1940s Petite Chronograph

A petite Chase Watch Corp. chronograph in Staybrite steel, crafted during the 1940s. Charming in both size and character, it houses the remarkably compact Valjoux 69 manual-wind chronograph movement, a caliber seldom encountered today. The inner case back is signed “Chase Watch Corp., Swiss, Staybrite.”

The 26.5 mm case is fitted with an oversized notched crown and petite chronograph pushers. The dial has developed some patina over the decades and features Arabic numerals partially overlapped by the running seconds and 30-minute recorder registers, while an outer tachymeter scale is framed by a detailed minute track.

Fitted with a new army green canvas strap, the watch is also accompanied by a vintage adjustable stainless steel expanding bracelet, allowing for two very different looks. A delightful example of a compact chronograph from an era when even complicated watches were built with restraint and practicality in mind.