Landeron is not a movement: it is a manufacture founded in 1873 in the Canton of Neuchâtel that produced more chronograph calibers than any other independent Swiss watchmaker of the twentieth century. Entering the Ebauches SA consortium in 1927—the grouping that would later become ETA and finally Swatch Group—it remained operational until the quartz crisis, leaving tens of millions of examples in circulation.
Landeron's most relevant technical contribution is the cam mechanism, called cam-lever, developed by Charles Hahn and Marcel Dèpraz. Rather than using the column wheel to govern the start-stop-reset sequences, the cam-lever relies on a shaped profile that directly guides the chronograph levers. The result is a crisper click, less progressive than what a column wheel produces, and a tactile sensation that purists judge as inferior. In exchange: fewer parts, less fragility during servicing, significantly lower production cost. This allowed Landeron to bring the mechanical chronograph to price points that Venus, Valjoux and Lemania could not have reached.
The most widespread calibers are the 148 and 248. The 148 is the progenitor of the two-pusher series; the 248, produced between 1937 and 1970 in over 3.5 million examples, is its direct evolution. Both are manual, both cam-operated. The 149 appears in the 1970s on brands like Gallet: constructively interesting, but less sought after by today's market compared to Venus calibers from the same period. The 251 deserves separate mention: it is mounted on certain Nicolet watches without side pushers, where the chronograph start, stop and reset all pass through the crown—an unusual mechanical solution that is worth seeking out the piece for.
The Landeron 58 is a different case: it is not a chronograph but a complete calendar, with the bezel commanding three functions—month at 2 o'clock, date at 6 o'clock, day at 10 o'clock—through counter-clockwise clicks in fixed positions. Those unfamiliar with it often force the crown or bezel in the wrong direction.
In 2018 DEPA Swiss Movements acquired the brand and relaunched it with calibers derived from the ETA 2824-2, including the so-called Landeron 24, which repositions the seconds to a subdial at 9 o'clock. I have no direct data on current production quality beyond what distributors report: I prefer not to commit myself. What I can say is that the historic name carries precise expectations with it, and the vintage market still views original Landeron pieces as counter stock, not shelf stock.