| Author | Message | ||
     Elysees New member Username: Elysees Post Number: 1 Registered: 08-2010 Rating: N/A |
I'm not certain (never heard any stories about the watch), but my parents were in Germany from 1948-51 (Military) and made trips to Zurich and Lucerne, does this watch fit the period? It's been around a long time I know, I've had in my possession for 25 years and have never paid much attention to it (old ladies watch). Just the other day I took notice and popped the back off, I was surprised it was 18K and now wondering about it, I have no ideal what it cost back in the day, but knowing my father, this watch must have been on the low end. Thanks in advance for any thoughts.     | ||
| Zaf Moderator Username: Zaf Post Number: 4736 Registered: 05-2003 Rating: N/A |
Hi, the watch dates to approx 1948. I don't think this was "low end" especially after WWII where money in Europe wasn't flowing like mad. | ||
| Elysees New member Username: Elysees Post Number: 2 Registered: 08-2010 Rating: N/A |
Thank you Zaf, what's remarkable at least to me, are all the notations on the inside back, for such a little watch (I guess it was typical for JLC) there are roughly a dozen markings in 3 styles. I would assume they each mean something - I realize the question is probably answered on the various threads, I'll make my way through them for the answer. | ||
| Elysees New member Username: Elysees Post Number: 3 Registered: 08-2010 Rating: N/A |
Well, maybe the fact that money was scare and a American GI had a regular pay check, my father got a deal on the watch? Now I'll have to go through what pictures I have of the time and see if my mother is wearing it? The watch doesn't work, wound too tight, I assume it'll cost a small fortune to fix, I also assume it'll be more collectible as a watch than for the scrap? | ||
| Gregb Advanced Member Username: Gregb Post Number: 294 Registered: 10-2006 Rating: N/A |
The handwritten markings inside the case back are from each of the watchmakers that serviced it over the years. Each watchmaker has their own way of recording their work. The factory stamps include assay marks and responsibility marks for the gold content. The watch dial has also been (poorly) refinished at some point in time. Thay Jaeger-LeCoultre signature printed on the dial isn't very accurate to the original text. It likely wouldn't cost a "small fortune" (depending on your definition) to fix the watch. Most of the time, a simple cleaning is all that's needed. On average, this runs around $200, but I've seen some older retired watchmakers with low overhead that charge half of this amount or less. At least worth investigating and having the watch looked at. Greg | ||
| Elysees New member Username: Elysees Post Number: 4 Registered: 08-2010 Rating: N/A |
Not a good drawing, but an ideal to the markings. The stamps are very nice, after close inspection with an magnifier the bust/head is done nicely for its size. The numbers may not be completely accurate, but a ideal to how they are placed and amount of them, would the 7/6/62 be a service date? (though the 2 is off center from the other three numbers, off course the numbers are very fine and hard to see with the naked eye. Serving the watch to work again is one thing, but is this watch wearable nowadays or does it go into a collection to be viewed?  | ||
| Gregb Advanced Member Username: Gregb Post Number: 300 Registered: 10-2006 Rating: N/A |
"...but is this watch wearable nowadays?" Of course the watch is wearable! Why wouldn't it be? These watches will be wearable long after you and I are gone. These watches are designed to last indefinitely, with regular care and maintenance. I wear my 1915 Omega Petrograd on a daily basis and it's a durable and reliable timekeeper. Regarding the marks on the inside of you case: 1) The "head" is Helvetia, a Swiss gold assay mark indicating 18K solid gold. 2) The 18K/.750 is self-explanatory - gold fineness 3) The LC initials arount the pine tree is the LeCoultre responsibility mark 4) The key with the "3" inside is the Poin�on de Ma�tre (maker's stamp). The key symbol and the 3 indicate which casemaker created the case for Jaeger-LeCoultre 5) the 4/10 marking indicates the case thickness All the rest of the markings are watchmaker marks from people who serviced the watch over the years. Each watchmaker has their own way of marking their work. The 3/7/62 is obviously a service date, but the rest of the numbers probably match up to a service tag number in a shop book where the watchmaker recorded the date and work that was done. | ||
| Elysees New member Username: Elysees Post Number: 5 Registered: 08-2010 Rating: N/A |
From 1958, hard to tell if it's one in the same? Obviously the black leather band is not original.  | ||
| Elysees New member Username: Elysees Post Number: 6 Registered: 08-2010 Rating: N/A |
Possible clue as to where the watch was bought, I don't believe they are still in business?    |