Anyone who collects watches knows that there are many factors that can make a timepiece interesting. In addition to the design, this also includes the watch’s history, famous wearers and, of course, the technology inside of it. In this article, we’ll focus on the technical side of things with a list of particularly high-performance calibers. Our focus is on movements that have proven their reliability over decades. So it’s not about a hand-picked high-tech caliber à la Richard Mille, but about real workhorses that know how to please in everyday situations.
An Engine for the Crown: Rolex Caliber 3135
Hardly any other brand is as synonymous with robustness and precision as Rolex. The Swiss watch manufacturer’s caliber 3135 has played a large part in this reputation. It celebrated its premiere in 1988 and is undoubtedly one of Rolex’s most important calibers. It ticks in the Submariner Date, the Datejust 36, and the Sea-Dweller, among others. It was not until 2015 that the Geneva-based manufacturer began to gradually replace the movement with its successor, caliber 3235. But what makes the 3135 so special? Well, it is robust, precise, and low-maintenance. For example, Rolex uses red anodized components and dispenses with the usual ball bearings in the winding rotor. Instead, the manufacturer uses synthetic rubies to support the rotor axle. As a result, there are only minor signs of wear. Since around 2005, the blue Parachrom hairspring has also been used in the balance wheel, which oscillates at 28,800 vibrations per hour (A/h). The alloy is insensitive to temperature fluctuations and magnetic fields and can withstand impacts many times better than conventional materials. Although the power reserve of 48 hours is below other calibers, it is more than sufficient. The rate deviation of -/+ two seconds per day, on the other hand, is one of the best values for everyday mechanical watches.
ETA Valjoux 7750: The Standard Among Chronograph Calibers
The history of the ETA Valjoux 7750 begins in 1973, when the designer Edmond Capt developed a caliber with a stopwatch function and automatic winding for Valjoux, to meet the ever-increasing demand for chronographs. It consists of 250 components, has a cam mechanism for the chronograph function, and features a display for the day of the week and date. The result is the typical dial layout with the day-date display at 3 o’clock, the minute and hour counters at 12 and 6 o’clock respectively, and the small seconds at the 9 o’clock position. The movement’s main strength is its functionality, and it’s used by countless watch manufacturers for their chronographs. Many brands, including industry giants such as IWC and Breitling, also like to use the 7750 as a base movement and adapt it to their needs. The ETA Valjoux 7750 is probably the most widely used chronograph caliber ever and has therefore earned its place on our list.
The Lemania 5100: Robust Workhorse
Like the Valjoux 7750, the Lemania 5100 was introduced in the 1970s. Both movements were developed as inexpensive yet powerful alternatives to far more expensive in-house movements and found their way into countless watches from various manufacturers. Even their dial layout appears identical at first glance. However, if you take a closer look, you can see that the Lemania 5100 has both a central stop seconds hand and a central hand for the stop minutes. The subdial at 12 o’clock is then used as a 24-hour display. For a long time, the 5100 movement did not have an easy time among watch experts. Its rather plain appearance and the use of nylon and plastic parts earned the movement many a critical comment. However, these components were deliberately chosen in order to keep wear and tear as low as possible. Aesthetic considerations aside, however, the Lemania 5100 is a high-performing and excellently designed movement that has been used in many watch models by Omega, Sinn, Fortis, and Porsche Design. Since production was discontinued, Lemania 5100 movements have become coveted collector’s items.
The El Primero and How It Made History
The El Primero Calibre 3019 PHC is – as the name suggests – the world’s first automatic chronograph caliber. The traditional Swiss brand Zenith developed the movement together with Movado and presented it to the astonished public on January 10, 1969. Zenith thus beat the Caliber 11 from the consortium of Breitling, Heuer-Léonidas, Hamilton/Büren, and Dubois Dépraz, as well as the Caliber 6139 from Japanese watch giant Seiko, by just a few months. The El Primero has now grown into a sizeable family. Common to all movements in the series is the high rate of the balance wheel, which oscillates at 36,000 A/h. The frequency allows watches with El Primero calibers to stop times to the nearest tenth of a second. The qualities of the El Primero also made the movement interesting for other manufacturers. For example, even Rolex used the caliber for its Cosmograph Daytona at times.
Numbers Don’t Lie: Facts About the Calibers
To provide an overview, we have summarized the calibers from this article in a table with the most important data and models.
| Caliber | Balance frequency | Power reserve | Jewels | Production period | Models |
| Rolex 3135 | 28,800 | 48 | 31 | 1988 – ca. 2015 | Rolex Datejust, Rolex Submariner Date, Rolex Yacht-Master |
| Valjoux 7750 | 28,800 | 48 | 25 | Since 1973 | TAG Heuer Formula 1, Breitling Chronomat Evolution |
| Lemania 5100 | 28,800 | 48 | 17 | 1978 – ca. 2002 | SINN Spacelab 140/142 |
| El Primero Cal. 3019 PHC | 36,000 | 50 | 17 | 1969 – ca. 1987 | Zenith El Primero A384, Rolex Cosmograph Daytona |
