ETA
ETA 6497-1
Swiss lever · introduced 1954
Beat rate
18,000 vph
Power reserve
46h
Jewels
17
Introduced
1954
Escapement
Swiss lever
Originally a pocket watch caliber, the 6497-1 was adopted by tool-watch and pilot-watch brands for its large diameter, excellent readability of the exposed movement, and manual-wind simplicity. Its 36.6 mm diameter makes it ideal for oversized pilot and flieger cases. Panerai, among others, built its entire early identity around this movement before developing in-house calibers.
Specifications
Beats per hour
18,000
Jewels
17
Power reserve
46h
Diameter
36.6mm
Height
4.5mm
Escapement
Swiss lever
Introduced
1954
Finishing
Commercial
Service interval
5 years
Service cost tier
Entry
Complications
small secondsmanual wind
Known service issues
- Slow beat rate of 18,000 bph makes positional error more pronounced than modern movements
- Setting lever spring is a common wear part on heavily used examples
Notable in
- Panerai Luminor Base PAM00000 (early production)
- Stowa Flieger Klassik
- Laco Pilot Original series
Buying advice
Practical guides for buying a watch with this caliber on the pre-owned market: