anon438
429
LeCoultre activities in US in 1940's - cases and movements
Oct 04, 2019,09:03 AM
At that time only Le Coultre branded watches have been sold by the Longines-Wittnauer Watch Company in USA (beside other brands). Therefore they are probably not mentioned separately. Maybe how the Le Coultre business was performed, using imported movements and US produced cases, dials..., was also a reason not to mention them.
(1950, Advert Le Coultre U.S.A)
The Rolex Watch Company, Inc., New York, started to sell Rolex branded watches in about 1942. Probably therefore they have been recognized as a relatively new brand. How the Rolex business was performed could also have been a reason not to mention them.
(1942, Advert Rolex U.S.A.)
Le Coultre USA cased watches in the 1940's What you can find often in this time are cases marked
Longines Wittnauer Watch Co (L.W.W.Co.Inc), Longines, Le Coultre all fitted with Le Coultre branded movement, and also calendar watches in steel which seem to have been imported completely finished.
The quality of those Le Coultre watches was medium, on the first sight, but not above Hamilton watches of that period.
Movement competition - Vacheron & Constantin // Le Coultre // Hamilton
The document is relevant because the expert is judging watches against the US marked with the view of 1949.
The higher standard at that time in US was probably Hamilton. On the list are companies above or below Hamilton.
If you compare the 982 against the 436 than you could spot the very difference, that's almost light-years.