My little beauty "Meylan" chronograph movement arrived,sold on eBay as not knowing if it worked or not,it arrived,I wound it up ,and it runs like a race horse,with great balance action, quite fitting really,as the trademark is two horses racing,

pic 2

pic 3

pic 4

pic 5

Which "Meylan" firm made this. I seriously doubt it was C.H.Meylan.

Hi Ethan; I know very little and I am going by what Gerald said to me, as below --

"
I'd just want to update with some new information about the chronograph

I did some research in the back of IHC with Tom Brown and at the swiss PocketWatch forum without uncovering this auction; It is yours!
There are a lot of fine watches out there this days and if someone spots one special it is just fair not to counter or wake up other hunters!

I don't know what your preferences are so I can hardly give some advice.

The watch we are discussing is very likely an early Meylan Chronograph ca 1890

Charles Henry Meylan was a famous watchmaker in america and switzerland.
He emigrated to the states 1871
He started in america and one of the two patents (Apr 1878) seems to be US 202 141
This patent is on a resetable Chronograph mechanism so the watch is very likely a chronograph and not only a hackable centre seconds like it looks. sure it is not a very complicated one it has no minute register but it is more than it looks like.
Meylan was junior partner of the traders we already ID
He went to switzerland in 1880 and started his manufacture at Brassus but during all his live he had strong connections to the states. He has some more patents on complicated watch mechanisms and worked for the American Waltham Watch Co on repeating watches.
you can see this seems to be a very interesting movement. The prize will go a bit higher (I estimate $ 100) but with the background information it will sell higher.
If you stay on it and if you win I would like to get some pictures with the dial removed.

Good luck

Gerald "

Tom

Thanks for the link!

The watch is a 'doctor's watch' or a 'centre seconds watch' with a hack (stop) mechanism.
The label 'The Judge' was trademark of " Mathey Brothers , Mathez & Co" New York; Importers of high quality swiss watches ~1890. They were at those times sole agents in the US for the houses of Matile, Badollet and Meylan.

Gerald

I have about three dozen C.H. Meylans, including an early one numbered 37. No two C.H. Meylans seem to be exactly alike, but I never have seen one like The Judge, nor any with a fanciful name like that. I have attached a photo of my C.H. Meylan No. 37 and I will post a photo of my C.H. Meylan rattrapante. I see no resemblance between them and your watch. Your movement is and interesting one, but I remain skeptical that it is a C.H. Meylan.

Rattrapante

Okay here is my part of the story:

'The judge' was a trademark of 'Mathey Brothers, Mathez & Co', New York.
Wiht help of Tom Brown I found that they were traders and importers of Swiss watches from 1833 until 1915/16.

I think the 'Co' was Charles Henri Meylan

Then I found this picture: looks like a variation of the same micro - regulator

Edit: picture removed

Tom's movement has some patent information:

In april 1878 there is a patent from Charles Meylan for a chronograph flyback mechanism under the dial of a 'centre seconds' watch:

US pat 202041

Pritchard confirms that Mathey (a) "had close relations with The C. H. Meylan Watch Co.", and (b) that it imported "the Judge." But that does not mean that the Judge is a C.H. Meylan.

Pritchard states that "Many swiss watches were imported by [Mathey] during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Besides C.H. Meylan, Trade Marks show them with H. L. Matile, Omega, Greitling-Laedrich . . . D. Ducommum and others that appear to be brand names -- The Judge . . . ." Emphasis added. Hence, Pritchard states that The Judge is a brand other than C.H. Meylan.

The fact that C.H. Meylan used a Wilmot regulator, does not mean that other watches with Wilmot regulators are by C.H. Meylan. I have Aggasiz, Longines, and Patek Philippe pocket watches with WIlmot's in my collection. C.H. Meylan only rarely used Wilmot regulators, as far as I know. The example Gerald posted is a photo I took of a C.H. Meylan in my collection, the only C.H. Meylan I have ever seen with a Wilmot regulator (or a 3/4 plate movement for that matter).

As for the patent, the facility that Gerald and others have to find patent information is amazing. That the Judge might have used a C.H. Meylan patent does not mean that C.H. Meylan made the Judge. Pritchard reports that Charles Meylan assigned a number of his patents to Mathey. The rattrapante in my collection has an 1880 patent marking, suggesting that Meylan might have discontinued his own use of the 1878 patent in favor of a newer patented improvement.

I remain skeptical that the Judge was made by C.H. Meylan.

Gerald and Ethan; thank you both for your insights into the magical world of horology. My only observation is that the model name "The Judge" is not at all fanciful,but when combined with the race track with two horses racing in the trademark,is clearly a purpose built watch for timing horse races ! As for Pritchard,he states that makes A,B,C,and D,as well as trademarked or branded watches were part of the stock and trade of the company. To my knowledge,no-where does he state that the "The Judge" was NOT made by C.H.Meylan,a minor detail perhaps ,or perhaps the detail that matters most!! thank you both sincerely. How very,very interesting our joy in antique timepieces is,whether we are rich or poor, we have the same reverence for the builders of the timepieces , and love for the fruits of their labor and a passionate interest in learning all we can about the pieces we possess albeit so very temporarily ,LOL,!!! Tom

Tom:

Meylan or not your movement is still a fascinating one. As I wrote in one of my mails only the fair-play prevented that I went into biding.

Ehan:

Sorry that I unintentional used one of your pictures to explain. I changed this post and removed the picture.

To avoid any disagreement I would propose to name this movement as a swiss made, unknown maker with the an early Meylan patent ?

The future may show who made 'The Judge'

Regards,
Gerald

Gerald, please fill free to use that photo or any others of mine. Some folks seem to care about others using their photos, but I am not one of them.