Mar 09, 2022

Lemania's Amazing Aquastar Chronograph Watches 1970s/1980s Watches

Aquastar 1970s/1980s

The first Aquastar Regate in the 1960s had a Ferusa 4000N movement and the countdown function was limited to 5 minutes.
The standard function was changed and a new movement with a 10-minute countdown function was developed by Aquastar.
With the help of Lemania's star designer Albert Piquet (who is named as the inventor on the patent), the new Lemania caliber 1345 was born!
This new patent (CH563037, US3910362) made Aquastar the core of all subsequent regatta watch manufacturers, even with the development of colour dial models.

The new Lemania regatta caliber 1345 is derived from the 1341 movement.
Since the introduction of the new Aquastar Regate, the Lemania 1345 movement has been adopted by other brands as well.

The new patent (US version 3.910.362) filed by Aquastar is as follows:
Albert Piqué is listed as the inventor.
" The proposed countdown function includes the usual hour and minute hands, indicated at 1 and 2 respectively, a seconds hand 3 which can be reset to zero by a function described below , a dial 4 for counting the remaining minutes , and for this purpose two hemispherical, differently coloured, hands 4a and 4b , as well as five successive cuts on the dial for the countdown 6 .
The dial 4 , which shows the remaining minutes, automatically stops after execution due to the above mechanism and can return to its initial position.
The Swiss version of the patent can be downloaded here .

New 1970s Model Aquastar Regate with Lemania 1345 movement

Model : Aquastar Regatta .

Caliber: Automatic Lemania 1345 movement with regatta module
Case size: Ø 38,7 mm / H 15,6 mm.
Released in: Mid 1970s

A new version of the Lemania 1345-powered Aquastar Regate was released as a two-case model.
Furthermore, by turning the inner lid, it can be separated into three sections.

The gasket between the two cases has deteriorated over time and it is very difficult to separate them.
Be careful when working with it, as using too much force can shatter the crystal and damage the dial and hands!
Other brands such as Rohmer, Seiko, Favre-Leuba, and Heuer use the same case design, but with a non-removable back.
To remove the movement the crystal must first be removed.
Aquastar uses a standard screw-down back, so the movement can be removed normally from the back, without the need to remove the crystal first.

The back cover is engraved with a circular Aquastar logo, 'AQUASTAR - GENEVE', and the serial number.
The silver dial has a red circle above the word 'REGATE', a silver Aquastar logo, and hour markers only at the 3, 6, and 9 o'clock positions.

Whereas up until the 1960s the Regatta crown was signed 'Aquastar', in the 1970s the Aquastar star logo was placed.

As more Aquastar Regate models are sold, various bands have also begun to appear.
The 19mm Isoflane rubber seems to be the original, but there are also some that are derived from the Tropic Sport strap.
The buckle had the Aquastar star logo.

How the countdown works :

The Lemania Regatta caliber 1345, like the Felsa caliber 4000N, is the first Aquastar Regate chronograph with a recursive function.
The crown is at the 3 o'clock position and the button to start/stop the countdown is at the 2 o'clock position.
Beneath the dial are silver, red and blue indicator discs (black, red and blue for the black dial).
The dial has five round holes between 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock.
When the chrono function is activated, the five dots will turn blue and the second hand will return to the 60 position.
When you release the push button the countdown will begin and the second hand will move backwards from 60 to 0.
The indicator disk continues to move clockwise.
After 1 minute the first dot will turn red, after 5 minutes all the dots will be red.
One minute later, at 6 minutes, the first dot will be silver, and at 10 minutes, all the dots will be silver.
The indicator disc stops rotating but the seconds hand continues to move.

Movement:

Manufacturer: Lemania
Caliber: 1345.
Type: Automatic chronograph with Yacht Timer function
Size: 13,75″ Ø 31 mm.
Frequency: 28.800 A/h.
Duration: 44 hours
Jewels: 17 jewels
Impact protection system: No.

Caliber 1345 is an improved version of the Lemania 1341 movement that was integrated into the caliber as part of the Regatta.
Caliber 1341 was used in Omega and Tissot chronographs of the same period.
A comprehensive description of the Lemania Regatta Caliber 1345 can be found on Richard Askham's website here .
Technical documentation can be downloaded here and here .

Aquastar Regate with Lobster Tail Band :

A unique version of the Aquastar Regate comes in a square case combined with a metal lobster tail (or armadillo) band.

This lobster-type case back had some writing on it.
Unfortunately, the inscription must have worn off quickly, so it is extremely rare to find one that still has the original inscription. Some also have a serial number engraved on them.
Both are powered by the Lemania Caliber 134x movement.
And since Omega, Tissot, and Lemania are part of the SSIH group (see the Tissot entry here ), very similar sides were used by those brands.

The Lobster Tail Aquastar Regate is available with silver, black, and blue dials.

The silver dial version has black hour and minute hands, while the black and blue version has white hour and minute hands.
These dials feature the Aquastar star logo.
The hour scale has increased from 2 to 10 o'clock (previously it was from 3 to 9 o'clock).
All versions have an orange second hand.
The instruction discs went from blue and red to blue and orange.

variation:

I have come across Aquastar Lobster Tail on a number of occasions with the Tissot side featuring a galleon on the case back (see the Tissot entry here ).

Special editions have been produced over the years.
Below are some samples taken from the internet.

Benytone Regatta , Rodania Regatta, and Delma Regatta, they are all made in Tissot cases with silver dials.
Valgine with a black dial Regatta and Pierce Regatta are both lobster cases.

All of them have nine graduated dials and are called 'Regatta' instead of 'Regate' . It is noteworthy that it is called.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

In the 1970s Aquastar introduced the Regatta Olympic Start, which used the same Lemania 1345 movement but in a fixed case.
This case was also made by or for Lemania and must have been cheap to manufacture, but it is unclear if that was the only reason.
And once again, a similar case was used by Tissot.
The Regatta Olympic Start dial returns to three hour markings and the Aquastar star logo returns.
It was available with a silver dial with black hands or a black dial with white hands.

Aquastar Regate Olympic Start in the late 1970s

Model : Aquastar Regate Olympic Start

Caliber: Automatic Lemania 1345 movement with regatta module
Case size: Ø 39,0 mm / H 15,8 mm.
Year sold: Late 1970s

The Aquastar Olympic Start case has a round mark in the center of the back cover.
Additional text is engraved around it.

They were available with a steel (black dial) or black tropic rubber (silver dial) band.
At least these two options can be found in the brochure below.
The steel band has a three-point fold-over clasp and is engraved with the Aquastar logo.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The last automatic Aquastar Regate was launched in the 1980s as the Regatta Newport.
As before, it is equipped with the Lemania 1345 movement and uses a case from the 134.50x series that Heuer introduced in 1983 for regattas.
The collaboration with Heuer was still going strong.
Although the name has changed to Newport, the silver and black dial is the same as the Olympic start.
Although Heuer only released two models, the 134.500 and the 134.505 (see the Heuer section here ), the Aquastar appeared in at least three different versions on the brochures.
The photos below show a model with a stainless steel case with gold screws and a black dial, a model with a stainless steel case with steel screws and a silver dial, and a model with an Isoflaine rubber band, a gold bezel, and a stainless steel case with steel screws.
Other configurations were available for sale as well.

Aquastar Regate Newport, a 1980s model .

Model : Aquastar Regate Newport

Caliber: Automatic Lemania 1345 movement with regatta module
Case size: Ø 40 mm / H 15,8 mm.
Year sold: Mid 1980s.

The Aquastar Regate Newport was available with either steel band or Isoflaene rubber band models.
The Aquastar signature band is similar to the Heuer but slightly different.
It also has a foldover clasp.