The Grana chronograph is a rare vintage watch with a reported connection to Hungarian Air Force personnel during the Second World War. That military story comes from a 2019 account of a specific watch, not from independently verified service records. The watch’s brand history is better established: Grana was an early name used by the company that later registered Certina.
What is a Grana chronograph?
Grana was a brand used by the Kurth brothers’ watchmaking business, which later became associated with Certina. Certina’s official company history says Adolf and Alfred Kurth opened a factory for watch parts and movements in Grenchen in 1888. They introduced the Grana name, short for “Granacus,” in 1906; the Certina name was officially registered in 1939. That timeline explains the “Grana (new Certina)” description sometimes applied to these watches, but it does not establish the military history of any particular chronograph.
Was it used by the Hungarian Air Force?
A 2019 Fratello Watches account attributes the Grana chronographs it discusses to Hungarian Air Force personnel during the Second World War. The author says the case-back inscription reads “Honv. Légierők Tulajdona,” translated approximately as “Property of Hungarian Air Force.” The attribution and translation are reported by that article; they are not independently confirmed here by a military archive, procurement record or specialist study.
The article also considers whether some watches might have been acquired after manufacture, but presents that timeline as speculation. The available evidence does not establish exact service dates or prove that every Grana chronograph of this type was issued to air-force personnel. Treat the inscription and any claimed service history as provenance leads to investigate, not authentication by themselves.
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- CLASSIC CHRONOGRAPH DESIGN: The 1844 Chronograph watch for men blends vintage aesthetics with modern reliability, featuring elegant sub-dials and precise stopwatch functionality.
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What does the reported watch look like?
The Fratello author describes a 1940s-era example with a black gilt dial, a 30-second chronograph counter at 3 o’clock and continuous seconds at 9 o’clock. The described case has a large crown, rectangular chronograph pushers, an acrylic crystal and a press-in case back. These are observations of the author’s example and other examples encountered, not a universal specification for every Grana chronograph.
For the example measured in the article, the reported dimensions are 38.4 mm in diameter, 44 mm from lug tip to lug tip and 12.2 mm thick. It has fixed spring bars, reportedly made by adapting the lug holes. The author notes that some examples have asymmetric lug widths—20.3 mm on one side and 21.1 mm on the other—so measurements should be checked on the individual watch rather than assumed from another example.
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Which movement is inside?
The article identifies the movement in its example as a Venus 175, a 17-jewel column-wheel chronograph caliber. It reports a frequency of 18,000 beats per hour and approximately 45 hours of power reserve. Those figures describe the caliber and example as presented in that account; they should not be taken as proof that every watch bearing the Grana name has the same movement or remains in original condition. For a specific watch, movement identity and originality require inspection.
How rare is it, and what is one worth?
The Fratello author described examples as difficult to find and reported seeing prices around €2,000–€2,500, subject to condition, in an article published January 9, 2019. This is a historical, anecdotal observation—not a current price guide, an appraisal or a confirmed sale price for the watch being considered. No current market price is established by that account.
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The article also mentions a separate Grana split-seconds chronograph sold by Phillips in 2016 for CHF 86,250. That is a different, exceptional watch; its sale price should not be used to value the ordinary chronograph discussed here.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What to check before buying one
Because the provenance and condition of an individual vintage watch matter more than a broad model description, assess the example itself. The following are practical evaluation points, not claims that the cited article authenticated any particular watch:
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- Case
- - Case Material: Stainless Steel
- - Case Shape: Round
- - Case Colour: Silver
- - Crystal: K1 mineral crystal
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- Provenance: Ask what supports the military attribution, and distinguish a reported inscription from documentary evidence of issue or service.
- Movement: Have a suitably experienced watchmaker confirm the caliber, originality, operating condition and service needs.
- Case and dial: Inspect for wear, damage, refinishing or replacement parts; condition can materially affect both collectability and value.
- Chronograph operation: Ask a watchmaker to assess the start, stop and reset functions rather than relying on appearance alone.
- Strap fit: Fixed bars affect installation, and reported lug widths can differ between sides. Measure the actual watch and confirm the strap’s fitting method before buying a leather strap.
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