Jaeger (LeCoultre) rare collector's 18ct. gold chronograph from the 1940s. 

A seriously stunning collector's piece which has reached us today practically unscathed since its production during the 1940s. The distinct lack of wear, marks or ageing of any sort to the watch suggests that it has been properly stored and left alone for decades. Thankfully, though still properly stored, it's resurfaced again now, and has stood the test of time amazingly. This is a watch made before the technical merge of Jaeger and LeCoultre, and so the dial is simply signed 'Jaeger'. Prior to this famous merger when movement manufacturing became in-house, Jaeger were known for sourcing very fine movements from watch houses such as Universal Geneve. This is an excellent example of one such piece, bearing Universal Geneve case and movement markings. 

The creamy, silvered dial has a mild sheen to it which reflects in the light, giving a subtle backlight to the blued steel hands, featuring a chronograph complication, operated by the twin pushers at 2:00 and 4:00. The dial is beautifully intricate thanks to its tachymetric tracking ring, allowing for pilots to calculate speeds and distance on the fly. The pencil-thin, jet black arabic numeral hour plots are clipped at 3:00 and 9:00 by beautiful sub-seconds and 15-minute variation registers, which are slightly sunk into the dial and easily distinguished by their concentric radial brushing. Thanks to this reflective layering of tones, shapes and profiles, the dial constantly changes as it reflects light, making for an eye-catching piece without overstating itself. 

The case, made of solid 18 carat gold, would usually show some larger scratches, marks or scuffs due to gold being such a soft metal (and because it was made in the 1940s). We hope photographs can do the pristine nature of this case justice: it has hardly been touched. The shiny golden bezel, sat atop the curved lugs, makes the face stand out and ooze elegance. 

Powered by a Cal. 386 movement, the watch keeps great time and is in full working order. 

What's on offer

A stunning gold vintage dress watch. A rare find: a watch that was beautiful when first produced and has remained so, thanks to pristine storage and preservation. The watch speaks for itself! The watch comes with a quality genuine leather strap with a Hirsch® gold plated pin buckle, a 12-month VWS warranty and a leather handmade presentation pouch from us. A beauty to behold in the flesh, and a serious addition to any watch collection. Wear a piece of history without the scuffs and scratches that normally come part and parcel!

Additional information

Made from

Case: 18 carat gold.

Dial: Twin sub-register, chronograph, tachymetric ring.

Crystal: Plexiglass

Bracelet: Quality leather strap, gold plated pin buckle.

Technical specifications

Winding: Manually wound.

Movement type: Manual. 

Calibre: 386

Purchase details

Condition: Almost new old stock condition. Excellent 9.5/10.

Model Reference Number: 12445 

Date of issue: 1940s

Guarantee

Supplied with a 12-month Vintage Watch Specialist guarantee  

Dimensions

Width: 34mm

Lug width: 20mm

Height (lug to lug): 40mm

Wrist size: Adjustable via strap/buckle