Could someone please help me identify this vintage JLC? It has always been in my family since the 1950's (?), passed down over generations, then forgotten in a safe for 30 years ... It is almost the perfect dress watch, I love it and it gets some decent wrist time, but I have never known the exact model.

Looks like welded lugs (one of them is slightly bent), champagne crosshair dial. After doing some research, is this a Ref. 1901 ultra thin in 18kt gold?

Thanks.

 

I am interested in knowing how come it's "almost" the perfect dress watch?

 

This isn't cheap, but for a family piece, I might do it:
https://www.jaeger-lecoultre.com/us/en/secure/my-jaeger-lecoultre/extract-archives.html

 

Thanks.

 

I found this https://omegaforums.net/threads/jaeger-lecoultre-ref-1901-uitra-thin.31192/ This clearly is the same except the gold and applied indices.

 

I was wondering if anyone could offer information on a watch I bought recently for a decent price. I have not yet received it so, unfortunately, I'm only able to post the pictures from the auction.
I'm not too familiar with the brand and only today realized there is a difference between Le Coultre and Jaeger Le Coultre. I've Googled "33mm 10K gold filled Le Coultre" but overwhelmingly the responses are in regards to the Memovox, very little information is available for other models.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you

 

You can post it in the forum section on https://www.classicwatch.com/

Zaf literally wrote the book on vintage JLC.

 

asrnj77, do you know Zaf or any of the other mods on that site? I joined and posted a few days ago & the post has yet to be approved. Not realizing that my post wouldn't go live immediately when I saw that my post was nowhere to be found I assumed I had done something wrong and tried again. After submitting it for the second time I noticed that posts have to be approved by a mod.

 

PM sent

 

I sent the watch to my watchmaker and he sent me a few pictures of the movement, which is the K480/CW movement.

 

i have often seen that movement and that general case design in American-cased watches mysteriously marked Vacheron Constantin. The Vacheron markings are in an ugly and unconvincing script around the edge of a case back. As if to say "not really". Making one think, why did they bother? were import duties SO high in the first half of the last century? Never looked closely enough to see if anyone pays more for these watches?

Were VC so desperate for sales way before the quartz crisis?

 

This one does not have the "Vacheron" marking, thank God, that is quite unsightly.
My watchmaker has it now, I'm hoping it cleaned up nicely.

 

There has to be an interesting back story here. Why one highly reputable company would try passing off their products under the name of a highly reputable competitor? With an & in the middle!

 

It is important to keep in mind that Vacheron & Constantin was acquired by the Jaeger-Lecoultre group in 1938. It only became independant again when Georges Ketterer bought the majority of the V&C shares in 1965.

At the time of the merger, there were 3 different companies in charge of the distribution of JLC or V&C in the U.S.
1. Jaeger Watch Co Inc, created in New York in 1926, where Lecoultre & Cie had a minority stake (25%). With a strong focus on aircraft and car instruments and clocks.
2. Le Coultre S.H. of America, created in 1936 to promote fine watches.
3. Vacheron & Constantin Watch Co, distribution arm of V&C in the U.S. that was very weak after the Great Crisis.

As the U.S. were considered as an under-penetrated market with high potential, the management of the newly-merged entity decided to solve their distribution issue by negotiating an agreement with the Wittnauer-Longines group in order to ensure an effective and strong promotion of both Le Coultre and V&C watches in the U.S. This distribution agreement was signed just before WW2.
In parallel, Le Coultre & Cie remained a strategic supplier for Jaeger Watch Co Inc, although the U.S.based company had started to develop its own capacities and increase the part of its local production due to the pressure of import taxes and a highly competitive auto market.

I have read that Georges Ketterer, that had been in charge of V&C global sales since 1938, was not really satisfied by this move and quickly suggested an independant organization for V&C so that this premium brand could be better distinguished. All the confusion about the Mystery watch is a good example that he was right!



(credit : https://vintagewatchinc.com )

 

And to answer the first question: It cannot be a Ref. 1901, as the 1901 is an ultraslim watch without second hand (it is powered by the caliber 818.)

I guess it is the Ref. 1951, powered by the caliber 819.

Hereafter is a scan of the 1967 catalog.