| Author | Message | ||
     St3fan_ New member Username: St3fan_ Post Number: 1 Registered: 12-2013 Rating: N/A |
Hi, I came across a Jaeger Lecoultre Powermatic which was coming out of Switzerland but it has a caliber number of 476/3 on the bridge which is not possible given Powermatics only came out with 481 calibers. So somewhere down the line the bridge was altered. Also the 476/3 bridge has "unadjusted" on it which is actually the Lecoultre bridge version so probably what they did was put a US bridge version (wrong caliber) on a Swiss 481 calibre. The watch works but obviosuly there has been some playing around somewhere down the line, intentionally or unintentionally (as in repairs in 70's). What are your views on something like this? Wrong? And how much does this devalue the actual watch itself? Is there a foolproof way of knowing that the watch has been untouched without actually taking it apart? thanks in advance for your help. Stefan. | ||
| Gatorcpa New member Username: Gatorcpa Post Number: 10 Registered: 11-2006 Rating: N/A |
We sometimes call these "Frankenwatches" after the monster in the story, which was created from various parts. That sounds like what you have here. While I agree with you that the bridge is probably incorrect for this watch, there were LeCoultre versions of the cal. 481 movement with "Unadjusted" engraved on the plate. The question is whether the dial itself has also been improperly repainted along with the bridge replacement. We'd need to see pictures of the inside and outside of the watch for that. On your other question, I believe that the replacement of the bridge with an improper part does devalue the watch from a collector's perspective. How much is impossible to say without any information on the rest of the watch. There really is no "foolproof" way of knowing whether a watch is untouched from the outside. Even taking it apart may not help if the replacement parts are correct, or even close. Hope this helps, gatorcpa | ||
| St3fan_ New member Username: St3fan_ Post Number: 2 Registered: 12-2013 Rating: N/A |
Thanks for your advice. This is a photo. I guess the 476 and 481 had interchangeable bridges then. Probably a couple of more parts in common too as the 476 was the base for the 481. I wonder what additions they put on to the 476 to fit in the power reserve.  | ||
| Gatorcpa Junior Member Username: Gatorcpa Post Number: 11 Registered: 11-2006 Rating: |
Here's a picture of my LeCoultre cal. 481. http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y266/gatorcpa/Watch%20Photos/LeCoultre%20Powerm atic/DSCN2055.jpg~original Looks the same to me. Even has the "Unadjusted in the right place. But the 476 has the exact same bridge, so your picture doesn't help much. gatorcpa | ||
| St3fan_ New member Username: St3fan_ Post Number: 3 Registered: 12-2013 Rating: N/A |
Yes it looks the same apart from the VXN stamp. However yours is a US version and this is a European version and I believe unadjusted on the bridge was only put on the US version ones and not European ones. That's why I assumed a US bridge was put on a European calibre. Yours is 619726 which must be one of the early 1948's | ||
| St3fan_ New member Username: St3fan_ Post Number: 4 Registered: 12-2013 Rating: N/A |
Also by any chance did anyone ever come across a photo of a calibre 476 compared with a 481? Would like to see a photo of a calibre 481 with the bridge out actually to see what's underneath. | ||
| Gatorcpa Junior Member Username: Gatorcpa Post Number: 12 Registered: 11-2006 Rating: N/A |
Here is a photo of caliber 476: http://watchesdb.com/imgs/a/c/e/u/k/vintage_lecoultre_14k_yellow_gold_mans_automatic__bumper__movement_watch_5_lgw.jpg Exactly the same as cal. 481, except for the power reserve feature. Here is a picture of a gold-plated JLC cal. 476 movement. It is the only European version I could find:  I don't know if there was ever any standard JLC versions of the cal. 476, as opposed to the US LeCoultre movements. What I'm asking is that are you sure that your watch hasn't been redialled to say Jaeger-LeCoultre? Very common practice, I'm afraid. I hope not, gatorcpa | ||
| St3fan_ New member Username: St3fan_ Post Number: 5 Registered: 12-2013 Rating: N/A |
Hi, I wouldn't be surprised given it has a 476/3 bridge in it!!! It seems that historically a cal. 481 is not one of the most reliable JLC has come up with right. I think a futurematic or memovox cal. is more reliable. |
