Omega 1045 - Lemania 5100 Automatic Chronograph

[Mark]

Interesting movement from the 70's - lots of plastic. Here is was in an Omega Speedmaster cal.1045 but I have seen it in Heuer, Tissot and Fortis watches. I have taken lots of pics. Enjoy :)

Tech Specs:

Frequency: 28,800
Lift Angle: 52º

 

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[bobm12]

Amazing movement (I love it) and great pictures Mark. Thank you for showing us. Lots of plastic parts indeed. Makes me think it was not designed to last forever -- as Omega claims -- in spite of the beauty and complexity.

[Geo]

Thanks for sharing Mark, I've not seen one before.

[WillFly]

That's a new one on me as well - weird and wonderful indeed!

[autowind]

I am curious as to why they used plastic parts,  cost saving? hardly seems worth the effort,  less friction?  Longer life?   Omega watches usually cost an arm and a leg and your 1st. born child,  I would have been most upset had I bought one to find out it was a cheap and nasty plastic watch.

[canthus]

Great movement and pics. I was a design/development engr in late 60's/70's when engineering plastics (as opposed to moulding plastics ie toys!) were starting to become more available and cost effective.  We looked to replace metal parts to reduce costs or to simplify manufacturing processes.  Some of these were truly tough cookies and were tested at very high/low temps and all types of loading, but many of the good ones were difficult to machine.  They were often filled with nylon etc for greater strength.  Some performed superbly, others were useless!  No doubt omega were just being 'on trend'.

[Lawson]

Wow!  That looks like a beautiful, and delicate movement ... stuff scary dreams are made of *heh*

Thanks for sharing Mark

 

PS - Are those three pronged springs part of the cannon fiction system on this movement?

[Mark]

Wow!  That looks like a beautiful, and delicate movement ... stuff scary dreams are made of *heh*

Thanks for sharing Mark

 

PS - Are those three pronged springs part of the cannon fiction system on this movement?

 

It allows for flyback for the minute recording hand.

[colinh]

Oh. I see there are even plastic (let's call it engineering plastic or polymer or something :-( gears.

 

I actually have two of these (the watches have different straps and bezels though :-) Having a central minute counter rather than that little itty bitty counter on the ubiquitous Valjoux 7750 is nice. But I noticed recently that Fortis have switched from using the Lemania to the Valjoux...

 

I don't suppose any plastic parts needed replacing, where a metal one wouldn't have?

[omega4sure]

Omega/lemania used plastics for several reasons. Being "on trend" is one, plastics were regarded as modern and high tech in those days. To reduce costs is another, the 70s digital wave weren't kind to our trusted "analog" manufacturers. Ruggedness is another, this were the only movement that stood up to several military tests. Several defence companies used only this movement because it had exceptional shock resistance, was resonable affordable and had a direct drive to the chronograph seconds hand. Most other chronos has an intermediate wheel in the seconds drive which cause it to stop on impact, but not this 5100/1045 obviously. So there's more than meets the eye with this movement.

I'm not a fan of plastics in watches generally but with this history, I think it has more than proven it's qualities, both in buissness and war... 

For more info on the 5100 follow this link..;

http://www.woundforlife.com/2014/10/10/hall-fame-lemania-5100/