Jaeger-LeCoultre

Recently on a little trip, half private, half professional , a surprising encounter had crossed my way:

1/ The Prelude:

A while ago, Nicolas had shared his lovely post about the SHOM and its Ref 159, with the caliber 478.

- Already at that time, I had been intrigued by the appeal and convincing purity of this reported piece, but also the significance it had for the histoire of JLC. For me - still pretty much a novice in the vintage terroir to confess, this timeless case and dial have been quite special .

- Would I see one, this type would be a vintage to be liked, I felt.

2/ The encounter:

- So far the intro - well, in the first city, on a pretty rainy morning start , my wife and I were coicindentally looking in a window of a small vintage watch store, just across our breakfast café.

There was this piece:

I first was thinking : well , quite ok - a very clear dial with radium hands and radium numbers, so legible, a central second, drilled lugs. - AND a lovely plexi ! - Something rang a bell !

- Could this be a relative (of the SHOM), here possibly a lesser lady, but at least with some l'air de familie ??

- No matter, after looking at it , more seriously, with a very pleasant salesman, it in fact turned out to be a Caliber P478, from 1946, no Ref was available.

- ( my head was clicking : to my knowledge the P478 was somewhere between 1945 and begin 60ies, and many were made, so this would match ..) -- very nice sword hands, a slight greenish tone ( Why not brown, as usual ?

- I don't know). All still with a weak and nice glow, when we later checked ..

3/ Big or Small caveats (?):

- in the macros &near shots , the numbers seem to "crumble" somehow, not sharp anymore - age effect or something done with them - hope not

(because then the whole piece might be questionable .. - well, we will take the risk..)

- also the colors of the numbers - more green, than brown (?) - AND , I am not completely sure about the authentity of the crown ( too small ?), but nice it looked.

Oh, BTW: There is no signature on the back of the case, ( no SHOM) , just the case serial no; the case appears to have a snap / no screw. Next to the proportions, the appeal of this pleasant dial, almost immediately did it for us, wonderful hands and nice numbers, and also a pretty nice strap to complement it ..

Already here we fell somehow in love, both of us, in fact.

- my wife tested its looks vs her bag - not bad, ehh ?

- funny thing, the 34mm just very ok, (as well for her, but also on my wrist, I guess), and also I appreciated this clean look..

4/ The decision :

Well , to make it short now: - we both felt, this was a pretty nice one , though quite unexpected - and some caveats, but we took the chance - a souveneer as well

and since I had been rewarded with several nice pieces recently,

( and I expected some more soon..), I got it (for her).

This way now, as her first vintage JLC piece, following her long standing companion, a steel/ YG Reverso.

Here a wrist shot, I think a nice one . - Don' t you think ?

A final little question to the experts:

Maybe, you might help us a bit - is this a Ref 159 ( as mentioned in one of Nicolas' posts) ?

- I do not have a movement pic made, will try to do so soon.

- hopefully we did not get some too mediocre piece, but even if - it looks really pretty nice ..

So, to finalize the little story - hope you may have liked our unexected find a bit as well.

- We stand by this unexpected pick-up ..

Best, hs

All the SHOMs are Ref 159, not all the 159 are SHOMs... They have to get an engraved case back to be so.

The case is correct, I would have liked to see the case back, but the dial id correct as well as the hands, and if you have a P 478, it is also OK.

About the patina of the hour markers, no   problems, my friend, as watches don't always have the same patina.

You have a Swiss dial, which indicates that the hour markers are filled with radium.

Normally, they should glow quickly in the dark, but after let's say approximatively 15 / 20 minutes.

I'm not sure about the crown, will have to check this specific point, but this is not a big deal.

Cool watch, hs!

Really happy that you got it, even if I expected a certain other watch, here.

All the best, and congrats on you and your wife!

Nicolas.

This message has been edited by amanico on 2011-05-21 15:08:27

Thank you, Nico for that quick & kind response ! - Glad it's a 159, great !
- your note and comment has somehow relieved me/ us ; almost had some thought to have done something a bit on the stupid side
- Nice to know !

1/ Case number is 329653 ( can send a pic of the case back , if needed..), nothing more on it
2/ yes the crown looks a bit different: a bit smaller, a little domed inside; can try to get a macro; good to know, that the "crumbling numbers" is also part of the aging .
- And yep, exactly, all weakly glowing, as you said ..

3/ and YES - I realize, you might have expected a bit another, more appealing piece:
a) no doubts there of course, was second in sequence but first in appeal and significance for me, as you may know
b) thus, still working on that- sure to come - Part 2 ..

The trip had 2 cities (!), don't forget .. and Cafės as well

Very best,

hs

PS:
My wife says thanks as well for the kind note !

My SHOM, and ALL the SHOMs I saw starts with 401 xxx.

Did you take the movement number, to be more precise on the date?

This is not a less appealing watch, this Ref 159, it is totally different from the one I suspect you're mentionning.

This Ref 159 has a lot of character, I really love this much less known piece.

A piece for a connoisseur.

Un Morceau de Choix.

Best, my friend;

Le Chef Vlad.

Thanks for so kind and encouraging words, again !

So here the movement number I got: 393004/ P 478/ - year 1946 according to the dealer.
( will take a movement picture as well as soon as I have a chance).

- Was no 'be-littling' this nice 159, quite the contrary , especially now that you kindly confirmed
the high likelihood of authentity - makes me happy, makes me also understand.

- another very pleasant catch, as it appears.

And yes - I like its appeal a lot, very clean & clear - just right ..

As to the difference to the "other piece", that's an "autre chose"t, I know - another league and another appeal,
also another time.
But right you are - not less, but different !! -- these early pieces have a friendly spell !

You so patiently complement my vintage education, my expert friend,
Thus further grateful I remain,

Best really - and joyful ad well,

hs

Ps:
will see to speed up my part 2, somehow

From the movement, I'd say 1945.

Hey no worry, take your time... I'm enjoying a nice tea in a terrasse...

Best,

Nicolas.

Appreciate you helpful confirmations - makes me even more happy.
- Indeed, this 159/ P 478 beginner's luck for Watson, who got sharpened his eyes by friendly Mr Holmes aka Vlad ..

Thanks for accepting some time to have my act for Part 2 together .
( Actually looking at it repeats the joy, so thoughts condense already a bit ),

Now I only faintly can imagine and increasingly understand, what it could mean,
to have many ideas and even more stuff in the pipeline..

Have a very good Sunday and enjoy your tea !

Best,
hs

Very good catch hs 111, I really like that sober dial and these radium hands and numbers. This is what a JLC is all about elegance, legibility and refinement. I honestly prefer this vintage piece to a quite a number of the modern JLCs because it has a smaller diameter and in my own opinion, it is more suited to thinner wrists. Mechanically the calibre 478 is a great movement. Enjoy your watch.

best regards

georges

Indeed, that is, what caught our attention on this occasion.

- And, as mentioned, the preceding helpful posts of the 159 by Nicolas including some nice pics, also from
others ( Blomman, p@trice if I remember correctly) had sharpened our senses..

Glad, you liked it - thanks again for looking ,

Best, hs

... i also got the same P478 one as you have.... the P478 movement is beautiful if you have a chance to open the caseback off. the casing is solid and robust. mine has blue second hand, very handsome too, hope yours has the same!

regarding the crown, as Nico pointed out, the one on yours may be suspected. otherwise it is a great watch. enjoy the watch, anyway!

stefan

Yes, very much alike your beautiful 159/ P 478 !
- I like our pieces, in yours thoser brownish color of numbers & hands
( similiar to Nico's and Blomman's, if I remember correctly),and of course the nice proportions of her in general.

Thanks for the kind comments: indeed a twin; a bit more greenish my patina of the radium numbers and hands.
- I find the sword-shaped hands specifically intriguing and
- in fact the big second hand of mine appears almost black, could be very dark blue, though.

I will have the case opened shortly to catch a view & pic of the P478 movement,
as mentioned already by you, and indicated by Nicolas before, to be worthwile.
With the crown, ( suspicious a bit, I agree) I will see, if something pops up, maybe - if not, no real problem

Only little Q remaining might be, if I will get to wear it enough, as it 'formally' now is my wife's one,
and she adores the piece, also with the cute green croc strap : sober, clean and real..

At least I am happy to see it on one of our wrists, then !

Thnx for looking and

Best, hs

Love the Ref 159 – so clean and delicate!

 

Like order a small truffle instead of a big cake…

 

 

The green strap goes very well together with the greenish patina.

 

Also very enjoyable to hear that you share your passion together with your wife!

 

 

All the best, my friend

 

Blomman

Yes, indeed - the more I look at her ( mostly on my wife's wrist, though..),
the more I like it !

Exactly for the reasons you, Nicolas and Stefan have experienced, shared - and actually inspired me .
How shall I say, a watch, that is - well, just right !

Nice to join you in that , whereby I very much like on your 159 (SHOM)
those brown numbers and lighter blue hands !

Our greenish numbers matching the strap are also pleasant, I do kindly agree..

Thanks for looking and

Best, as always. - hs

AFAIK at least 3 SHOM and even more regular 159.

 

So, welcome in the 159 club, HS!

 

 

Make sure your wife take good care of hers!

 

 

Best

 

Blomman

We are 3 to own a SHOM, here...

How many were the Musketeers?

4?



Best.

666.

As said before, a bit difficult when not in the "Citė du Roi".

But maybe a good thing in a way -- although ..

Best, hs

But I'm not very good in Histoire de France.



Best,

Nicolas.

Well - I am not too good, my friend - here is what I roughly remember:
Several phases about Paris itself, and actually the Palace there , which was initially - Le Palais du Louvre !

1/ in the 12th century under the king Philippe- Auguste a fortress ( to protect the right bank of the Seine)
2/ during the second half of the 14th it was transformed by Charles V, into a real residence, a Palace and then
3/ since the 16th century the Main domicile du Roi; under Henri II, then a Renaissance extension

and here the other part of the true statement: Yes, Versailles - main Palace of the Kings, as we tend to know it, BUT:

4/ this is only the case,as Louis XIV settles into fantastic Versailles, in fact leading to degradation of the Louvre.

5/ Interestingly, during the Revolution the Louvre becomes home the first public museum of France
6/ also the Academie Francaise has been located there for some time, AFAIK, before changing to the other side.

Finally , Napoleon and then Napoleon II have their resindence in the Louvre, and the end of a King's palace comes ,
when in around 1873 the Ėlysėe Palace becomes new center of power.

Well and finally, under Mitterand, I think in the 80ies, the big renovation and restauration to grandeur took place.

Splendid, full of symmetry, the great Pyramide by Pei and a lot of history, for me one of my very appreciated spots
In Paris ( next to Place des Vosges, and ..easy guess : Place Vendome.. )

So, this little genese of Les Palaces du Roi e Citė du Roi - Paris, shows - there is often not only one truth -
as far as a humble non- French aficionado of this beautiful city knows, and maybe allowed to share..

Thus, my very best,
ha

Ps:
as you realize, I truly enjoy Paris -- toujours !

I'm impressed!

Best, my friend.

Nicolas.