A Very Well Preserved Le Cheminant Automatic Field Watch with a Calendar Function, Superb Condition, c.1982

The known references for Le Cheminant begin in February, 1847, when Mr. Le Cheminant, a jeweller, has a shop at 72 Wimpole Street, London.

Although John Le Cheminant, “watchmaker and jeweller” died on 1 February 1876, the name continued, with Le Cheminant appearing in trade directories as ‘watch maker‘ at the same address, 72a Wimpole Street, in 1884. By 1915 Le Cheminant has an address at 81 Wigmore Street, in the same London district, and was inscribing this address on its timepieces.

At this time Le Cheminant was among several companies which supplied precision timepieces to the British Royal Navy.

By 1923 Le Cheminant had become Le Cheminant and Co, at 97 Wigmore Street on the corner of Duke Street. Classified ads appeared frequently with this address in The Times until December 1933, offering the reassuring information in 1927 that they had been established 100 years and, in 1929, that Le Cheminant had been established in 1822, significant because this date became a strong feature of the brand in later years.

What’s On Offer 

This La Cheminant Field Watch has been very well preserved, at approximately 40 years old, it has barely a sign of previous wear and it has clearly been meticulously looked after. Reminiscent of tool watches used during WW2, the black dial boasts bold Arabic numerals and an outer minute track with luminous pips on the hour. The more contemporary additions include a date aperture and 'Mercedes Hands' which are also luminous, and great for visibility in low light. This watch looks almost like new old stock, and at 36mm is a nice mid-size which is super comfortable on the wrist. The watch is paired with a simple black strap, however, you could definitely style it out with a bolder colour for a sharper look. A robust yet stylish piece that is perfectly adapted to both casual and more formal wear - we love it!