This Week’s Featured Watch #30 – The Leopard 7220

The 7220 movement occupies a unique place in the Leopard line-up – although it is otherwise the same as its fellow 28,800 beats per hour models, it has one special feature, a combined date and day window at the 12 o’clock position. As far as I know only this and one other model in the Seven Star V2 line-up have this feature. The case code for this one is 4-780035 – the 78xx numbering is reserved for the date / day design only, and ’78’ is used on the Seven Star V2 model too.

From June 1970, the dial on this example is interesting with the centre section brushed differently from the sides, which can give quite a striking effect according to the angle of the light. No movement shot since the back is very tight! The hands are also rather neat and I’ve only seen them on a couple of other Leopards. The crown is pulled out to the hacking position so the watch can be ‘posed’ for the photos – all Leopards have the hack feature, as well as hand winding:

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The fact that it is a single combined window means that for the date and day to be easily read at all times, the changeover has to be instant at 12 o’clock. Here’s a little video showing the changeover (at 52 seconds into the movie if you don’t want to wait!):

http://s282.photobucket.com/albums/kk252/Sweephand/Leopard%20Article/?action=view&current=MVI_0452.mp4

I believe the solid link bracelet is original – although not the one shown in the 1971 catalog, this bracelet is used on other Leopards in that catalog:

Finally here’s part of the exploded view of the movement, showing the design of the day wheel, with cutouts for the date:

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