Le Saleve Chronograph "Poor Man's Piccolino", 1940s

Dealer description — Craft & Tailored

In the world of watches, for every household name like Rolex or Omega, there are droves of others that fly so far under the radar and were produced in such small numbers so long ago, that their stories have been mostly lost to time. Le Saleve is one of those brands – all we could find is that it appears to have been a boutique offering for Italian clientele, owned and/or produced by a Swiss parent company called Blum & Ostersetzer SA. But a watch can be so much more than the name on the dial. And this piece, with its very Rolex 3055 Piccolino-esque dial layout with lovely pops of blues and reds, and small-but-robust 32mm case size, certainly punches above its weight. Plus, it'll give you something to nerd out about as you dig through the depths of the internet looking for all the info you can find. SPECS Stock # LASPICO Brand Le Saleve Style Chronograph Model N/A Serial N/A Size Men's Material Stainless Steel Dial Silver Millimeters 32 Strap 2pc Pig Skin Strap CASE & BRACELET The 32mm stainless steel case is in excellent condition for its age, retaining sharp angles and dimensions throughout, with minor signs of honest wear. We believe it retains its original pump pushers and unsigned crown. The case back shows light, honest signs of wear and features the factory serial number in easily legible condition. The watch features fixed lugs and comes supplied on a fixed custom two-piece pig-skin leather strap. DIAL & HANDS The aged silver dial is in good vintage condition, showing some signs of age and patina throughout, most notably in the right subdial. The telemeter on the outer edge of the dial features blue type, with a bit of speckling expected for the watch's age. The white chapter ring is still in very good condition, with some wear marks showing up between the 50 and 55-second numerals. The red tachymetre track in the center of the watch has faded over time, as expected, but it still adds a nice pop of color. The black handset is in great condition, as is the blued sweep seconds hand. ACCESSORIES None. The watch is functioning perfectly and keeping time, previous service history is unknown.