Wakmann Incabloc Historic Chronograph, Ref. 1315.30.74, Steel Wristwatch 1970's Excellent

Wakmann Incabloc Chronograph, a rare historic vintage chronograph 

REF: 1315.30.74

Movement: manual winding, 17 jewels, in working order 

Case: stainless steel, 39mm , Black Dial

Bracelet: new leather band

Condition: excellent for its age

Year: ca 1970'

The Wakmann Incabloc Chronograph Ref. 1315.30.74 is a rare and highly collectible timepiece dating from the late 1960s to early 1970s, a golden era of mechanical chronograph innovation.

The History of Wakmann: Between America, Switzerland, and Aviation

Founded in 1946 in New York, Wakmann Watch Company played a unique role in horological history. Originally a distributor of prestigious Swiss brands, Wakmann quickly became a key partner of Breitling, importing and co-producing aviation instruments and wristwatches for the American market.

During the post-war boom, Wakmann supplied cockpit clocks and precision instruments to both military and civil aviation, embedding the brand in the legendary world of pilots and navigation.

At the same time, Wakmann developed its own watches—often assembled in the U.S. using high-quality Swiss components—resulting in timepieces that are today considered historical bridges between American industry and Swiss watchmaking excellence.

 A Complicated and Refined Chronograph

The Ref. 1315.30.74 belongs to Wakmann’s most important and sophisticated line of chronographs:

Triple calendar complication (day, date, month)

Manual-winding movement (17 jewels)

Often powered by prestigious Swiss calibres such as Valjoux chronograph movements, renowned for their reliability and precision

Incabloc shock protection, a mark of technical quality and durability

Classic 39 mm stainless steel case, considered “jumbo” for its time

These features made such watches technically advanced and highly desirable in their era—and still today among collectors.

Design: A Legendary Vintage Aesthetic

The watch typically features:

A balanced multi-register chronograph dial

Day and month apertures with a pointer date

Clean, highly legible layout inspired by aviation instruments

Elegant proportions, combining tool-watch functionality with refined design

This combination gives the watch a mythical vintage appeal, often compared to period Breitling chronographs, due to their shared heritage and technical similarities.

A Rare and Collectible Piece

Today, the Wakmann Ref. 1315.30.74 is considered:

A rare surviving example of complex 1960s–70s chronograph engineering

A historical witness to the golden age of mechanical watches before the quartz crisis

An important collector’s piece

✅ Authenticity Guaranteed — Certified by Swiss experts

✅ Trusted Provenance

✅ Secure and encrypted payments with our leading Swiss partner Worldline