I have senn this PW on ebay, and I couldn't resist: the movement looked so nice & clean, and I bought it. I ahve received it right this morning, and it is a nice, large sized (almost a 16s) silver 800 PW, in (almost) working conditions. The silver hallmark is Minerva head for silver .800, so it has been made after 1836, it's a Swiss bar movement remembering a bit of Breguet style, cylinder escape. Could you kindly give me some more information about ? The anglage is not bad, but I do not think it has been made manually, so I would place it after 1880 or so.
You can see it in a page on my site
Parrod PW
Many thanks and have a nice day
Regards to all
Mario

Hi Mario

nice,no junk !

A Lepine IV movement(2 bend bridges), made in france, clean, very flat - i like it !
Lepine IV were made 1835 - 1860 (main period) some(mostly smaler sizes until the turn of the century).With no mark on the movement and an unknown case maker it is hard to give a date.
Your example shows more resemblance to Lepine III (minute wheel hold by a finger) then to Lepine V (since 1850, straight barrel bridge). The fingers have a triangular shape, not the straight and later form).With no further information like the dial, the dust cover or the case I would date the watch 1850 - 1860. The anglage looks hand made but not perfect. Unusual shape of the minute wheel bridge.

Regards,
Gerald

Mario, I agree with Gerald....it certainly is not junk...!

I'm impressed with how clean the movement is and the straight lines it has and I have always been amazed by the early swiss or french watches....more so than the newer ones....

What does the dial look like? any photos of that...?

Regards,
Jerry

Mario,

Nice clean looking LePine movement!

The best way to determine just how far the 'handmaking' of the movement went, is to take off the dial and check the pivot holes for scribe marks.

These scribed 'arcs' will have been made by a depthing tool used by the watchmaker when planting the gear train.
Much of everything else will have been machine made or finished from castings.

A particular feature of this type LePine, is they are Very thin movements.
My guess (hard to determine from the photo's) is that the movement from dial plate to highest gear cock will be under 3mm.
It's likely that the watch as a whole will be exceptionally thin!

Not seen too many of these movements actually still in their cases, Nice Find!

Best regards

John

Hi all. Thanks a lot for your answers. Please be patient a day or two, and I'll have a full gallery about this Lepine.
Gerald, you mentioned a "Type IV" Lepine: I have often read about a Type "N" Lepine, but I do not have any info about the distinction. Could you kindly give me some information about how are Lepines catalogued ?
Jerry, also the case is peculiar ... please wait a bit, it is not bad looking ...
John, you area absolutely right, depth is just 3.8 mm, while diameter is 42.7 mm. In any case, I have added a picture of the base plate side under the dial on at the address Parrod PW so that you can have a look to.
Thanks, many thanks gentlemen, IHC185 do is a nice place !
Warmest regards to all
Mario

Mario
The Lepine movements are sometimes classified in 'types' Lepine I .... Lepine V (roman numerals). I did not find a english source about this so I will try to get some pictures and will post them later.
first a short listing of the (main) time periods they were used:
Lepine I 1800 - 1825
Lepine II 1825 - 1835
Lepine III 1830 - 1840
Lepine IV 1835 - 1850
Lepine V since 1850 key wind
Lepine V since 1870 stem wind

Regards,
Gerald

Lepine I 'Lepine'

'flying' mainspring barrel hold by the dial plate
all other wheels held by separate fingers with radial orientation.

Lepine II 'demi-Breguet' (half-Breguet)

Quarter plate for the mainspring barrel
Minute wheel still hold by finger

Lepine III

Mainspring barrel hold by a bend bridge

Lepine IV

Minute wheel too under a bridge

Lepine V

Mainspring bridge straight
the bridges and fingers have lost the triangular shape and are parallel.

Gerald, I can't but say PRECIOUS JOB ! If you give me your pemission, I'll write a page on my site under your name about this. Since the text will not be excessive, I think, I'll write it both in Italian and English.
Really a precious job, many many thanks !
Warmest regards
Mario

Mario

Feel free to use this.



Regards,
Gerald

Gerald, could you kindly give a glance to the page on "Orologi da Tasca", please ?
the address is lepines
Thanks, Gerald

Regards
Mario

Well done!

Thanks, Mario

Gerald

Well done to both fellas, Gerald & Mario....Simply a superb job on both site's, IHC185 and Mario's Orologi da Tasca....

Regards,
Jerry