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     Bookworm New member Username: Bookworm Post Number: 1 Registered: 03-2009 Rating: N/A |
Hi, I'm looking for information/advice about a watch that was given to me by an elderly lady friend of the family over 30 years ago. I have tried to attach pictures with this message but keep being told to shrink the images smaller than 800x600. I've already resized the jpegs to around 120kb and about 1/16 of the original size so how do I make them smaller?! If anyone can tell me I'll happily add the photos, or I'll email them direct. From what I've already learned on this forum I know it's a Reverso ladies watch and I'm guessing it's from some time around 1930s or 1940s. The back is made of what looks like chrome and the watch itself is of a gold coloured metal. When it folds shut the gold surface has light scratches on it so I'd guess it's a soft gold, perhaps 14ct. At the top of the watch face it says Jaeger le Coultre and at the bottom it says Swiss. On the back of the case it says "Patent" and "Acier Staybrite" and it has the number 47939 stamped on the back/case with what I think is C.378 scratched underneath. The strap is a leather (?) thong that feeds through loops on the case and attaches to a buckle at one end and a strap at the other; at this end the thong has become detached from the clasps that hold it to the strap so it needs repairing. I have never dared to wear it and, though I think I wound it up when I got it and it worked, it's been so many years now that I daren't try winding it up again. I realise people may need to see the movement inside but I'm not sure I know how to take the back off safely. I would love to know how old it is, what it might be worth and if I decide to sell it whether I should use a specialist auction or dealer. Thanks in advance, Bookworm | |||
| Bookworm New member Username: Bookworm Post Number: 2 Registered: 03-2009 Rating: N/A |
Okay, I've put some photos into a Word document and will try to upload that. Hope it works. Last night I took the plunge and wound up the watch. It started working immediately and when I left it was keeping time with a rapid tick that's so faint you can only hear it when the watch is right up against your ear! I will ask my husband to take the back off so we can photograph the movement. For now I hope you can see these pics as it's such a lovely object. Here goes...
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| Ilja Moderator Username: Ilja Post Number: 266 Registered: 05-2003 Rating: N/A |
It�s a ladies Reverso, an Art Deco classic. Your watch is a post 1937 Model. Feel free to email me the pictures and I'll post them for you if you like. One needs some skills to open the back. So I suggest to let this done by a [skilled] watchmaker. | |||
| Herrk Junior Member Username: Herrk Post Number: 14 Registered: 03-2007 Rating: N/A |
The use of Staybrite steel by JLC - question to the experts: Jaeger, LeCoultre and JLC made use of Staybrite steel for their watchcases for some time up to the 1940s (I assume). Does anyone know when they changed from Staybrite to another not oxidising steel fabric and why? Christian | |||
| Zaf Moderator Username: Zaf Post Number: 3849 Registered: 05-2003 Rating: N/A |
Saybrite pitted easily with repeated exposure to sweat. It was used up until the 1950s. |
Word doc of Reverso photos