Excelsior Park Chronograph Watch Movement Brief

Sep 13, 2023

I love vintage chronograph watches. Although Excelsior Park vintage chronograph watches are not as commonly seen. They are on the rare and exciting side of vintage chronographs. I wanted to provide a brief overview.

Excelsior Park is a Swiss watch movement manufacturer with a rich history in producing high-quality chronograph movements. The company was founded in founded by Jules-Frederic Jeanneret in 1866. After a series of changes in ownership and acquisitions, Excelsior Park- Park was added later to appeal to English speaking market - emerged as one of the pioneers of the chronograph, registering its first patent in 1891. Excelsior Park gained a reputation for its precision and innovative chronograph calibers, which were highly sought after by watchmakers and brands.

For years, it continued building its legacy by developing its own calibers, producing chronographs for every type of sports, and providing movements for other brands such as Girard Perregaux, Gallet and Zenith, among others. In 1983, however, Excelsior Park fell victim and eventually succumbed to the deadly quartz crisis. A few watch companies tried to resuscitate the brand but to no avail. It would be long until someone would take the reins and bring forth Excelsior Park’s excellent reputation to the forefront once again.

A few years ago, Excelsior Park was deemed obsolete and is only known to extreme watch enthusiasts. Undervalued, until it resurfaces and is now one of the most coveted vintage collectible. 2020. Inspired by its glorious history, Korius - our company - secured the trademark for Excelsior Park and is now on a mission to bring back the brand to its glory days. With modern technology and innovation, we aim to present timepieces that do not only remind you of its heyday, but to let you see Excelsior Park in a brighter brand new light.

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Excelsior Park Movements Overview followed with some movement highlights:

EP 1 - 44 mm “Compteur”
- EP 11 - “Compteur-rattrapante”
EP 2 - 43 mm “Compteur”
- EP 20 - Compteur avec compteur d'heures
- EP 22 - Distance entre les deux aiguilles compteur-rattrapante
- EP 222 - Distance entre les deux aiguilles compteur-rattrapante
EP 42 - Ovoid 27.1×29.4 mm chronograph (formerly called “Excelsior Park 12/13”)
- EP 4 - 31.6 mm chronograph based on EP 42, also with “mise à l'heure de la seconde”
- EP 40 - chronograph with hour counter based on EP 4
EP 5 - 23.5 or 26 mm
- EP 51
EP 6 - 40.6 mm “Compteur-football”
EP 7 - 36 or 42 mm Rèveil
EP 15 - 42 mm chronograph
EP 16 - 42 mm, 4.5 mm
- EP 17 - 42 mm, 5 mm

Here is a brief overview of some of the notable chronograph movements produced by Excelsior Park throughout its history:

Excelsior Park 4 (EP4): Introduced in the 1930s, this was one of Excelsior Park's early successes. It was a hand-wound chronograph movement known for its reliability and accuracy.
Excelsior Park 40 (EP40): The EP40 was introduced in the 1940s and was widely used by various watchmakers. It featured a column wheel design, which is a hallmark of high-quality chronograph movements.
Excelsior Park 4CH: The 4CH was an improved version of the EP4, known for its robust construction and precise timekeeping. It was produced in the mid-20th century.
Excelsior Park Caliber 4-68: This movement was introduced in the 1960s and featured a 45-minute counter for timing sporting events. It was utilized by several prestigious Swiss watch brands.

Seen Below in a GIRARD PERREGAUX CHRONOGRAPH OLIMICO 9227 FA DIVER 39mm EXELSIOR PARK CAL. 40-68 featured a 30-minute counter and 12 hour counter. It continued to showcase Excelsior Park's commitment to precision and quality.
Excelsior Park 40-72: This movement was introduced in the 1970s and featured a 30-minute counter. It continued to showcase Excelsior Park's commitment to precision and quality.
Excelsior Park Caliber 40-120: This caliber was notable for its split-seconds (rattrapante) function, which allowed for the timing of multiple events simultaneously. It was highly regarded by collectors and enthusiasts.

Experts_Watches-Gallet-Chronograph-Excelsior_Park_40-Movement

Despite their reputation for producing high-quality chronograph movements, Excelsior Park, like many traditional Swiss movement manufacturers, faced challenges in the quartz crisis of the 1970s and 1980s. The advent of quartz technology led to a decline in the demand for mechanical movements, and Excelsior Park ceased production in the 1980s. Excelsior Park made watches with other movements as well and like the Excelsior Park Monte Carlo using Lemania 872 which is very rare. Very similar to Vacheron Constantin Chronograph Chronograph which were mostly calibre 492 (valjoux based movements) but more similar to vintage patek philippe chronograph reference 130.

Excelsior_park-Monte_Carlo

vintage patek philippe chronograph reference 130

Today, vintage watches with Excelsior Park movements are highly collectible and appreciated for their historical significance and craftsmanship. Watch enthusiasts and collectors often seek out timepieces equipped with these movements for their mechanical charm and historical value.