Forums Latest Members

Calling vintage JLC experts..help me with ID please

  1. chipsotoole Dec 8, 2017

    Posts
    1,061
    Likes
    1,924
    His all,
    I've been collecting JLC's for a few since i was gifted one by my granny. I'm interested mostly n the 40's and 50's period. I'm trying to get one of each of the major movements.
    Anyway's I pulled the trigger on this curio as it was going cheap but it's a still bit of a gamble based on what I see.
    The case and dial style (with the most curious squinty JL logo ) date it around 48-53...but the movement (haven't got the cal yet) looks comparatively cheap and I can't find any info on a 25 jewel date automatic.
    The only reference to 25 jewels is when Lecoultre turned to A Schild in the early 70's for assistance in the Quartz crisis using their movements (17 and 25 jewels) in their entry level club series....but it doesn't look that much like the 17 jewel versions I can find on google (can't find a 25 jewel).
    ..and then there's the curious logo and watch back.
    I'm fairly certain it's not a fake as there are too many signs to indicate age and only later JLCs were generally copied.
    Is it a Frankenwatch ? Might I have stumbled upon some early version of the geophysic?

    Thanks for any and all feedback.

    Mike jlmys1.jpg jlmys2.jpg jlmys3.jpg jlcmys4.jpg jlcmys5.jpg
     
  2. Tony C. Ωf Jury member Dec 8, 2017

    Posts
    7,348
    Likes
    24,037
    Yes, a Franken.
     
    Gstp likes this.
  3. Modest_Proposal Trying too hard to be one of the cool kids Dec 8, 2017

    Posts
    2,890
    Likes
    5,960
    More than a franken. It's a fake.
     
    X350 XJR and ConElPueblo like this.
  4. Gstp Dec 8, 2017

    Posts
    468
    Likes
    1,928
    +1
     
  5. Edantony Dec 8, 2017

    Posts
    305
    Likes
    521
    It's weird that the logo and "automatic" would stand so well the test of time when the rest of the indexes would fade so strongly
     
    watch3s and McKinley like this.
  6. ConElPueblo Dec 8, 2017

    Posts
    9,587
    Likes
    26,961
    Bingo.


    @chipsotoole - what made you bid on this? If you have a link to the auction, I'd love to see it.
     
    watch3s and McKinley like this.
  7. chipsotoole Dec 8, 2017

    Posts
    1,061
    Likes
    1,924
    I originally suspected the indexes might have possibly been removed for their gold value. It certainly seems to be a lot of trouble for an out and out fake and pretty old to boot. As far as I know , most JLC replicas tend to be more recent and of higher end watches. It was certainly advertised as genuine JLC. I must admit the case is what originally attracted me..it is exactly the same as a small 1948 French JLC I have which is at the repair shop to replace a lug.I've got an early wrist alarm, a powermatic and a ref E329 automatic also in my collection ... I'm on the fence. It seems it's more a Franken than an out and out fake.....Once I've inspected it more closely I'll report back.
     
  8. chipsotoole Dec 8, 2017

    Posts
    1,061
    Likes
    1,924
    BTW
    382298483794 is the item number


    I'll have a chat with the seller....
     
    watch3s likes this.
  9. ConElPueblo Dec 8, 2017

    Posts
    9,587
    Likes
    26,961
    Do you have a 1948 JLC with that caseback?

    The overall case shape, while not the most common, isn't unusual and isn't a JLC-only thing. This particular watch has no relation at all to JLC.
     
  10. chipsotoole Jan 6, 2018

    Posts
    1,061
    Likes
    1,924
    I examined it closely externally and internally : the movement really was not particularly bad..but then again not particularly (JLC standard) good either...It might have possibly been one out of the club era when they went out house but it didn't quite matchup to the photos I could find online. . The rest was as others said out and out fake. Watch returned , Seller who was selling on behalf of someone else fully refunded me. Despite him being an semi-pro antiques dealer I couldn't really hold it against him. All's well that ends well. I will however be looking at vintage JLC's more closely in the future. I really didn't expect that copyists went that far back in time (I'm guessing early 70's) and for such relatively unremarkable model. Lesson learned.
     
  11. gatorcpa ΩF InvestiGator Staff Member Jan 6, 2018

    Posts
    12,168
    Likes
    15,625
    That's because the movement was as fake as the rest of the watch.

    You were lucky you could get out of the deal.
    gatorcpa

    P.S. - The early 1970's were the "golden age" of counterfeit watches. Please read this. They faked almost all of brands and JLC was pretty well known back then.
     
    Edited Jan 6, 2018