E. P. LéVitte (LeVitte) Chronograph Watch

[Thor]

E. P. LéVitte (LeVitte) Chronograph Watch

I came across this in eBay a while ago and the story is good but why would a former Zenith man not license the El Primero movement (as the description says he was partly responsible for) instead of using an ETA "Valjoux"? My guess would be it's an Asian factory trying to make their own brand name with a good story but I could be wrong. If I am right, I would expect an Asian Valjoux copy in there rather than the ETA one. Has anyone bought this and does anyone know anything about E. P. LéVitte ?

I can't find anything with searches on here or search engines on the web, apart from what it says on the ad. I've pasted the link as well as the text below and pictures from the ad.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...item=8900861597

To me it looks like a copy of the Rolex Daytona style, with the seconds at the 9 o'clock subdial.

Is the story genuine and therefore this is a real quality watch or just an Asian Valjoux copy dressed up in the Daytona style with a fancy new brand name?

==============================================================

E. P. LéVitte CHAMPIONNAT Chronograph Limited Edition Equipped with Swiss ETA Valjoux Movement

SPECIFICATIONS

This exceptional automatic two-pusher chronograph wristwatch is hand made by the well known French watchmaker in Paris, France. The workshop was founded in 1969 from Edouard Philibert Lévitte and re-launched by Collection de LéVitte in 2005.

Movement

· Made in Switzerland

· Brand New ETA Valjoux caliber 7750 self-winding automatic mechanical movement

· Diameter 30 mm; Height 8 mm

· Weight 31 g

· 25 stones made of rubies

· 28,800 vibrations per hour

· Power reserve : 48 hours

· Stop watch chronograph function (Fly Back)

· 2 pushers (1 Start/Stop, 2 Direct Reset)

· Stop function with the central second

· Small permanent second chrono at 9 o'clock

· Small recorder 30-minutes chrono at 3 o'clock

· Small recorder 12-hours chrono at 6 o'clock

Case and Dial

· Hand-made in France

· Solid 440L stainless steel case with perfect polish finish

· Ceramic black dial

· Indices in stainless steel

· Hands in stainless steel

· Back cover in stainless steel

· Scratch-proof sapphire crystal

· Screwed pushers in stainless steel

· Slip-resistant crown in stainless steel

· 3 ATM water resistant

Bracelet

· Hand-made in Switzerland

· Solid 440L stainless steel bracelet

· Rivet side protectors in stainless steel

· Safety buckle with logo in stainless steel

· 20 mm wide between lug; 16.50 cm in length

Measurement

· Case : Diameter 40 mm; with crown 43.50 mm

· Height : 15 mm

· Length (total watch and bracelet) : 20.50 cm

· Weight : 128 g

ITEMS INCLUDED

· International warranty card with chop and signature from the regional distributor

· Official invoice issued by the distributor, sent in seperate package

· Upgraded leather display box with logo

FEATURES

Limited Edition Serial Number

Perfect Timepiece for Gentlemen and Ladies

Free Gift Wrap and Greetings Card Service

36-month Guarantee

HISTORY

E. P. LéVitte, was founded in 1969 by watchmaker Edouard Philibert LéVitte and it developed into a famous French watch workshop for reliable yet affordable timepieces.

As a senior engineer of Zenith TM back in the 60’s, LéVitte sat in the steeling committee of the production of famous Zenith TM caliber 400 – the famous movement used by Rolex TM Daytona TM until the year 2000.

He had different opinion with Zenith TM and he left in June 1968. ”Wristwatch with stop watch function should be an affordable machine for every car owner, not a toy for the riches,” quoted LéVitte, on the same year he bought himself a small workshop in Lyon, France.

He reproduced the stop watch movement with his own fund, registered the brand and produced the first CHAMPIONNAT, in English CHAMPION, with caliber 2806. He made totally 225 pieces by hand in three years and were all sold out upon completion.

In 1980, his workshop was enlarged and moved to superb Paris. Around 1984, E. P. LéVitte decided to start producing instruments for the aviation industry. Two new movements were produced in 4 years, caliber 2703 for COMMANDANT, or COMMANDER in English; and caliber 1802 for PLONGEUR, or PILOT in English. 3202 and 2493 pieces were made respectively before E. P. LéVitte passed away in year 2003.

His grand son, Nicolas LéVitte, inherited the company and joined force with a large Jewelry shop in Paris in 2004. A new firm, Collection de LéVitte, took over its production and global sales of E. P. LéVitte in Spring 2005.

To maintain its exceptional quality, each style of E. P. LéVitte only produce 1,000 pieces per year. Only five regional distributors were appointed worldwide, located in USA, France, Czech Republic, Japan and Hong Kong.

You have to wonder why a guy like that would make an obvious knock off of the Daytona...

Sounds like the whole storey is BS to me, just trying to elevate a low grade knock off watch to some status so they can get the price up

I have also seen this for around the price of 200 pounds (GBP)/US$340/Can$400 (the dollar amounts are rough conversions).

This price indicates to me that it's unlikely to be a genuine ETA Swiss "Valjoux" 7750, but I'm not sure of the price of these movements, if genuine watchmakers would get it cheaper for an order of 1000 in one go etc.

I'm sure you are correct, although its quite possible they supply both for differenet markets I suppose. The one pictured appears to a Swiss one

The cheapest I've ever seen a Swiss 7750 individually is around $240us so I can't see a watch with one selling for much under $500 even allowing for quantity discounts etc

I've just noticed one the case back that they spelled this word as "Horlogerie" but I would have thought it is "Horologerie" ... any French speakers here can comfirm this ?

Also the word "Tachymetre" on the bezel does not have an accent on the first e, you'd expect a French company to be very picky about adding that.

Any one else had a look... is this a real company or a new manufactured brand?

It is not difficult to buy the rights to an old, defunct company - then relaunch the brand, using products manufacured in China.

It is what I do in my day-job.

Happy timekeeping!

Clive

You may be right there, I hadn't thought of that possibility!

The 500 pound ones say they use a Swiss Valjoux which is possible.

The present renaissance of Panerai seems to be with Richemont's marketing strategy. There is another brand that was bought (I can't remember which) that then used the marketing that they have never used quartz and never will, or something similar.

I looked at these watches w/ Ziggy a few months ago. The advertizing is a little misleading, but the 21,600 bpm shows up from time to time in the description and this indicates an Asian 7750 movt. He said the movt looked Asian. If it were truly a 28,800 bpm movt, maybe the Asians have come out w/ a better 7750 copy, but the typical Asian 7750 is 21,600 bpm.

I have seen one of these watches on the bay w/ a swiss designation and the starting price was up in the $750-900 range indicating a true Swiss Valjoux movt. You just can't put a true Valjoux 7750 in a watch for

$350.

This one:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/E-P-LeVitte-Chronogr...1QQcmdZViewItem

has the new 28,800bph Asian 7750 in it. That's going by the photos, not the description.

Instead of E. P. LéVitte (LeVitte) Chronograph Watch

It should be called:

Eviter Chronograph Watch :cool: :laugh: :cool:

It's all BS to me, that movement is an asian 7750 copy...

The story is a nice fairy tale with some fancy words and names thrown in to make it sound real...kind of like the Boston Bluefish vs Polack stuff (re-name Polack as Boston Blue fish and sell it to the masses...).

Wonder if Bernie Ecklestone knows they are using his F1 pictures for advertizing...Bernie doesnt' take kindly to that stuff...

RG

Bernie Ecclestone keeps an iron grip around Formula 1... if he ever finds out....

Havent heard of the Boston Bluefish thing... a fish? I'll look it up sometime.

Thanks to all for the replies on this thread, at one point I almost got it a while back, but something stopped me. As they say, when it's too good to be true, it really is too good to be true.

Speaking of which, is an Zenith Rainbow El Primero worth US$1500 second hand? And a Zenith Eprevier (El Primero 31 jewel calibre 400 movement) from 1990 worth US$1100 on the second hand market?

Does anyone know why Silixwatch has "Click and buy" on his site and others don't. And yes, I have searched for this answer. :sleep:

Because they want to and other don't. :happy:

If by "others" you are referring to Joshua, TTK, EL< River, etc. That would be because it is a different type of site. Silix is a storefront style site and the other dealers use a photo album.

It is asian for sure and a way to sell daytona reps legally...

Have you read the votings??

I quote:

"Is not OK !!! The Watch is from Hong Kong , not from France ! Very [censored] !!!!

Buyer carlos-66 15-Feb-06 19:25 5072329235

Reply by la-collection-de-levitte: Item was sent from our regional distributor in Hong Kong, unreasonable claim.

montre défectueuse, garantie illusoire, demande de remboursement: pas de réponse

Buyer georges39_fr ( 12Feedback score is 10 to 49) 15-Feb-06 11:38 5068753178

Reply by la-collection-de-levitte: Responsed 3 times!! Offered replacement, no feedback!!

the movment is not in order ,a spring is loose .

Buyer snuffel0_4 ( 8 ) 09-Feb-06 16:13 5068224530

Reply by la-collection-de-levitte: Always offer replacement if watch is defective; no report is received before.

Neutral feedback rating Watch from Hong Kong. Not convinced it is as described. Seller will refund it.

Buyer paddy_orr ( 18Feedback score is 10 to 49) "

You're right, forgot about the feedback. I doubt any of the other "regional" centres are shipping apart from the one in Hong Kong... if it's like the reps, they probably get replaced easily too!

If I HAD gone for it, I would have insisted on it being shipped from Paris, simply to reduce import duty as my excuse... I wonder how that would have gone... I don't really care to find out :comp2:

You can get Gen watches with Swiss 7750 movements in the $500 range(Accutron, Hamilton). Why bother with this company?