Among all the vintage watches that ever saw combat, chronographs enjoy a special following. Certain examples—such as the or the —can command a hefty premium, owing to the prestige of their manufacturers. However, the militaries of the world entered into contracts with many other manufactures, resulting in scads of these historical timekeepers.
Rodania may not have as long a history as some of the other brands, but their watches are no less worthy of consideration.
Founded in 1930 in Grenchen, hometown of Nivada (alias ), Rodania made a niche for itself in producing watches for distribution by jewelers and other retailers, particularly for the Canadian market. In the 1950s, the brand entered into a contract with the Canadian military to produce chronographs for their armed forces.
Throughout the years, Canada entered into such contracts with several different manufactures, among them and . Regardless of which company made them, these watches were identical in appearance and construction: 36.5mm stainless steel cases, white dials (usually unsigned, except if made by Omega), and driven by a chronograph movement operated by a single pusher. While the identity of the maker might not be apparent when the watches are viewed head-on, a look at the case back—or at what beats beneath it—will show the manufacture’s name.
Rodania picked up the contract in the late 1950s and held it until the 1960s, and while exact numbers aren’t known, examples made by Rodania are far less common than their Omega or Breitling counterparts.
This particular example, a Reference 4449H, is powered by a manually-wound Venus Calibre 175 drivetrain. The stark, sterile dial shows signs of the years this watch has seen, resulting in patina to the luminescent elements. The case back is stamped with RCN, denoting property of the Royal Canadian Navy, as well as an armorers serial number. The inner case back bears a signature from Rodania.
Whether you’re a collector of militaria or are looking for a cool chronograph with an interesting history, this Rodania is one to check out.
