Jaeger-LeCoultre

Clavi
755

• Show profile
• Show other posts

How not to love them

Hi Jérôme,

Well, it's a fact that I am quite fond of the memovox, the reason being that it is a fairly uncommon 'small' complication to be found in the vintage (and even current) watches world, and that there has been a great diversity of models throughout the years.

However, when it comes to the Triple dates (and the moon variants), I see them as the pinnacle of the classic era of Jaeger LeCoultre, the most refined watches from the vintage years.

In the last months of 2010, I received these 3 also back from the spa (not the same as yours), and I am wearing them in rotation almost daily  (which saves me from having to set the triple date ! )

About the V&C triple dates teardrop lugs, they were very, very close to their JLC cousins (actually, almost same case, movement by JLC and same source for the dial, so not surprisingly a very similar outcome).
While you can usually find a sometimes significant difference between the V&C models and their JLC cousins (mostly on the movement side) on other models, in the case of the triple dates, they are extremely close, so there is no regret to have not to have found your V&C one.
The level of finish in the JLC-signed movements is actually very high.

(pictures from my watchmaker, taken during the 'spa')

The dials / hands of the V&C Triple date / teardrop lugs were usually differentfrom the JLC ones, V&C using applied numbers / bâtons hands  instead of index + dauphine  (or the rare radium dial and hands variant found only on the JLCs).
Also, while JLCs had the first day of the month at 12', V&C had the date of the 31 at 12' instead.

However, you might note that in the 3 JLC ones above, I have a somehow unusual 'V&C-styled JLC', which is very unusual as it is 100% JLC, but has the dial characteristics of a V&C !  (applied numbers, baton hands and 31 at 12')
So, even with the triple dates there are som odd variants that can meke the joy of collectors.

Your triple date looks brand new, and must be a joy to wear.
I have to say that I was a little disapointed by the dial-repriniting job done on yours during its Sentier spa treatment.
While the printings are perfect (size / colour / fonts / layout etc), the base of the dial (the coating layer) is a bit rough looking, and, being apparently a coating of silver painting instead of a galvanic / electrolytic treatment, it doesn't have the characteristic 'brushed' texture, and the paint has completely filled the fine sort-of-guillochage that was present in the second subdial.
I know that this is a tricky thing to achieve  (having been in talks last week with a redialler who explained me how this was done originally, and how he could not do it himself because he didn't have the electrolytic treatment capability), but I would have expected a better / more original result for what appears to have been a fairly expensive spa treatment.

That being said, it is just a reflection from a collectors point of view, as I personnally prefer my dials with some small flaws but fully originals, but I can perfectly understand that others like to have a watch as fresh and with an 'as new' feeling as possible, even with a verly 'respectable 60 years old lady' like your triple date.

It makes a perfect pair with your Reverso date  (which, despite being not so old, becomes a collectible itself it seems)

Site Info.