Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Jaeger LeCoultre with Tropical Dial, Case Back ref. 556275 B, circa 1940s
- Maker / attribution
- Jaeger-LeCoultre (maker)
- Date
- c. 1940s
- Historical period
- Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking (1900 – 1945)
- Country of origin
- Switzerland
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Stock no.
- vws3678
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Vintage Watch Specialist (vws3678)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Jaeger LeCoultre with Tropical Dial - Case Back Ref: 556275 B - c.1940s (English)
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Record summary
Catalogued by Vintage Watch Specialist (dealer), United Kingdom (stock number vws3678), this is a wristwatch by Jaeger-LeCoultre, made in Switzerland, dated c. 1940s. The Atlas places it in the Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking period (1900 – 1945) of its Wristwatches collection. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.
Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.
Catalogue description
Dealer description — Vintage Watch Specialist
A Beautifully Aged Jaeger LeCoultre Watch with a Wonderfully Warm Dial with Natural Patina, c.1940s Jaeger - LeCoultre is a prestigious Swiss watchmaker , renowned for its innovation , craftsmanship , and precision since its founding in 1833 by Antoine LeCoultre . Based in the Vallée de Joux , the brand has developed over 1,200 calibres and holds numerous patents , showcasing its mastery of horology . What's on Offer This vintage Jaeger-LeCoultre from the 1940s is a classic timepiece with a design reminiscent of military watches from that era. It features a well-aged, tropicalised dial with a rich patina, giving it a distinctive and highly collectible character. The watch is powered by the Jaeger-LeCoultre P469/A calibre, a reliable manual-winding movement known for its precision and durability. The bold Arabic numerals and outer minute track ensure excellent legibility, while the small seconds subdial at 6 o’clock adds to its functional charm. Housed in a sturdy chrome-topped case with a well-worn appeal, this watch embodies vintage military style and horological heritage. A nice piece which would make a worthy addition to any collection. The watch has not been serviced but is running. It is sold as seen but we are happy to get it serviced at extra cost should you wish to purchase it.
Historical context
Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking (1900 – 1945)
The wristwatch displaces the pocket watch; waterproof cases, self-winding and grand complications.
The wristwatch overtook the pocket watch. Military use in the First World War, aviation, water-resistant cases (1926), automatic winding (1923–31), rectangular Art Deco designs and early chronographs and calendars defined the period.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Industrial Revolution
Atlas type guide
Wristwatches
Bracelet watches were worn by women from the early nineteenth century — Breguet made one for Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples, in 1810–12 — but the wristwatch only became a man's instrument with military use and aviation in the early twentieth century. Between the World Wars it overtook the pocket watch; the 1920s and 1930s brought rectangular Art Deco cases, water-resistant cases and the first automatic winding systems.
After 1945 the wristwatch became a carrier of identity — dress watches, sports and dive watches, chronographs, calendars — produced by Swiss, American, Japanese, German, Soviet and Chinese industries. The quartz revolution after 1969 and the mechanical renaissance since the 1990s, including the rise of independent watchmakers, complete the story.
What to look for
- The reference number (between the lugs or inside the case back) and serial number, the starting point for dating.
- The calibre: its maker and number are often stamped under the dial or on the bridge.
- Originality of dial, hands and crown — refinished ('redial') dials are common.
- Case material marks: 18K/750, 14K/585, stainless steel, gold-filled, plated.
Dating clues
- Wire-lug cases: before c. 1925.
- Water-resistant screw-down cases: from 1926.
- Quartz movements: from 1969; sapphire crystals widespread after c. 1980.
General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.
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