Jaeger-LeCoultre Ref. 1901 White Gold Review

There is a category we don't often discuss during our vintage trips: Flat watches from JLC.

Which is quite surprising, as JLC had an interesting offer, in this domain.

Basically, The Grande Maison released, in the Sixties, different references, such as the 1901, 1903, 1913, 1918, 1925, 1947..., which came in two sizes of case: 32 and 34 mm, avalaible in 18 Kt Gold or in stainless steel.

Both of these references using the Cal 818.

Both being flat, with a reasonable height of approximatively 6 to 7 mm.

tow kind of lugs, though: Welded, like on the ref 1903 and 1947, or not, like on the 1925, as shown on this catalog from 1963, borrowed to Clavi.



That being said, let's now focus on the Ref 1901.

1/ The case:

This is a classic round one, with welded lugs, on which the case literally " seats ", as you can see here:



A very small signed crown, which makes the watch not very easy to wind, but at least coherent with the whole volume of the watch:



A quite uncommmon detail, on this watch, is the fact that the case is made of 18 Ct WHITE Gold, which is revealed by the writings inside the case back:



The Ref 1901, as all these " flat " references, has a snap back case, which has the particularity to be quite thick... And the extra tenth of millimeters:



2/ The movement:

The Cal 818 is born in 1959. It has a diameter of 20, 9 mm, a height of 2, 94 mm, beats at the pace of 18000 vibrations per hour, and is manual winding.

Pleasant to see, with its cotes de Genève, and its sensual bridges, it is typical from what we are used to see in the production of the Vallée de Joux.

Small, it seems quite lost in the case!







3/ The dial:

Minimalist, pure, clean are the words which immediately come to mind to describe this reference.

Applied hour markers each five minutes, with an exception, at 3 o' clock, here is located the Jaeger-Lecoultre signature, doubling the applied JL logo at 12 o' clock.

The thin and very discrete hours and minutes hands are in accordance with the dial, I find.



Conclusion:

No alarm, nor Chronograph, date, just elegance, discretion, a great watch for great events.

The case in white gold adds some density, which is very pleasant for the wrist.

Not as famous as the icons of the brand, but not less appealing!

Enjoy!



Best,

Nicolas. This message has been edited by amanico on 2013-09-02 21:59:19 This message has been edited by amanico on 2013-09-02 22:23:29 This message has been edited by amanico on 2013-09-06 13:56:25