Jaeger-LeCoultre

Here is a nice E 855 " Lapis Lazuli " which, actually, has some questionable parts.

I personally see three issues. Two of them are quite easy to be solved, though, while the third one is more problematic. And you, do you see them? Best, Nicolas

1. Incorrect crowns. Should be signed.

2. Incorrect alarm disk (Master Reveil, white dial version with solid case back).

3. Hands? Should be baton hands…?

 

 

Best

 

Blomman

This message has been edited by amanico on 2012-05-03 05:01:55 This message has been edited by amanico on 2012-05-03 05:02:21

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Did Bloman got it all right ?

Here is a shot of an all correct specimen ( Credit picture Artcurial ) :

Best, Nicolas

the crown ?!?! Have to verify

...alarm disc with the blue lapis even if it's not "authentic."
N

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It is more the second hand that looks too short for me

The minute and hour hands should be baton, not Dauphine.

Best,

Nicolas

nt

The game is too easy for you

An illustration

I can't find the pictures, but like Blomman I like watches by pairs, and I have two the exact same so I guess this is the right configuration

(sorry, can only find this old cropped pic now)

One thing to note also is that the pattern of each dial is different (due to the making process of the dials) so each watch, in addition to being pretty rare as a model, is also unique

 

 

 

 

I almost bought a similar  watch a coulple of years ago, unfortunately I hesitated too long...on that one the alarm disc was blue too, like on the one which was sold recently on the auction.
I saw the watch in real life and both (inner and outer) dials looked original, so maybe they made 2 versions of this model, one with a silver alarm?

Zsolt

On that one, the hands were definitively wrong (they are IWC hands!)

But otherwise it looked really good indeed.

He, he - well, maybe I spoiled the fun...

Sorry!

About the alarm disk: you have two with this config?

Question, is the alarm arrow applied with a white pearl in the middle?

 

Best

Blomman

The 2 alarm disks really are the same you would find in a late 855 (eg ebony index, normal or fat).
This is not a pearl per say, this is normal tritium filling

I happen to be wearing one of them as I am typing ;-)    (the other is at the bank so no twin-shot today....)

 

(there was meant to be a Purists background but it's all blurry....)

 

Very helpful.

Do you know anything about which years JLC had these in the catalogue..?

 

Best

Blomman

I have never seen this version in a catalog  (but you are the master of catalogs so if you haven't seen it either I guess the chances are low).
But in all logic I guess it is contemporary to the other 'scale dial' that we know of  (the brown / tortoise one) which appears in the 1970 one:

 

Best would be to have a look under the dial what date is printed  (as these dials must have a manufacturing date as most memovox dials do).

These colored versions of the 855 (blue or brown) are indeed very nice, attractive, and quite rare. I'm just surprised by the fact that the only occurrence of these versions is the brown model in a 1970 catalog.

Obviously, the blue version is authentic, but does not appear anywhere ? The brown version is only mentioned once ? Quite surprising actually, especially if one browses the catalogs from the 60's and 70's where numerous versions of other memovoxes or other models are displayed.

But most striking is that JLC itself cannot provide further information on these versions, only 4 decades old. At least, it leaves quite interesting terra incognita to be discovered for collectors and aficionados...

Best,

karmin

Mine do not have this scan...

Thank you, I think your are right - the blue version should have been around the same time.

 

Best

Blomman

Where can I get one?

Hi Clavi,
i hope you don't get bored by reading this, but you've got some beautiful watches, and lapis is one of my favourite E855 dials by design.
The only irritating part about the lapislazuli mystery is that i mostly see them surfacing from two sources (in Paris or near Hamburg) of rather questionable reputation. One sells remarried watches, the other is an expert at an auction house while he also sells watches (conflict of interest in pricing?).
By the way, i saw Zsolt's Lapis version on Zaf's site a few years ago. I believe i also read something about a belgian guy, maybe you might know more, Clavi? We will probably never know if they really existed, unless we find an old JLC employee confirming them. The approach of an expert dealer to legitimise them by feeding them to market at elevated prices on a sporadic basis, doesn't convince me so far.
Cheers, MMK