Exclusive Timepieces 7 –⁠ 8 December 2019 | Monaco

Auction Details

A wide selection of very fine vintage timepieces, property of various prominent collectors will be presented in this sale. Including a fine selection of Longines Chronograph coming from one of the most important collections worldwide.

189 Jaeger LeCoultre Possibly Unique and Very Attractive Jaeger LeCoultre Lady’s Joaillerie Riviere Ruby Bracelet Wristwatch

Estimate: € 15,000 –⁠ 30,000

Sold € 22,750

Model: Joaillerie Riviere
Material: Yellow Gold and Rubies
Year: circa 1965
Case N°: 652644
Caliber: 101
Movement type: Manual
Bracelet: Yellow Gold and Rubies
Dimensions: 175 mm
Signed: Case and movement

The preciousness of a watch is not only given by the material used to make it but by many other small factors that go on to significantly affect the course of history. It happened with the first Rolex Oyster and with the first moon phase chronograph and Patek Philippe calendar. The same goes for Jaeger Le Coultre, not with one of his Reverso but with a woman’s creation, a small and special innovation capable of changing the watch market. In the early part of the 20th century, it was unseemly for a woman to wear a watch during formal or night time events. To solve this disadvantage, in 1929 Jaeger Le Coultre, a longtime leader in producing beautiful watches for women, created the caliber 101, whose distinction was that of being the smallest mechanical watch movement ever made till today. It has 98 tiny parts all held within a very compact rectangular shape and in its entirety it weighs only one gram. This caliber is also historically important because Queen Elizabeth wore a lady’s watch with this caliber the day of her coronation. The lot offered here is a specimen really similar to the one owned by the English ruler and beside being historically important, it is also an object of haute horlogerie and haute joaillerie. The yellow gold structure is extremely light and is embellished by the use of 30 rubies princes-cut lending the watch an air of elegance and glamour. The small dial is beautiful with its simplicity lending the watch an air of elegance and glamour. The yellow gold and rubies is the perfect mix that when worn, accents the wrist unlike any other.