Technical Characteristics: Solora ‘dials with logos’ Chess Clock

• Name. Solora Chess Clock.
• Model. Solora Dials – Logo Dials.
• Maker. Hendricus KOOPMAN.
• Date. 1948 – 1960.
• Country. Switzerland.
• Mechanism. upper push buttons.
• Material. light oak wood.
• Measurements. Length 5.28 in – Width 2.17 in – Height 3.54 in ( Height with Buttons 3.94 in).
• Weight. 58.20 oz.

Description: Solora ‘dials with logos’ Chess Clock

The Solora ‘dials with logos’ chess clock is a small mechanical clock manufactured by the renowned clockmaker H. Koopman between 1948 and 1960.

It is a very special clock, we would say that it is unique, in the sense that it assembles wristwatch machinery brought together on a block of light oak wood specially precut for a perfect fit.

The mechanism of both clocks takes place by means of a simple change lever with red pushbuttons that complement its refined design.

The result is a chess clock with precise and silent machinery, with a quiet ticking, an avant-garde aesthetic for the time and a small size that provides great advantages in terms of transport and storage.

The Dutch brand Koopman has been synonymous with quality since the beginning of the last century, its chess clocks have been mostly German machinery, at least until the outbreak of World War II. In those turbulent times the manufacture is stopped and Hendricus Koopman is forced to manufacture clocks with other machinery under brands such as the Hungarian ‘Danuvia’ or the ‘Solora’ Swiss, and sell them at retail. The Solora chess clock is therefore manufactured in the beautiful Swiss baroque city of Solothurn, from which the watch brand takes its name.

Presence in Chess Tournaments

The Solora chess clock has been used in numerous tournaments and chess championships especially in the 1960s, among the most important stand out:

• World Chess Championship Mikhail Tal vs. Mikhail Botvinnik. Moscow 1960.
• 1st Piatigorsky Chess Cup. Los Angeles, California 1963.
• 2nd Piatigorsky Chess Cup. Los Angeles, California 1966.
• World Chess Championship Boris Spassky vs. Tigran Petrosian. Moscow 1969.

Variations: Solora Chess Clock

SOLORA golden dials

SOLORA golden hands

SOLORA black hands

The post Solora ‘dials with logos’ Chess Clock appeared first on Vintage Chess Clocks.

Technical Characteristics: Yugoslavian Chess Clock

• Name. Yugoslavian Chess Clock.
• Model. Dark wood.
• Maker. Insa.
• Date. 1954.
• Country. Yugoslavia.
• Mechanism. Integrated Oscillating Bar.
• Material. Dark oak wood.
• Measurements. Length 9.65 in – Width 1.77 in – Height 4.80 in.
• Weight. 37.21 oz.

Description: Yugoslavian Chess Clock

The Yugoslavian INSA chess clock is a high quality analog mechanical clock manufactured by the Yugoslavian factory ‘INSA’ in the 1950s.

It is a chess clock assembled in a robust oak type heavy weight wooden casing. He assembles Yugoslav-made clocks based on mechanisms and technology of Soviet influence. It must be remembered that despite the political split between Josif Tito and Iosif Stalin shortly after the end of World War II, the factories of Communist-influenced countries still depended on Soviet technology in terms of component supply. It incorporates an oscillating bar as a push button, perfectly integrated in the design of the chess clock.

The Yugoslavian factory Insa was founded in 1950 in Zemun, an industrial area on the outskirts of Belgrade, now Serbia. At first they manufactured clocks and alarm clocks, later also chess clocks. This chess clock that I am showing you is one of the first models. Nowadays the factory continues to operate as a major producer of clocks and watchmaking mechanisms, as well as in a producer of water meters and many other products in the field of measurement technology and mechanics.

This chess clock in particular belonged to the Serbian chess master IM Nikola Karaklajić who was junior Yugoslav champion in 1945 and Yugoslav chess champion in 1955. He played as the 4th board at the Moscow Olympiad in 1956 where the Yugoslav team won a meritorious silver medal. He also contributed directly to the development of the Belgrade gambit created in the historic Chess Club of Belgrade in 1944 by Mihajlo Trajkovic.

The picture shows the late Serbian chess master Nikola Karaklajić during an international tournament representing his country.

Presence in Chess Tournaments

The Yugoslavian Insa chess clock has very possibly been used in tournaments throughout the former Yugoslavia in the 1950s and 1960s, although I have not yet found corroborating photographs.

Variations: Yugoslavian Chess Clock

The varieties of Insa chess clocks after this model have no special interest, the one from the 1970s was built entirely in plastic casing and the one from the 1980s, which the Insa factory still has in its catalog, is a model very basic made in lightweight solid wood.

Yugoslavian Chess Clock INSA 1970s

Yugoslavian Chess Clock INSA 1980s

The post Yugoslavian Chess Clock appeared first on Vintage Chess Clocks.

Technical Characteristics: Solora ‘golden hands’ Chess Clock

• Name. Solora Chess Clock.
• Model. Solora Dials – Golden Hands.
• Maker. Hendricus KOOPMAN.
• Date. 1948 – 1960.
• Country. Switzerland.
• Mechanism. upper push buttons.
• Material. light oak wood.
• Measurements. Length 5.28 in – Width 2.17 in – Height 3.54 in ( Height with Buttons 3.94 in).
• Weight. 58.20 oz.

Description: Solora ‘golden hands’ Chess Clock

The Solora ‘golden hands’ chess clock is a small mechanical clock manufactured by the renowned clockmaker H. Koopman between 1948 and 1960.

It is a very special clock, we would say that it is unique, in the sense that it assembles wristwatch machinery brought together on a block of light oak wood specially precut for a perfect fit.

The mechanism of both clocks takes place by means of a simple change lever with red pushbuttons that complement its refined design.

The result is a chess clock with precise and silent machinery, with a quiet ticking, an avant-garde aesthetic for the time and a small size that provides great advantages in terms of transport and storage.

The Dutch brand Koopman has been synonymous with quality since the beginning of the last century, its chess clocks have been mostly German machinery, at least until the outbreak of World War II. In those turbulent times the manufacture is stopped and Hendricus Koopman is forced to manufacture clocks with other machinery under brands such as the Hungarian ‘Danuvia’ or the ‘Solora’ Swiss, and sell them at retail. The Solora chess clock is therefore manufactured in the beautiful Swiss baroque city of Solothurn, from which the watch brand takes its name.

Presence in Chess Tournaments

The Solora chess clock has been used in numerous tournaments and chess championships especially in the 1960s, among the most important stand out:

• World Chess Championship Mikhail Tal vs. Mikhail Botvinnik. Moscow 1960.
• 1st Piatigorsky Chess Cup. Los Angeles, California 1963.
• 2nd Piatigorsky Chess Cup. Los Angeles, California 1966.
• World Chess Championship Boris Spassky vs. Tigran Petrosian. Moscow 1969.

Variations: Solora Chess Clock

SOLORA golden dials

SOLORA black hands

SOLORA dials with logos

The post Solora ‘golden hands’ Chess Clock appeared first on Vintage Chess Clocks.

Technical Characteristics: Solora ‘golden dials’ Chess Clock

• Name. Solora Chess Clock.
• Model. Solora Dials – Golden Dials.
• Maker. Hendricus KOOPMAN.
• Date. 1948 – 1960.
• Country. Switzerland.
• Mechanism. upper push buttons.
• Material. light oak wood.
• Measurements. Length 5.28 in – Width 2.17 in – Height 3.54 in ( Height with Buttons 3.94 in).
• Weight. 58.20 oz.

Description: Solora ‘golden dials’ Chess Clock

The Solora ‘golden dials’ chess clock is a small mechanical clock manufactured by the renowned clockmaker H. Koopman between 1948 and 1960.

It is a very special clock, we would say that it is unique, in the sense that it assembles wristwatch machinery brought together on a block of light oak wood specially precut for a perfect fit.

The mechanism of both clocks takes place by means of a simple change lever with red pushbuttons that complement its refined design.

The result is a chess clock with precise and silent machinery, with a quiet ticking, an avant-garde aesthetic for the time and a small size that provides great advantages in terms of transport and storage.

The Dutch brand Koopman has been synonymous with quality since the beginning of the last century, its chess clocks have been mostly German machinery, at least until the outbreak of World War II. In those turbulent times the manufacture is stopped and Hendricus Koopman is forced to manufacture clocks with other machinery under brands such as the Hungarian ‘Danuvia’ or the ‘Solora’ Swiss, and sell them at retail. The Solora chess clock is therefore manufactured in the beautiful Swiss baroque city of Solothurn, from which the watch brand takes its name.

Presence in Chess Tournaments

The Solora chess clock has been used in numerous tournaments and chess championships especially in the 1960s, among the most important stand out:

• World Chess Championship Mikhail Tal vs. Mikhail Botvinnik. Moscow 1960.
• 1st Piatigorsky Chess Cup. Los Angeles, California 1963.
• 2nd Piatigorsky Chess Cup. Los Angeles, California 1966.
• World Chess Championship Boris Spassky vs. Tigran Petrosian. Moscow 1969.

Variations: Solora Chess Clock

SOLORA black hands

SOLORA golden hands

SOLORA dials with logos

The post Solora ‘golden dials’ Chess Clock appeared first on Vintage Chess Clocks.

Technical Characteristics: Solora Chess Clock

• Name. Solora Chess Clock.
• Model. Solora Dials – Black Hands.
• Maker. Hendricus KOOPMAN.
• Date. 1948-1960.
• Country. Switzerland.
• Mechanism. upper push buttons.
• Material. light oak wood.
• Measurements. Length 5.28 in – Width 2.17 in – Height 3.54 in ( Height with Buttons 3.94 in).
• Weight. 58.20 oz.

Description: Solora Chess Clock

The Solora chess clock is a small mechanical clock manufactured by the renowned clockmaker H. Koopman between 1948 and 1960.

It is a very special clock, we would say that it is unique, in the sense that it assembles wristwatch machinery brought together on a block of light oak wood specially precut for a perfect fit.

The mechanism of both clocks takes place by means of a simple change lever with red pushbuttons that complement its refined design.

The result is a chess clock with precise and silent machinery, with a quiet ticking, an avant-garde aesthetic for the time and a small size that provides great advantages in terms of transport and storage.

The Dutch brand Koopman has been synonymous with quality since the beginning of the last century, its chess clocks have been mostly German machinery, at least until the outbreak of World War II. In those turbulent times the manufacture is stopped and Hendricus Koopman is forced to manufacture clocks with other machinery under brands such as the Hungarian ‘Danuvia’ or the ‘Solora’ Swiss, and sell them at retail. The Solora chess clock is therefore manufactured in the beautiful Swiss baroque city of Solothurn, from which the watch brand takes its name.

Presence in Chess Tournaments

The Solora chess clock has been used in numerous tournaments and chess championships especially in the 1960s, among the most important stand out:

• World Chess Championship Mikhail Tal vs. Mikhail Botvinnik. Moscow 1960.
• 1st Piatigorsky Chess Cup. Los Angeles, California 1963.
• 2nd Piatigorsky Chess Cup. Los Angeles, California 1966.
• World Chess Championship Boris Spassky vs. Tigran Petrosian. Moscow 1969.

Variations: Solora Chess Clock

SOLORA golden dials

SOLORA golden hands

SOLORA dials with logos

The post Solora Chess Clock appeared first on Vintage Chess Clocks.