The Best of The Best: An American Market LeCoultre w/ Fancy Lugs

In our recent ‘Best of The Best’ articles, we covered some watches that were unobtainable watches to most people. This watch might be the same - although only because of its rarity. This article will feature a more humble-priced timepiece I first saw in 2021 - a very special American-market LeCoultre watch that was unlike any example I had ever seen. The Best of The Best articles may feature million-dollar watches, but we also will include amazing watches at all price points. This LeCoultre sold for a mere fraction of the price of an Audemars Piguet reference 5516 or a Audemars Piguet reference 5516. While the likelihood of finding another example like the 5516 and 1518 are slim, this LeCoultre may be just as rare.

I first saw this watch years back when visiting Eric Wind, and at this time any Jaeger-LeCoultre timepiece was something of an obsession. To this day, I have only seen one other mention of this specific watch - an IG post from a Christie’s New York auction in 2002. Although it is the same style, I am not certain it is the same watch.

The dial the first thing that I am enamored by. It is made Fabrique de Cadran Stern Frères. The watch features an attractive numeral style found on models such as the Rolex Padellone, as well as various Patek Philippe and Movado models. The “LeCoultre” branding is displayed in a cartouche above vertical grooved layers from a straight lines of a hand engine-turned guilloche. The sixty minute markers are drilled into the white track. One of the very cool aspects to the watch is the gold colored barley guilloche, or grain d'orge on the exterior of the dial. The interior of the dial has a vertical guilloche in black.

It is very similar to the dials found in Markowski Patek Philippe models which are exceedingly rare. Oftentimes, collectors will DM Roni Madvani asking “HOW MUCH?!?!” to buy his collection only to get a snarky response on his IQ stories which is quite funny to watch. To the best of my knowledge, no-one has ever successfully bought a watch from Roni with this opening line, so do with that what you will.

This watch is certainly not an everyday watch and I’d argue it is more of a novelty timepiece. One of those watches that are just so beautiful from an object or art perspective that you cannot help but to want to own. Wearing a watch like this is much different to wearing a classic Memovox reference E 855 or reference E 850. These models are from the same period, but much stronger cases with the screw-down rinds on the back.

The Extract from the Archives mentions the “model [was] intended exclusively for the U.S. market” and that the production date is 1953. Presumably this is the date of the movement’s production and the casing would have likely occurred sometime after, or in the following years. No reference number is mentioned which is common for U.S. LeCoultre models and to the best of my research none exists. It is possible that one day a catalog or advertisement will surface lending insight to a “nickname” for the model or and additional context.

Calibre 480

The watch is powered by the calibre 480 - a manual wind LeCoultre movement which is pretty straightforward. These can be found in various time-only models from the era.

Jaeger-LeCoultre were making a wide variety of timepieces during this era. However, these elaborate case designs were oriented for the American market. The styles for the European watches were certainly more traditional for JLC. The American market models were much more daring. One interesting style watch belonged to James Dean who owned a LeCoultre wristwatch with the similar “Padellone” style numerals and black guilloche.

The case is unusual snapback design with a round body measuring at 30.5mm in diameter. It features fancy lugs incorporating what appears to be an inlaid enamel or resin with the Ancient Greek meander design. Each lug protrudes outward from the case. With consideration to the lug-to-lug measurement, it will be 39mm at the most exterior section. The crown is unsigned. The case was produced by DiVincenzo & Arienti - a New York based case manufacturer that produced watches for the likes of LeCoultre, Hamilton, Longines and others. Their case designs are quite extravagant at times. You will notice the initials D&A on their cases.

Over the years I have continued to obsess over Jaeger-LeCoultre watches. It is not often that I will cite American market models as my favorites (with exception to LeCoultre Polaris reference E859). This watch is truly an outlier. It is one of the most incredibly designs from the manufacturer and I have yet to see another. I’ve always been amazed at the dial and incredible case design. It is truly one of the best LeCoultre watches I have seen - and I doubt I will come across another anytime soon.