
Wristwatches · Wristwatch
LeCoultre Chronograph 18K YG (Ref. 1439) "Valjoux Cal. 72", 1950s
- Maker / attribution
- Jaeger-LeCoultre (maker)
- Date
- 1950s
- Historical period
- Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)
- Country of origin
- Switzerland
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Stock no.
- LCCH1439
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Craft & Tailored (LCCH1439)
- Catalogue title (original)
- 1950s LeCoultre Chronograph 18K YG (Ref. 1439) "Valjoux Cal. 72" (English)
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Record summary
Catalogued by Craft & Tailored (dealer), Los Angeles (stock number LCCH1439), this is a wristwatch by Jaeger-LeCoultre, made in Switzerland, dated 1950s. The Atlas places it in the Modern Mechanical Horology period (1945 – 1969) 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 — Craft & Tailored
Jaeger-LeCoultre has been one of the leading watch manufacturers and more impressively watch movement manufacturers since the early 1900s, though their dignified roots date all the way back to 1844. Jaeger-LeCoultre or "JLC" for short, produced some of the most important movements for other manufacturers including Patek Philippe, Cartier, Audemars Piguet, and Vacheron Constantin. JLC created a multitude of its own extraordinary watches throughout the company's tenure as one of the leading Swiss watchmaking houses. Case in point, this beautiful LeCoultre chronograph from the 1950s featuring a case set in 18K yellow gold with features fancy "horned" lugs and a screw-down case back. This LeCoultre chronograph employs the venerable Valjoux cal. 72 movement. Stock # LCCH1439 Brand LeCoultre Style Chronograph Valjoux Cal. 72 Model 1439 Serial N/A Size Men's Material 18K Yellow Gold Dial Silver "Aged" Millimeters 35 Strap 2pc Handmade Leather Strap CASE & BRACELET The 18K yellow gold case features charming "horned" lugs, the case itself exhibits signs of gentle polishing in the past with minimal signs of use. The hallmarks all remain present throughout the case. The unsigned crown is believed to be original to the watch and the pump pushers could be original but appear to be slightly newer and are possibly service units. The screw-down case back is in excellent condition and the watch also retains its original movement dust cover. The watch comes supplied on a 2pc handmade leather strap. DIAL & HANDS The original silver dial is in very well-preserved vintage condition, showing gentle aging that enhances the aesthetics of the watch with no notable elements of damage present. The radium lume plots have aged to a warm beige color, under UV light inspection all of the lume plots remain intact though a few of the plots exhibit minor degradation. The original dauphine hands have been previously restored with tritium and have an ivory patina. ACCESSORIES None. The watch is keeping time, but the service history is unknown. A movement service can be provided upon request.
Historical context
Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)
Tool watches for divers, pilots and astronauts; electric watches anticipate the electronic age.
The classic era of the mechanical wristwatch: dive watches, chronographs for motor racing and space flight, GMT watches for jet travel, slim dress watches, automatic calendars, and the rise of Japanese manufacturers alongside Swiss, American, German and Soviet industries.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking
Atlas type guide
Chronographs and split-seconds watches
A chronograph is a watch with an additional seconds hand that can be started, stopped and returned to zero independently of the timekeeping. Louis Moinet built an early example in 1816 and Nicolas Rieussec a recording 'chronographe' in 1821; Adolphe Nicole's heart-shaped reset cam (patented 1862) made the modern return-to-zero possible. Split-seconds (rattrapante) chronographs add a second hand that can be stopped for intermediate times; flyback chronographs restart instantly.
Chronographs were essential tools for doctors (pulsometer scales), artillery (telemeter), engineers and sport. In wristwatches, Valjoux, Venus, Lemania and later the automatic chronographs of 1969 (Zenith El Primero, the Chronomatic Calibre 11 group and Seiko 6139) are milestones.
What to look for
- Push-pieces on the case band or a single button in the crown (monopusher).
- Subsidiary registers for minutes and hours; tachymeter, telemeter or pulsometer scales.
- Column wheel versus cam control visible in the movement.
- Calibre markings of specialist makers (Valjoux, Lemania, Venus, Landeron).
Dating clues
- Pocket chronographs with heart cam reset: after 1862.
- Wrist chronographs: from c. 1910; two-button designs from the 1930s.
- Automatic chronographs: from 1969.
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.
Read next:Flyback chronographChronograph
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