31 Jaeger Le Coultre Rare and Attractive, Chronograph Wristwatch in Yellow Gold, “Cornes de Vache” Shaped Lugs and Screwed Back

Estimate: €8,000 –⁠ 16,000

Model: Cornes de Vache
Case Material: Yellow Gold
Bracelet Material: Leather Strap
Year: 1950's
Movement: Manual
Caliber: 72
Case N°: 173 719
Dimensions: 35 mm
Signed: Dial, Case and Movement

In 1833, following the invention of a machine that could cut watch pinions from steel, Antoine LeCoultre (1803–1881) opened a small laboratory at Le Sentier, where he put his watchmaking skills to create high quality timepieces. From that moment on, many other innovations came and in 1884 he added another milestone on the horology highway with the creation of the first instrument to measure the micron and in four years, he would have received awards at the inaugural Universal Exhibition in London for his breakthrough work on a lever-winding mechanism. The field of chronographs was widely explored by Jaeger in the past and recent years giving birth to some very interesting and nice models such as the present yellow-gold lot. Coming directly from the late ’50s, this chronograph is definitely well preserved with a beautiful and unusual Cornes de Vache lugs. Those lugs recognize from Vacheron Constantin’s use of exactly the same case for the very rare and desirable reference 6087. The case is composed of only two pieces with screw down back rounded bezel, two pusher for the chrono functions, overhanging “cornes de vache” lugs and the dust cap. The original dial is in minty conditions with a super charming tropical aging, applied yellow-gold dot and Arabic indexes, subsidiary seconds and 30-minute register, outer minute track with fifth second timing scale. This chronograph has a manual winding movement caliber Valjoux 72. Very nice and beautiful, this watch is a fresh example of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s chronographs.