Antoine LeCoultre founded his eponymous workshop in 1833, in a small barn belonging to his family in the heart of the Vallée de Joux in Switzerland. Right from these humble beginnings, LeCoultre focussed on creating timepieces of great accuracy with a balance of intellect and imagination. Bringing together every aspect of watchmaking together under one roof, he even went so far as to create his own tools such as the Millionometre that would allow him to make even the smallest of parts to ensure the utmost accuracy. By 1851 he had gained international recognition, and by 1888 the workshop had become one of the most important employers in the Canton de Vaud.
In 1903, Jacques-David LeCoultre, grandson of the founder, met French watchmaker and inventor Edmond Jaeger, and together they fused French style with the Swiss technical excellence. The alliance brought about the creation of extraordinary ultra-thin calibre watches, and after years of successful collaboration between the two companies, the Jaeger-LeCoultre name was established in 1937.
To this day, Jaeger-LeCoultre produce some of the most attractive and desirable watches available on the secondary market, notably their iconic and much sought-after models, the Reverso, the Polaris, the Master Réserve de Marche and the Master Control.
REVERSO
The Reverso, was born in 1931, from a challenge to create a model of watch that could withstand the intensity of polo matches between British army officers in India. Ingeniously and elegantly designed, the reversible main case could swivel and flip over, to protect the delicate glass and face. It has become a classic of 20th century watch design. With Art Deco lines and simple elegance, the Reverso encapsulates the brand’s craftsmanship, innovation and style. Produced in over 50 calibres, the Reverso ranges from simple and sleek to embellished with enamel, engraving, or gemstones.
Jaeger Le Coultre: A Good 18 Carat Rose Gold Grande Size GMT 8-Day Power Reserve Reversible Wristwatch, signed Jaeger LeCoultre, model: Reverso Grande GMT, ref: 240.2.18, circa 2006
Sold for £7,000 plus buyer’s premium
MASTER CONTROL
Introduced in 1992, the Master Control is a masterpiece of refined modern elegance, bringing together sophisticated minimalist design choices, traditional craftsmanship and contemporary technology. The Master Control was inspired by the classic designs of the Golden Age of watchmaking in the 1950s; whilst paying homage to the company’s long heritage, it remains decidedly contemporary. Like all Jaeger-LeCoultre watches, the Master Controls go through the rigorous 1,000-hour control test, ensuring exceptional reliability and performance.
Jaeger LeCoultre: A World Dual Time Zone Automatic Power Reserve Day and Night Indication Wristwatch signed Jaeger LeCoultre, model: Master Control Geographic World Time, ref: 142.8.92S, circa 2001
Sold for £3,800 plus buyer's premium
RESERVE DE MARCHE
The Master Réserve de Marche is a model with a prominent power reserve indicator. Jaeger-LeCoultre became the first company to put this distinctive complication into production when it first included a power reserve indicator on the Powerwind model in 1948. When the Master Control range was introduced in the 1990s, they introduced a model named for this signature complication, and the Master Réserve de Marche combined Jaeger-LeCoultre’s distinctive elegance with a very practical functional feature.
Jaeger LeCoultre: A Rare Platinum Limited Edition Automatic Calendar Power Reserve Wristwatch, signed Jaeger LeCoultre, model: La Master Reserve de Marche Master Control, ref: 140.640.936B, number 25 of a limited edition of 250 pieces made, circa 1999
Sold for £6,500 plus buyer's premium
Coming up in the Fine Jewellery, Watches and Silver Sale on 15th November are several good examples of watches by Jaeger-LeCoultre. Highlights among them include:
Jaeger Lecoultre: A World Dual Time Zone Automatic Power Reserve Day and Night Indication Wristwatch, signed Jaeger LeCoultre, model: Master Control Geographic World Time, ref: 142.8.92S, circa 2001, (calibre 929/3)
Estimate: £2,500-3,000 plus buyer’s premium
Jaeger LeCoultre: A Stainless Steel Automatic Triple Calendar Moonphase Display Wristwatch, signed Jaeger LeCoultre, model: Master Calendar, ref: 140.8.98.S, circa 2000, (calibre 891/2/448)
Estimate: £3,800-4,200 plus buyer’s premium
Jaeger LeCoultre: An 18 Carat White Gold Rectangular Reverso Wristwatch, signed Jaeger LeCoultre, model: Reverso Classic, ref: 250.3.86, 1990's
By repute: This watch was originally owned by David Platt, ex England International footballer and bought in the 1990's.
Estimate: £4,000-5,000 plus buyer’s premium
