Jaeger-LeCoultre

amanico
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A view on the Jaeger-LeCoultre Vintage Diving Chronograph, The Shark.

The first difficulty when we speak about the JLC Vintage Diving Chronograph is to know how to call it.

If we refer to the US or European catalogues, we'll see that it doesn't have the same name, indeed.

For the US Market, this Chronograph is called " Shark ":

Here, a scan of the '69 US Catalogue, featuring the " Shark " among some other beauties:



And here, the European Catalogue, showing the same Chronograph, with its 2 different bezels ( World Time or Minutes Indexes ).





Here, a picture of the " Vogue " from " La Grande Maison ", and its world time bezel:



And now, a picture of the Shark, which I found on the net ( don't know who to credit for, showing the traditional minutes indexes bezel ) :



A simpler solution is to call this Chronograph by its reference code: E 2643, as you won't be wrong, being precised that " Lecoultre " was used for the US Market, and Jaeger-LeCoultre on all the other markets.

That being said, let's have a closer look on this watch.

A big case, angular and sweet at the same time, a black dial with silver counters, 2 big Minute and Hour hands, a big crown, here are the elements of this very " macho " watch.

- The DIAL AND BEZEL:

Let's first speak about the bezel, whose one is very particular for a Diving watch, the World Time.



This World Time bezel is, like on the Memovox World Time, more indicative than useful.



If you want to know what hour it is in every part of the World, turn the bezel till your local time is in front of the hand hour, then you'll have the world time.

Why a World Time bezel on a Diving Watch, while a 60 minutes bezel should be THE natural one?

I must admit that I don't know the answer, but let's guess that when the '70ies were knocking at every one's door, things were not only axed on Utility.

Anyway, aesthetically speaking, this bezel is not an ugly detail on this watch, it makes it even bigger than it is, in real.

In fact, for the US models, there was also another bezel which was available, as written in the US Catalogue from '69: The 24 Hours.

I found a picture of it, but if you find or if you're offered such a Chrono, my advice would be to stay away from it:



It is written in the Catalogue that the Chrono Shark is available with these 3 bezels.

BUT, if you pay attention to the dial of this GMT, you'll see that it is much different than the dial of the " WT " or of the regular one.

The indexes are numbers, the 30 minutes subdial is looking like the one we see on the Type XX, bigger than the 2 other subdials, and there is a 24 Hours Hand...

How can we get a Shark with three different bezels, when the dials are not the same, when there is a 24 Hours Hand, and even the hands are different ???

To me, this Diving Chrono GMT as pictured above is a fake, something which has been confirmed by many authorities in the Vintage JLC world, and among them, Zaf Basha, who wrote:

" All these LeCoultre chronos with "extra" complications like GMT, triple date, etc, particularly with ones that has a Breguet "Type 20" styles dial are fake. These all came out of Germany at the same time about 10 years ago and are probably still being made as long as people are paying crazy prices for them!

It's a mine field out there. "

Anyway, let's go back to the dial of the regular Chrono.

As always ,the dial is one of the very important detail, on a watch.

Here, " La Grande Maison " played the card of the sportivity and legibility, with an undisputable presence and strenght.





At the contrary of the Jaeger 4 ATM Chrono, the indexes are luminous ( tritium ), on the Diving Chrono, contrasting with the matt black dial, as well as the hands, which are darkened at their end.

The darkened hands are almost echoing with the tachymeter, which is another funny and weird detail for a Diving Chronograph, but enhances the sportivity of the watch, and brings a surprising racing look.

You will also notice on this macro picture the circular finish on the 3 subdials:



A slightly domed plexy, flat on the top, is protecting the dial.

- THE CASE:

While at this moment, the watches had an average 36 / 37 mm case, the Diving Chronograph was considered as a big watch, with its generous 40 mm, generosity enhanced by a relatively important thickness ( circa 13 mm ).

Therefore, it looks even bigger than it is, in real.

The case, only available in stainless steel, is entirely polished, at the exception of the case back, which receives a satined finish.

There is no possible confusion between this Diving Chronograph and its cousin, the Jaeger 4 ATM, as the respective cases are different, even if they both are " Big Chronos ":





The lugs of the Ref E 2643 are much larger, squared and fatter than on the 4 ATM, as you can see from the pictures posted above.

And you will also notice that these lugs ( therefore, the case ) has been used by other brands, such as, for example, Breguet, with the Type XX from the Seventies:

Though, the distance between the lugs is exactly the same: 20 mm, and allowed the use of a Tropic or Leather strap ( European Catalogue ) and Stainless Steel Bracelet ( US Catalogue ).

Even the screw in case backs are different, on these 2 chronographs.

Here, the case back from the outside:



And now, from the inside, which shows the writings " Lecoultre - Swiss ", and the ref of the watch " E 2643 ".



Another interesting detail is the gridwork motif on the crown, which is familiar to any Polaris Lover ( or Super Compressor Case Fan ).



Now, a close up on the crown and lugs, which shows the case under its " bestiality ":



Jaeger-LeCoultre claims a Water Resistance of 120 meters on this model.

- THE MOVEMENT:

As previously said on the 4 ATM review, the movement used is the same, on this Diving Chronograph, a Valjoux R 72 whose JLC Ref is Cal 13 VZH, which beats at 18 000 Vibrations per Hour, shock protected and antimagnetic, which always surprised me as there is no soft iron dust cover to protect the movement from the magnetic fields...

Anyway, this is a very well known movement, reliable and accurate, which was used by many Manufactures for their Chronographs.

It is always nice to see such a column wheel Chronograph movement, which is not exceptionally finished, but really great looking:







- AN ANCESTER OF THE MODERN JLC DIVING CHRONOGRAPHS:

Almost 40 years after, JLC reintroduced in the catalogue a Diving Chrono.

First came the Master Compressor Diving Chronograph, with an ehanced water resistance to 1 000 meters, providing a date, and a pulsometer scale to the traditional bezel ( minute indexes ) in a big titanium grade 5 case ( 44 mm ) or in Rose Gold .



2009 saw the birth of the Navy SEALs Chrono, in titanium grade 5 or Rose Gold 46, 3 mm case adding the GMT function to the previous model, but no more pulsometric scale.



Obviously, these 2 last chronographs perpetuate the History, ( and please again, note that I'm not speaking about the Fake Shark GMT, but the one which comes only with a GMT bezel, as mentionned on the '69 US Catalogue ).

It is also interesting to notice that the MC Diving Chronograph and the MC Navy SEALs Chronograph both use some details from the past.

While the Ref E 2643 borrowed the crown of the Polaris, the 2 modern Chronographs take some clear inspiration from the same Cult Watch, if you pay attention to the shape of the indexes and nmubers...

Big, they are, as well as the E 2643 was for its era.



Functional, they all are, and sometimes, we find again some curious complications for a Diving watch, as the GMT or the World Time.

Anyway, the Ref E 2643 must be tested on the wrist, as well as the modern Chronos, to be fully appreciated.

A big presence, a great comfort, only pleasure!



Best to All.

Nicolas This message has been edited by amanico on 2011-10-17 05:41:50 This message has been edited by amanico on 2011-10-20 10:06:52

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