| Author | Message | ||
     sebastian Unregistered guest Rating: N/A |
Hello, when did LeCoultre watches start coming with LeCoultre marked bands and buckles? How about for Jaeger LeCoultre dialed watches? I have only seen LeCoultre marked vintage leather bands (50s I assume for earliest?). Would a solid gold watch be sold with solid gold buckles or gold filled also? Thx | ||
| gatorcpa Unregistered guest Rating: N/A |
Sebastian - I'll try to answer as best as I can: 1. "When did LeCoultre watches start coming with LeCoultre marked bands and buckles?" These likely were contracted by the US distributor along with the cases, beginning with the date of the first US importation of LeCoultre in the 1930's. 2. "How about for Jaeger LeCoultre dialed watches?" Again, probably same answer as above, except the buckles and bands were likely made in Switzerland. 3. "Would a solid gold watch be sold with solid gold buckles or gold filled also?" Since I have seen some gold filled JLC buckles, but very few gold filled JLC watches, I'd have to say that some solid gold JLC's were likely sold with gold filled buckles -- probably bottom of the line 18K watches (a relative term, as all JLC's were fine watches). On the US market, many LeC watches were gold filled, so these probably came with gold filled buckles as well. The ratio of gold filled/solid gold watches is far higher than that of the buckles, so I suppose that most of the 14K LeC watches originally had gold-filled buckles. 18K US market LeC, probably had 18K buckles (I've seen very few of either). Hope this helps, gatorcpa | ||
| Clavi Unregistered guest Rating: N/A |
Not sure I agree with you 1) LeCoultre: I believe that the "LeCoultre distributor in the US" issue is a post-war thing, so I think your comment on US cases / bands only applies post-1950 2) Jaeger-LeCoultre dialed watch: I don't think they had any specifically marked bands / buckles prior to the introduction of the "JL" logo on dials (and then on buckles), which happened "sometime" in the mid-60's, except for some very early deployant buckles patented by Jaeger and marked as such in the early 30's, and subsequently sold to the exclusive use of Cartier (I have personally seen a very early Jaeger Reverso with such buckle) 3) No idea here, though I have seen many GF Jaeger-LeCoultre. Actually original JL buckles are seldomely seen so it is a bit difficult to make a rule on what buckle was fitted on which watch But Zaf will surely enlighten us on all 3 points ! | ||
| Zaf Moderator Username: Zaf Post Number: 1453 Registered: 05-2003 Rating: N/A |
I think USA bands where so marked as early as the 1940s. In general, even gold watches came with gold plated buckles. All I have from very early factory documentation for the Reverso is: "Steel and gold and steel Reversos where originally delivered with a steel buckle. Sold gold Reversos were delivered with a gold plated buckle." No indication of if these were ever stamped LC or JLC, so I guess, we can't really answer this question definitively. It's safe to say that by the 1950s, the straps, buckles and generally the crowns where marked LC or JLC. | ||
| gatorcpa Unregistered guest Rating: N/A |
Actually, I'm in agreement with Clavi. I really don't know when LeC began to mark them with the brand name. 1950's sounds right, though. My father had a LeCoultre from about 1960, he says it had a marked band and buckle. | ||
| Clavi Unregistered guest Rating: N/A |
as we are on this topic, Zaf, do you know when / on which watch the JL logo first appeared ? I can think of the Etrier without, and then with the logo, and as well memovox 815 without and then with the JL, so maybe from the serial number you were able to trace the first JL logo (probably manufacture brochures can also be a good indicator) We could also discuss about original box types, also an interesting topic :-) | ||
| Zaf Moderator Username: Zaf Post Number: 1454 Registered: 05-2003 Rating: N/A |
Not sure I can pinpoint when. If you have movement # I'd be happy to date them. A more reliable method is the catalog approach, but we don't have all years. Ilja has most of the catalogs. | ||
| sebastian Unregistered guest Rating: N/A |
Thank you for the information. A discussion on vintage boxes would be useful also. | ||
| Zaf Moderator Username: Zaf Post Number: 1463 Registered: 05-2003 Rating: N/A |
Signed Boxes will definitely date back to the first wristwatches, as early as 1920. I own some. |