Name: Jaeger LeCoultre 6b/159 steel case (1942)
Brand: VAT FREE
SKU: vw128
Price: 2500.0 GBP
Availability: OutOfStock

Jaeger LeCoultre 6b/159 steel case (1942)

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This is a Royal Air Force navigator’s watch from the second world war in the rare stainless steel case (referred to for obvious reasons as "beefy lugs"). The watch was made by Jaeger LeCoultre, one of the top Swiss brands and was ordered by the RAF for pilots and navigators for use during the second world war. One can only wonder at the action it must have seen!

RAF watches from this period were supplied by a number of manufacturers including Omega, Jaeger Le-Coultre and Longines, the watches followed a standard specification laid down by the RAF which included a white dial with black arabic numerals, centre seconds and blued steel non-luminous hands. Most importantly the watches were regulated to a very high standard by the makers in order that they could be used for navigation by dead-reckoning. These watches are referred to collectively by their stores reference number: 6b/159

The case back of the watch is engraved with the RAF stores reference information: A.M. stands for Air Ministry, which was the original name for the RAF; 6b/159 is the reference number for this type of navigational watch (6b is the prefix for all flying equipment, 159 the number allocated to this type of watch; 10011 is the unique reference number for this watch and /42 refers to 1942, the year in which it was ordered.

The Jaeger LeCoultre calibre 450 movement is extremely well made and finished. The movement is in excellent condition, it has been fully serviced and the timekeeping is excellent.

The dial of this watch is signed LeCoultre (as are all the Jaeger LeCoultre 6b/159 dials), there is conjecture that this was because Jaeger LeCoultre were using up old stocks of dials (the company branded their products Jaeger LeCoultre in Europe, but just LeCoultre for the North American market). The JLC 6b/159 watches are fairly uncommon and are much coveted, especially in the stainless steel case variation - they are more usually found in an economy chrome plated finish.

The case has been cleaned, but as with all out vintage watches we have left it unpolished. The crystal has been polished and the watch has been fitted with a new leather strap. The watch comes with our standard 12 month guarantee.

Case diameter: 34mm
Case material: stainless steel
Strap width: 17mm
time keeping: grade A

Order processing

We aim to dispatch all orders within 2-3 working days.

When your order is dispatched, your tracking details will be updated.

If you have opted for a custom engraving please allow an additional 1-2 working days.

If you are purchasing during a sale or a limited edition release, you can expect an email update with an estimated dispatch date if there any changes to the timeframe.

If you are in a hurry for your order, please email us. We'll try our best to prioritise your order.

Shipping guide for watches

UK: FREE DPD shipping, 1-2 working days
United States & Canada: FREE DHL shipping, 1-3 working days
The EU: FREE DHL shipping, 2-4 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 watch straps

If purchased separately from your watch, watch straps will be shipped with Royal Mail 1st Class / International tracked shipping.

This takes 2-14 working days depending on location. You can see a more accurate timescale when you input your address at the checkout.

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.

Return your watch for an exchange

We are happy to exchange unworn watches.

Fastening the watch will cause damage to the leather. If this is the case, we charge for the watch strap (or we can put the worn strap on the exchanged watch for free).

Please email us directly if you think your watch is faulty.

Return your watch for a refund

To return for a full refund, you have 30 days if purchased online. After this time we can offer an exchange if your watch hasn’t been worn.

If you purchased your watch in-store, we can offer an exchange or store credit only. This is because you’ve seen the watch in person and had the opportunity to try it on. Please let us know if you’re purchasing as a gift.

T-shirt returns and Exchanges

We recommend checking the measurements of our t-shirts on our size guide before placing your order, you can also check them here

However, if your t-shirt is faulty, we can offer an exchange or a refund. In this circumstance, please email us within 30 days of placing your order, with a photograph of the problem, as well as your order number.

To return other products (such as straps) please email us: info@mrjoneswatches.com to arrange this.

UK returns

1) Generate your free returns label here.

2) Print it off and stick it to your original packaging.

3) Take it to your local post office. Find your closest here.

(If you no longer have your original packaging, please ensure your watch is securely wrapped in bubble wrap / something similar to protect it in transit).

NB please include a short note describing the issue with the watch and your contact details.

EU and International returns

Please send the watch to this address:

Mr Jones Watches (repairs)
61 Dartmouth Road
London SE23 3HN
United Kingdom

Ensure the watch is securely wrapped in bubble wrap to protect it in transit.

Please include a note stating:

- the reason for the return
- a detailed description of the problem with your watch (if sending for repair)
- your email address and your order number
- remember to include your return delivery address, (so we know where to send the repaired watch)

We recommend you use a tracked service.

As the UK is no longer in the EU, you will have to fill in a Customs Declaration form (usually a CN22).

Please write in the description field "wristwatch, return for factory repair / refund , no commercial value."

This is essential otherwise an import duty will be levied which you will be liable for (there is no way for us to reclaim this charge).

Please note: we do not cover shipping costs for unwanted items, returned from outside of the UK. If you are returning a watch that is faulty we may be able to reimburse shipping costs if your watch is within warranty, please contact us ahead of sending in this instance.

Jaeger LeCoultre 6b/159 steel case (1942)