I've been spending a lot of time over the past few month looking into the mid-range tool-watch and sports-chronograph makers from the 1950s and 1960s. This started with the purchase of a Yema Meangraf Super, which I have since sold, using the proceeds to buy an early-year Rallygraf Super. I've also been looking at Ollech + Wajs, Helsa, and a few others. This led me to Le Jour, which is an odd duck. For those of you unfamiliar . . . Yema was a mid-range maker of cases and dials that was marketed in the States as Le Jour (presumably b/c the latter sounded more French). But Le Jour also produced watches using Yema/Le Jour dials on a range of very nice movements and cases. The rise in value of Yemas, the Yachtingraf and Rallygraf in particular, has generated more interest in Le Jours, and the watches themselves are often very nice in their own right, demonstrating a characteristic French flair. They're not Breitlings or Heuers, by any stretch, but if Yemas are on the order of Wakmann, then Le Jours might be favourably compared to Tressa, Helsa, the aforementioned Ollech Wajs or perhaps even LIP. I am still tracking down the details, but it also seems that Le Jour, like Wakmann, was involved in distributing Breitlings both under the Breitling name and rebranded for the mid-level market with Le Jour dials. Any more information anyone has on this would be most appreciated.

Anyway, I saw a Le Jour pilot's chronograph w/ a Valjoux 7730 mvt. that I liked on eBay, checked against some reference dials, then made a relatively low offer. Much to my delight, the seller accepted and sent the watch on. When it arrived, I opened it up not only to find a pristine and well-maintained movement, but one that was, instead of the expected Valjoux 7730, a Venus 188! I feel kind of like I bought what I thought was a four-cylinder Mustang from the mid 60s and instead ended up with a V-6 model from the late-50s. I immediately wrote the buyer, let them know the discrepancy (an easy mistake to make, given the 7730 is modelled directly on the 188), and thanked them again for selling it at such a reasonable price.

Of course, now I feel _compelled_ to replace the original crystal (which is a bit scratched) and get a much nicer strap for it . . .

 

These French-assembled chronographs are a good value as entry-level pieces, attractive and solid quality (SS cases and good movements), and you can still get them for prices in the neighborhood of $500 USD if you're patient. I have one with Jean Monet branding that my wife likes to wear these days.

 

Very nice. I want to keep my eye out for another white-dialed or silver dialed one like this, preferably a panda. I actually got mine for a bit south of $500, which is tough to manage these days for a Venus 188!

 

I think some of the very early Le Jour chronos look fantastic. I’ve got an early sixties one with the Valjoux 72, radium, and a beautiful gloss dial. Shame it’s missing a sweep hand and a bezel !



And unlike the later ones that seem to be signed J. P. Pingouin, the very early ones are actually signed Le Jour.

 

Alas! Dem column wheels, doh--so nice!

 

Congratualtions, the two Le Jour chronohraph I have owned. The colourfull one is still in my collection

 

Ooo, gotta love those lyre-shaped lugs. The second one has a very Yachtingraf feel to it. The red sweep second and subdial hands are lovely, too. Were they both Val 7730s?

 

The top one is earlier and have radium dial and landeron 248, the ”yatching” have an 7730

 

Speaking of French-assembled chronographs, I have a Yema which is nearly identical to the Jean Monet. On my piece the major differences are the blue sweep hand and lack of numerals in the 6 and 12 indices. I haven't come across Jean Monet until your post, so am intrigued by the connection.

 

Will add to family of Dan’s and csburns’ with their funky cousin.

 

I know I am addicted. I have another lejour 7733 model in a Yachtingraf case with a rallyegraf style dial that is a bit of a basket case that I am restoring.

 

I can’t resist a grey dial

 

I have one of each of OW and Le Jour - albeit that I’ve been thinking of cutting them out of the collection at some time soon. They both have loads of character: these were some of my earliest adds when I started collecting vintage, but tastes have changed. Still pretty though.

 

For those of you who like Yema/Le Jour, I've got a nice Triton up today on WRUW. One of the first chronos I ever bought, and still one of my faves in the whole collection!
https://omegaforums.net/threads/wruw-today.567/page-10720#post-2247018

 

Here's another odd duck to add to the thread: a 70s era Arnex. The font on the Le Jour posted by Dr. Sascha, which also kicked off this thread, is shared by this piece.