Observations & Trivia

See also Retailers

Based on my analysis of this database and my research, I have reached the following tentative conclusions about C.H. Meylan’s pocket, pendent, and purse watch production.  These conclusions are almost certain to change as more watches are added to this database.

  • Years in Business:From 1880 (1878 and 1888 according to some sources) to C.H. Meylan’s death on October 13, 1916, and beyond.  It is not clear when C.H. Meylan ceased production, but this was almost certainly by 1950.
  • Were all Watches Given Serial NumbersYes, with a few exceptions.
  • Serial Number Range:0 – approx. 56,000.  The only higher number watches in this database are a handful of private label watches in the 59,XXX and 85,XXX, some of which might not be by C.H. Meylan, and one signed C.H. Meylan #98,896.
  • Significant Gaps in Serial Number Range:There are many significant serial number gaps, as follows
    • 44-1,378 (Approx. 1,300 serial numbers)
    • 11,717-12,267 (Approx. 500 serial numbers)
    • 29,935-30,456 (Approx. 500 serial numbers)
    • 30,659-31,396 (Approx. 800 serial numbers)
    • 41,776-42,490 (Approx. 800 serial numbers)
    • 45,087-47,521 (Approx. 2,400 serial numbers)
    • 48,322-49,321 (Approx. 1,000 serial numbers)
    • 9,400-51,603 (Approx. 1,200 serial numbers)
    • 51,605-53,729 (Approx. 2,100 serial numbers)
    • 55,569-57,654 (Approx. 2,100 serial numbers)
    • 57,656-59,574 (Approx. 2,000 serial numbers)
    • 59,575-64,847 (Approx. 5,300 serial numbers)
    • 64,849-68,550 (Approx. 3,700 serial numbers)
    • 68,552-85,051 (Approx. 16,500 serial numbers)
    • 85,053-85,552 (Approx. 500 serial numbers)
    • 85,814-98-895 (Approx. 13,000 serial numbers)
  • Number Made:Probably 40,000- 50,000.  To back test this conclusions, I subtracted from 56,000 (beyond which only a few watches were made) the approximate 13,700 serial numbers in the gaps below 55,569.  The result, 42,300, is in line with my 40,000-50,000 estimate.
  • Were Serial Numbers Issued Chronologically:No. 
    • For example, some very late-looking identical 3-adjustment Cressarrow PLs have serial numbers in two widely separated ranges, 3,847-4,175 and also, e.g., 36,674-36,956.
    • Most of the watches with serial numbers in the 0-7,700 range are complicated watches.Nearly all the minute repeaters are in that range.It seems unlikely that Meylan started out producing mainly complicated watches and then nearly completely discontinued their production early on.
    • It is not safe to assume that inscriptions accurately reflect when movements were made, e.g., because watches might have taken years to sell, as the following show:
      • 4,145 has an 1894 inscription
      • 4,853 has an 1895 inscription
      • 5,376 has a 1901 inscription
      • 5,447 has a 1903 inscription
      • 5,741 has a 1908 inscription
      • 5,915 has a 1918 inscription
      • 6,586 has a 1929 inscription
      • 6,768 has a 1903 inscription
      • 7,528 has a 1907 inscription
      • 9,997 has an 1899 inscription
      • 10,288 has an 1897 inscription
      • 12,779 has a 1908 inscription
      • 12,856 has a 1906 inscription
      • 12,895 has a 1935 inscription
      • 14,586 has a 1917 inscription
      • 15,481 has a 1903 inscription
      • 15,810 has a 1903 inscription
      • 23,949 has a 1912 inscription
      • 22,036 has a 1910 inscription
      • 24,977 has an 1890 inscription
      • 29,684 has a 1921 inscription
      • 31,402 has a 1918 inscription
      • 32,525 has a 1933 inscription
      • 34,956 has an 1886 inscription
      • 36,028 has a 1924 inscription
      • 37,668 has a 1932 inscription
      • 41,322? has a 1940 inscription
      • 41,522 has a 1940 inscription
      • 41,562 has a 1929 inscription
      • 64,848 has a 1943 inscription

Another way of looking at serial numbers is in inscription year order, but again this shows little evidence that serial numbers were issued chronologically.

 

Inscription Year

Watch Serial Number

Type

1886

34,956

3/4

1890

24,977

C2

1894

4,145

3

1895

4,853

C2

1897

10,288

C2

1899

9,997

D2

1901

5,376

6

1903

5,447

6

1903

6,768

5

1903

15,481

D3

1903

15,810

C2

1906

12,856

C2

1907

7,528

CR1

1908

5,741

6A

1908

12,779

C2

1910

22,036

C2

1912

21,949

C2

1917

14,586

B

1918

5,915

13

1918

31,402

F

1921

29,684

F

1924

36,028

D3A

1929

6,586

3

1929

41,562

D3A

1932

37,688

D3A

1933

32,525

D3

1935

12,895

D3A

1940

41,322?

D3A

1940

41,522

D3A

1943

64,848

F

 

The only types for which there are multiple inscription years have these year ranges:

  • 3 – 1894-1929
  • C2 -- 1890-1912
  • 6 – 1901-1903
  • D3 -- 1903-1933
  • F – 1928-1943
  • D3A – 1924-1940

From this one could speculate that those types of movement first were made at or before the earliest inscription year, but that speculation could be shown wrong if a new example with an earlier inscription year turns up.  One couldn’t conclude anything from the latest inscription year, because the watch could have been made much earlier. 

  • Were Watches With Nearby Serial Numbers the Same?Only sometimes.
  • Were Wristwatch Movements in the Pocket Watch Serial Number Range?Apparently they were, e.g., ## 7,218, 8,100, and 43,358.
  • Number of Duplicate Serial Numbers:I haven’t noted any.  That said, if there were duplicate numbers on two watches of the same type, I might not have realized that there was a duplicate number; I might have thought I was just seeing a previously seen watch again.
  • Trademark Symbol:Meylan probably didn’t have one.  Meylan signed, or signed and finished, ¾ plate movements that J.J. Badollet almost certainly made.  These movements have a left facing rampant lion.  Although some ascribe this symbol to C.H. Meylan, it almost certainly was J.J. Badollet’s trademark symbol.  Because of the uncertainty surrounding these ¾ plate movements, I have included private label ¾ plate movements in the database, but italicized them to show that I am unsure they are by C.H. Meylan.  I did not italicize Meylan-signed examples because they were signed by Meylan even though I believe them to have largely or completely been Badollet products.
  • Were Meylans Cased by Meylan?Generaly not.  Meylans in Meylan-signed cases are uncommon.
  • What Kind of Hands did Meylan Use?Based on my own collection, a variety of fine spade or spade and whip hands and a variety of fancy Louis XIV-XVI hands were the most commonly used, followed by Breguet hands and split closed diamond hands.
  • The U.S. was a significant market for Meylan, perhaps his largest market, as evidenced by the high percentage of U.S.-cased Meylans.
  • Ladies Watches:Not very many were made, but they often were spectacular.  A few had wolves tooth winding gears.  Very few Meylans had such gears them.
  • Purse Watches:  Very few were made, but they often were spectacular.  All are in rectangular cases probably made by Cress Arrow.  The top lid slides back, allowing the movement to pop up to a 45 degree angle.
  • Time-Only Movements:They mainly are in the 8,000 or higher serial number range.  There were two types:
    • ¾ plate movements, e.g., 34,984, almost all of which have cam-type regulators.These movements or their ebauches almost certainly were made by J.J. Badollet.There doesn’t seem to be any reliable way of distinguishing “Meylan” ¾ plate movements from Badollet ¾ plate movements absent a signature.Unfortunately, most ¾ plate movements were private labels. I have italicized all time-only ¾ plate movements that are not signed by Meylan because I think they were made by Badollet, not Meylan.

 

  • bridge movements, of which there are a wide range of types, most of which were made with varying levels of jewels, e.g., 17, 19, 21, adjusments, or finish,
  • Quality Designations:The hierarchy appears to have been
    • No designation or only the jewel count
    • Various “adjusted” designations
      • Adjusted or X Adjustments. These are very common.
      • X, e.g., 6, Adjustments.   These are very common.
      • .  I have seen this only on Benedict Brothers PL. I think this designation may be the retailer’s designation, not a higher grade.  That’s why I view “Specials” as likely no high grade than “Adjusted” grade movements.
      • I have only seen two examples, ##42,507 and 42,518, both on Cressarrow PLs.  As with “Special,” this may be a Cressarrow designation, although I don’t recall ever seeing it on other Cressarrow PLs.  That’s why “Precisions” as likely no higher grade than “Adjusted” grade movements
    • Superior Adjustment.  These are fairly common.  There are over 50 examples in the database.  One watch in the database was marked “Adjusted Superior,” #4,903, a grand complications watch.
    • These are uncommon; there are around seven in the database.  This may just be a variation on the more common “Superior Adjustment,” but I am speculating that it is a higher grade since “Superior” implies that it is superior in more respects than just adjustment.
    • Extra Adjusted or Extra Adjustment. These are uncommon.  I have only seen four examples, ##9,270, 18,870, 19,270, and 22,556.
    •   These are uncommon.  I have only seen three examples. ##18,010, 35,653 and 41,775.  I think it likely is a higher grade than “Extra Adjustment” because “Extra” implies that it is “extra” in more respects than just adjustment and because #18,010 has a cam type regulator that I have never seen used in any C.H. Meylans apart from ¾-plate time-only or rattrapante movements.