Dodane movement - watches ?

[Neverenoughwatches]

Hi all, morning GB.  I've just been sorting through a shed load of watch stems that i bought from ebay a few weeks ago ( confined to home with the covid watchamathingy ).  The seller haphazardly packaged them and a lot of the labled stem containers had come open. So I now have a jumbled mess of stems with a vague idea as to what movement and calibre they fit. The positive side to that is that i have learned to accurately measure and identity watch stems easily and quickly with the aid of a stem database. Even with no clue as to the stem's intended brand and calibre. But i have come across some labled dodane still intact in the boxes. These are not showing up on any database. The only info i have found is that they were and still are a french company specialising in aviation watches and instrumentation, namely type 11 , 21 and 23. These are using Valjoux movement's 22 222 and 223. The stem measurements do not seem to match up though. The stems i have are labled dodane rd 344 in two different lignes and dodane 2780 or 8 in 10.5 ligne. Any ideas as to dodane movements or if dodane actually made movements. Thank you in advance for any help.

[Paul80]

Hi.

Is the stem database on line or in a book, if on line any chance you could post a link.

Thanks

Paul

 

[grsnovi]

1 hour ago, Paul80 said:

Is the stem database on line or in a book, if on line any chance you could post a link

There are seventeen pages of stems in the Bestfit#111 catalogue including the #200 system and the #360 system.

Some of the vendors provide access to it. You can purchase access here:

https://www.esslinger.com/matsys-online-from-bestfit-lifetime-membership-watch-parts-lookup-software/

I paid less than that for the hardcopy books.

[Neverenoughwatches]

2 hours ago, Paul80 said:

Hi.

Is the stem database on line or in a book, if on line any chance you could post a link.

Thanks

Paul

 

Hi paul . No problem matey, ive actually had it ages and forgot about it. Not really a database as such but a vendor with an extensive list of stem and staff parts. It is windingstems.com. please let me know what you think when you have had a look matey.

1 hour ago, grsnovi said:

There are seventeen pages of stems in the Bestfit#111 catalogue including the #200 system and the #360 system.

Some of the vendors provide access to it. You can purchase access here:

https://www.esslinger.com/matsys-online-from-bestfit-lifetime-membership-watch-parts-lookup-software/

I paid less than that for the hardcopy books.

I couldnt find it in the bestfit catalog i have, maybe missed it somehow. 

[grsnovi]

17 minutes ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

I couldnt find it in the bestfit catalog i have

Couldn't find what? The stems material runs from page 469 to page 483 in part 1 of the 1998 printed book and a bit on page 765 in the part 2 book of the same year.

I'm assuming that you couldn't find the Dodane? Me either...

In any case, my reply was primarily in answer to Paul's question about a database.

Interestingly they have a FB page here which has a link to their main web page here. Maybe contacting them directly would give you some better info?

Edited July 16, 2022 by grsnovi
added links

[Neverenoughwatches]

15 minutes ago, grsnovi said:

Couldn't find what? The stems material runs from page 469 to page 483 in part 1 of the 1998 printed book and a bit on page 765 in the part 2 book of the same year.

I'm assuming that you couldn't find the Dodane? Me either...

In any case, my reply was primarily in answer to Paul's question about a database.

Interestingly they have a FB page here which has a link to their main web page here. Maybe contacting them directly would give you some better info?

Thanks for the reply G. Ive looked through both books. Unless I'm missing something the bestfit only gives part numbers and the lingeage of the part. I was meaning the specific 6 dimension sizes of a watch stem. 

[grsnovi]

You're right Rich, Bestfit does only provide part #'s but I didn't find anything in those p/n's re: to Dodane. In the FB and dodane1857.fr page I thought I saw a reference to their being referenced as FR which going back to the stems pages, I didn't see there either.

This being the only reference in Ranfft: http://www.ranfft.de/cgi-bin/bidfun-db.cgi?10&ranfft&2&2uswk&Orator_17_5

Just in Sherlock mode this afternoon.

Edited July 16, 2022 by grsnovi
added Ranfft link

[Neverenoughwatches]

33 minutes ago, grsnovi said:

You're right Rich, Bestfit does only provide part #'s but I didn't find anything in those p/n's re: to Dodane. In the FB and dodane1857.fr page I thought I saw a reference to their being referenced as FR which going back to the stems pages, I didn't see there either.

This being the only reference in Ranfft: http://www.ranfft.de/cgi-bin/bidfun-db.cgi?10&ranfft&2&2uswk&Orator_17_5

Just in Sherlock mode this afternoon.

Yes G thats all could find on ranfft. I have found some reference to dodane using valjoux movements in their flagship pilot watches. Ive spent all day sizing watch stems, great fun when you have a banging headache from covid. Lol . I really appreciate you looking G something will come up. I cant find dodane listed  anywhere as a recent manufacturer only a brand. I may have a load of watch stems for some highend rare watches, that would be nice. 

[Neverenoughwatches]

2 hours ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

Yes G thats all could find on ranfft. I have found some reference to dodane using valjoux movements in their flagship pilot watches. Ive spent all day sizing watch stems, great fun when you have a banging headache from covid. Lol . I really appreciate you looking G something will come up. I cant find dodane listed  anywhere as a recent manufacturer only a brand. I may have a load of watch stems for some highend rare watches, that would be nice. 

So after some very early morning googling i think ive almost nailed my Dodane watchstems identification. It doesn't point me to exact movement or calibre but i can maybe get that from sizing. But i think i know the watches that they belong to.  In 1980 the well renowned Ray mellor once chairman and president of the RHI, owner of the Cabot watch Company CWC , supplier of military watches and a strong naval connection man. Amongst a whole array of other accolades, approached Dodane to manufacture a movement for British military divers watches to which he would insert in his WCW watches. The order was for a batch of 100 watches only and then switched another supplier for whatever reason.  The stems i have say Dodane 344. But also what i thought was two letters, is actually 3 letters R N D. The N was faded but is still visible. Royal Navy Diver.  It seems i have a box full, now i know why the box was full of stems, for what was a very short order of 100 divers watches supplied by CWC to the British Royal Navy .You dont get much rarer than that. Unfortunately out 100 watches there is unlikely to be many surviving if so then super rare.  100s of stems to fit an extinct watch  hence very little info or database listings. Possibly from an associate watchmaker of Mellor of his estate as the stems came from London. I'll keep doing the lottery and if anyone has a CWC diver with a Dodane movement inside, you know where who has a stem to fit it if you need one. 

Edited July 17, 2022 by Neverenoughwatches

[Marc]

13 hours ago, Paul80 said:

if on line any chance you could post a link

https://www.windingstems.com/product.php

 

[Neverenoughwatches]

4 hours ago, Marc said:

https://www.windingstems.com/product.php

 

Very handy marc isn't it. Ive been using it for almost 2 days solid