UNION Ancre | Arteepee's Watch Collection

UNION Ancre Rallygraf Formica (1973)

Ref. 94.127G | Calibre Valjoux 7734 hand winding | Diameter 39mm

A super rare version of the Yema Rallygraf Formica. We all know that Yema watches can be found under different brand names such as Le Jour, Eisenhardt, Cardinal etc. but this is the first one I have came across branded UNION ancre.

Yet it is unmistakenly the Yema Rallygraf Formica which was introduced to the public in 1973. Same movement, same case including the Yema caseback engravings and off course same dial configuration, hands and bakelite bezel.

Formica dashboards were a characteristic element in cars back in the sixties as this photo of the dashboard of the Renault Alpine shows.

Yema and UNION Ancre: Mystery solved!

According to Mikrolisk, the watch name and logo database, the brand UNION Ancre belonged to a Dutch Amsterdam based tradehouse named Henri Julien NV. As the catalog you see on the right shows they offered stopwatches and chronographs. They bought complete watches in France and Germany and put their brand name on it.

Another example of UNION Ancre Yema.

UNION Ancre shockproof Jump Hour

My second UNION Ancre watch in my collection and my first jump hour watch. Powered bij the French Ebauche Cupillard 233-69A movement. I especially like the blue and red accents of the hours and minutes section.

Knowing that UNION Ancre imported their watches from other manufacturers, I am dying to know what the original brand of this watch is. So far I only came across a similar watch branded Ancre Incabloc, so I guess this time it is not a Yema watch.

Edit: officially the Union Ancre above seems to be a roulation watch and not a jump hour, because the hour markers change gradually through the rotating hour disc.

UNION Ancre Diver (70's)

Came across a nice UNION Ancre diver from the seventies. Powered by a FE 233-69 manual wind movement so it's a French watch. Just love the sturdy look of the case and bezel combined with stylish details of the racing stripes minute track, the square small seconds and the rectangular shape of the dat window at 3 o'clock.

It measures 35mm in diameter (excl. crown), has a lug to lug of 41mm and is 14mm thick so it has a great wrist presence for a smaller watch. A nice addition to the AUAC, Arteepee's UNION Ancre Collection.

UNION Ancre Parking Meter 60M (1968)

Klik hier voor een schitterende UNION Ancre met een speaciale feature.

Henri Julien NV Amsterdam

In 1843 the Henri Jullien trade house in pendules and pocket watches was founded in Amsterdam. A tableau on a wall of a street in Amsterdam is still a witness of this part of history..

They used the brand UNION Ancre to sell the clocks and watches they imported and were supplier to the Royals in the early years.

Similar Jump Hour?

This Ancre Jump Hour looks a lot like my Union Ancre piece. The case is slightly different and the dial misses the vertical white band. However, I am sure it came from the same jump hour manufacturer. But which?

France Ebauches Cupillard 233

The French Cupillard handwound movement was part of the France Ebauches movements and was used by many watch brands in the late sixties and the seventies.

FE 233-69 (date)

The Cupillard calibre 233 is a 15 jewels movement with sub seconds at six. Besides the date version (233-69), there is also the regular (233-68) calibre and the day-date (233-70).