (in the case) pushing onto the setting lever at position 3:30 o’clock.

Technical data

Usage gallery