1930s Jaeger chronograph
This is a beautiful 1930s gentleman’s dress-chronograph manufactured by the famous firm of Jaeger LeCoultre. The watch is a dress-chronograph meaning it wasn’t principally designed for the professional timing of events (for example by scientists or pilots), but rather it was an expensive, sophisticated watch for a gentleman to wear to exhibit both his good taste and his affluence.
The watch has a gorgeous, unrestored black dial with gilt markings and all gold handset. The watch satisfies the desire in the 1930s for a small watch - at only 30.5mm across it is testament to the ingenuity of the engineering required to miniaturise the chronograph mechanism to make it fit into a small watch. Personally I think a small chronograph is one of the touchstones of top quality watchmaking - after all any fool can make a large chronograph!
The watch has a Jaeger LeCoultre calibre 281, unusually for JLC who prided themselves on making everything in-house, the ebauche, or base movement, was manufactured by the specialist firm of Universal Geneve who manufactured ebauches for many of the top Swiss brands. The movement is signed Jaeger on one of the bridges and at one time the dial was also signed “Jaeger”, however their name has either worn away or deliberately been obscured.
The watch has been fully serviced and regulated and the time keeping is first class. It is supplied with a new Hirsch leather strap. This is a very rare watch, perfect as a watch for the best occasions.
Please see vintage watch care advice here.
Specifications:
Case diameter (excluding winding crown): 30.5mm
Case material: 18 carat gold (hallmarked Glasgow 1936)
Strap width: 16mm
Time keeping: grade A
We aim to dispatch all watch orders within 2-3 working days, where this isn't possible, we will try to inform you via email.
When your order is dispatched your tracking details will be updated.
Please allow extra processing time for watches with a customised engraving or strap, during busy sales periods this can sometimes take an extra 5-10 working days.
If you are in a hurry for your watch, please email us.
Shipping guide for watches:
UK: FREE DPD shipping, 1-2 working days
United States & Canada: FREE Fedex shipping, 1-3 working days
The EU: FREE DHL shipping, 1-3 working days. To order to The EU, please visit our Euro website here (duties and taxes are included in the price of your watch).
Click here to see the full shipping guide for watches
Shipping guide for t-shirts:
Our t-shirts are printed by us and shipped from our workshop in London. This means if you place an order for both a watch and t-shirt(s), they will be shipped together via an express service. Delivery times for these can be found here.
If you order a t-shirt without a watch, it will be shipped via a Royal Mail tracked service which usually takes a little longer. You can see an estimated timescale when you input your address at the checkout.
Shipping guide for straps (unless purchased with a watch):
Free Royal Mail 1st Class / International tracked shipping, 2-14 working days depending on location. You can see a more accurate timescale when you input your address at the checkout.
Please note, during busy sale periods dispatch may take a little longer (this is quite rare). These delivery times are a guide based on the carriers terms of service, products may, in some unusual cases take longer to arrive. If this happens, please get in touch.