Jaeger-LeCoultre Futurematic 1957

blomman Mr Blue · 2018-02-15T01:48:09Z

Explore the 1957 Jaeger-LeCoultre Futurematic, a crownless, self-starting vintage watch. Discover its innovations and why it was ahead of its time.

blomman Mr Blue

WPS member · Jaeger-LeCoultre forum

39 replies4442 views4 photos

blomman Mr Blue takes readers on a 'Throwback Thursday' journey to 1957, exploring the groundbreaking Jaeger-LeCoultre Futurematic. This post highlights the watch's innovative features, such as its lack of a winding crown and automatic start function, drawing parallels to disruptive technologies like the Apple iMac. It offers a historical perspective on a watch that was ahead of its time.

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Remember when Apple released their first computer without a Floppy drive?

The iMac! That was scary!

Imagine back in the early 1950s when Jaeger-LeCoultre introduced the Futurematic …

No winding button! That must have been even more scary!

A genius watch with power reserve indicator, small seconds, hack seconds,…

A feature that, if stopped - starting as soon as you pick up the watch!

Still that was not enough for the Futurematic to sell enough pieces.

So in 1957, the following arguments were given as sales people:

They even gave the Futurematic a cool logo!

Even so, the Futurematic model did not survive and shortly after were discontinued.

Mine is an earlier version before the special logo.

Still today, even with the automatic hysteria we see from many brands, not many watches are without a winding crown…

Best

Blomman

Key Points from the Discussion

The Futurematic's lack of a winding crown was a radical innovation for its time, comparable to the iMac's removal of the floppy drive, yet it struggled to gain widespread commercial success.
The Futurematic is considered unique as it has no modern equivalent, making its appeal today clear despite its historical commercial challenges.
A collector expresses a desire for JLC to release a modern Master Control with no crown, featuring only correctors for hours and minutes, allowing for ambidextrous wear.
The Futurematic's features, including constant force and a power reserve indicator, set a precedent for future watch designs, with a wish for JLC to create more such innovative pieces.
The watch's self-starting mechanism, which begins as soon as it's picked up, gives it an almost 'Perpetuum Mobile' quality.
The Futurematic represents JLC's 'advanced research' approach, showcasing the brand's historical commitment to innovation.

The Discussion

claes_t

Feb 15, 2018

Very cool! [nt]

It's almost like a Perpetuum Mobile...

amanico

Feb 15, 2018

True. The Futurematic is almost unique in the watch history. I love these old documents, I like the watch even more. [nt]

blomman Mr Blue

Feb 15, 2018

You always need both, my friend! ;) [nt]

crown comfort

Feb 15, 2018

No Floppy Drive

they were insane!

Ares501 - Mr Green

Feb 15, 2018

Why would you need floppy if you have hard ;) [nt]

cazalea

Feb 15, 2018

Sharing & backup

No internet then, few modems, little email made floppy necessary “Old guy remembering”

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