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By Joël Pynson and Sébastien Chaulmontet.
We're all familiar with the Bovet Mono-Rattrapante chronographs that appeared in 1936 on the basis of a patent by Charles Jeanrenaud. Less well known, however, is the fact that a year earlier, in 1935, Bovet, again in collaboration with Jeanrenaud, had launched a single-pusher chronograph enabling timekeeping to be resumed. Bovet called it the “4-temps chronograph”.
1935
On a conventional single-pusher chronograph, there are only 3 beats: start, stop and reset of the chronograph hand. On the Bovet 4-temps chronograph, after the start you can pull back on the pusher, which stops the hand, but by pushing on the pusher, the hand starts again without going through the reset. An intermediate time can therefore be measured in the same way as on a 2-pusher chronograph.
Detail showing the push-button design
Bovet used 13- and 16-line Landeron movements, modified for this type of chronograph. This collaboration with Landeron was short-lived: with its Mono-Rattrapante chronograph, Bovet used a few Landeron calibers, then signed an exclusive contract with Valjoux for the famous caliber 84.
Lowenthal 4-temps chronograph. Calibre Landeron 16 lignes
Bovet 4-temps chronograph
Bovet 4-temps chronograph. Calibre Landeron 13 lignes
The expert's opinion:
These 4-stemps single-pusher chronographs are rare. They can be found mainly under the Bovet and Lowenthal names, or with an anonymous dial. With the trend towards larger watches, versions equipped with the 16-line Landeron caliber are the most coveted.
Beware of the condition of the Landeron caliber: supplies are very rare. Steel or gold cases are preferable. The Bovet Mono-Rattrapante also existed in a 4-time version, based on Landeron 16 lignes or Valjoux, under the Bovet, Lowenthal or Recta brand names.