Please note: This Watch is on Consignment and my Consignee would prefer that the details of the Watch and the price to remain private. Therefore the Price is on application and serial numbers on the Watch have been altered to respect their wishes.
We also have this guys Younger Brother, the Lemania 5012 available from the same Consignee available: here.
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The Watch
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Issued some 10 years before the legendary Lemania 5012, the Lemania 1872 was the first dual pusher chronograph purchased for its pilots by the South African Air Force.
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The Lemania 1872 was issued to one other Air Force in the early to mid 1970's, namely, the Swedish Air Force. The Lemania 1872 reference has a direct line to the Swedish and South African Air Force. The Lemania 1872 used a case, the 817, designed by Ervin Piquerez SA (EPSA) that originated in 1968 and is commonly seen in military chronographs by Breguet, Heuer, Sinn, and most notably Lemania.
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Today's example is a South African Air Force Issued piece from 1971. These Watches are incredibly rare with purchase records showing there were a total of 630 Lemania 1872s procured by the SAAF from 1971-1976 (320 in 1971 and the balance of 310 in 1975/76).
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Information above taken with permission from our friend Matthew Taylor, you can visit his encyclopedic knowledge on South African Issued Timepieces: here
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The Specs
Age: c.1971.
Movement: Manual Wind with 30 min Chronograph and Sub Seconds.
Calibre: 1872.
Timekeeping: Very Good.
Service History: Full Serviced 2021. Fully Inspected January 2026.
Dial: Original Lemania Tritium Dial.
Case: Stainless Steel.
Measurements: without/with Crown: 40mm/44mm. End to End: 47.5mm.
Bezel: Original Aluminium Bezel.
Water Resistant?: No.
Hands: All Original.
Crystal: New Correct Style Crystal recently fitted.
Crown/Pusher: Original Crown and Pusher.
Strap/Bracelet: On a lightly worn Khaki Green Strap, with the AF numbers written on it. (Not Original.
Lug Width: 20mm with Spring Bars.
Box and Papers: No.
Getting Acquainted
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Bits that stand out:
- Incredibly Rare. 1 of 320 Issued in 71 and 1 of a total 630.
-Crisp Military Markings.
-Dial in Fantastic Condition.
- Supreme Quality Movement.
-Bezel has developed a cool Ghost look.
- It's been on the wrist of a SA Pilot in the Sky!
Nitty Gritty:
- Some marks and scratches to the Case and Bezel.
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Overall this Pilots Watch is in lovely condition.
The Dial is in fantastic condition.
Stainless Steel Case is in good order with some age related marks and scratches.
Correct Style Crystal recently fitted.
Original Crosshatch Crown and Pusher are in very good order.
The hands are all original and in good order.
The Case has Spring Bars.
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Photographed on a 7 inch Wrist.