Memosail Regatta Timer

Overall Condition: Very good condition overall. Case and bracelet show light signs of wear. Dial and matching handset show even patination. Acrylic crystal has light scuffing.

Purpose-built watches have captured the minds and hearts of collectors for decades.

Many have found an enduring place in the pantheon of classic designs even though they might not still be used for their intended purpose. Like field watches and divers, regatta timers are a fascinating subset of timepieces that have transcended the purpose for which they were designed, finding a place on the wrists of collectors who appreciate the quirkiness of their construction.

From the 1960s to the 1980s, brands such as Rolex, Heuer, Breitling/Wakmann and Lemania all produced their own versions of these unusual watches, which were used onboard yachts to time the countdown to the start of a yachting race. This complication stems from the unique challenges associated with racing on water. Unlike during race on dry ground, in a regatta, boats are unable to start a race from a dead stop — short of anchoring, there's no way for them to be perfectly still. At the start of a regatta, yachts are jockeying for position behind a starting buoy for 10 minutes before the starting gun goes off, when a countdown begins and the competing vessels launch past the start line 10 minutes later.

This watch, the Memosail, was the answer to the popular Felsa regatta timer movement found in watches retailed by Aquastar. It's powered by a modified, manually-wound Valjoux Calibre 7733, a popular base caliber found in many chronographs of the time. The particular variation contained in this watch, known as a Valjoux 7737, features a rotating disc viewed through a partially open dial that digitally counts down 10 minutes, reading “START” when the countdown is complete.

The Memosail regatta timer used three different cases. The first, produced from 1972 to 1975, was a round chrome-plated case. The second and third versions featured a square case, and only the latest versions featured a solid stainless steel case. All three case designs featured a stainless steel case back, a material proven to be resistant to the sweat and seawater that it would be exposed to in the sport.

Most chrome-case Memosail Regatta Timers found today are in fairly rough condition, making this particular example in stainless steel a wonderful discovery. It’s a stunningly well-preserved example, practically untouched with crisp bevels, and a flawless dial. It even comes with its original bracelet, signed by Memosail on the clasp, as well as its inner box and instruction booklet.

Housed in a 43mm tonneau-shaped case with wide, brushed bevels, dual integrated pump pushers, an unsigned crown, and an acrylic crystal, it features a multi-part dial with an outer blue timing bezel with luminous tritium plots and white 'Arabic' indices; an inner silvered section with applied indices and 10-minute countdown aperture with yellow rotating countdown disc; and a luminous 'baton' handset with a bright orange central seconds hand.

Whether you're skippering a yacht or watching from the safety of the pier, cocktail firmly in hand, this nifty regatta timer is sure to bring some serious fun to your summer!