Jaeger-LeCoultre

Speedie74 aka Mr. Torquise
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À la recherche du temps perdu

Dear Members,

let me introduce my newest and last acquisition for this year - I swear -, a real gem, something very special. This timepiece, a wonderful piece of art, was sitting literally at least for 25 years in the drawer of my favourite AD, in a small town near to my home town. Waiting for me…
I am sure that watches choose us and not we find them…
I discovered this wonderful masterpiece around 6 years ago, but at that time I wasn’t ready to buy it: both monetary but also due to my age. Man must reach a certain age for a certain watch.
Well, if God helps me further, I will be 50 years old on January, 2024, therefore it is time to celebrate it properly. And because I was a good boy in 2023, Christ child gave me my 50th birthday present a little earlier:



Proper, older type box for more than a 25 years old, NOS watch:



And, of course, the proper “Livret de Garantie” and the other paperwork:



But what is hidden in the white box? Tadaaaaam:



The Reverso “Art Deco” gets her name from the recto side of the watch, the dial is made from solid sterling silver, and has two different type of guilloche technique:



But the main attraction is showed by the verso side of the watch:



It has a “Jugendstil” style, the movement is skeletonized and decorated by a hand of a master watchmaker from Vallée de Joux, at that time there were much more traditional “men’s work” (or “woman’s work”) in the watchmaking:



Rumours said that Jaeger-LeCoultre could produce only less than a dozen skeletonized movement per month, because of the higher demand of the working time for each movement. See the original, glossy black crocodile strap from the 90’ies:



I still can’t believe that after 25-30 years this beautiful piece of art can find her way to my home!
But wait for a moment! How can I decide the age of this timeless beautiful lady when she just left her castle for the first time in her life?

Well, there are some signs of the caseback and the buckle, which are impeccable ( please see the sharp writing and numerals of the new watch!!!):



The reference number is situated horizontal (and not vertical, as shown below by a “younger” watch), just below the word of “Reverso”, my watch has a normal buckle (the “newer” specimens has a deployant clasp), and last but not least see the low individual case number of my watch….
The “vertical” type of the reference number, picture and courtesy from the web:





What can I tell you, Ladies and Gentleman, when I strap it on this master of art:



I feel myself as an elegant gentleman at a party by the Great Gatsby, a specimen from a past age: an eternal, classical gentleman.

Truly yours,

Adam