Vintage 1960's Wakmann Le Jour Chronograph w/Patina,All SS Case,Landeron 248

Description: This seldom seen vintage 1960's Wakmann Le Jour two-register chronograph has a silver satin "SWISS Ra MADE" signed dial that is in lovely but not perfect condition as it shows some age-related wear. The radium, which remains fully intact and no longer glows after being exposed to bright light, has aged to a toasted buttermilk hue on the dial while developing a much richer and more pronounced butterscotch patina on the hands. In my humble opinion the contrast looks great. The beautifully cut all stainless steel case shows moderate wear with minor signs of oxidation. The outside of the case back is stamped "ALL STAINLESS STEEL SWISS MADE WATERPROOF ANTIMAGNETIC INCABLOC" with "LE JOUR TIME CO" followed by "SWISS MADE" stamped on the inside of the case back. While the integrity of the crystal appears to be intact it should be replaced given the scratching and wear. The 17 jewels unadjusted Swiss "LE JOUR TIME CO" stamped Landeron 248 manual wind movement is clean, keeps accurate time and all chronograph functions work as they should. The top pusher starts the sweep seconds hand and the bottom pusher stops it. With another press of the bottom pusher the sweep seconds hand and minute register (right subdial) are reset back to precisely 0. The pushers have a pleasant catch and release feel with no signs of gumminess. After recently winding the sharply threaded, non-screwdown crown 52 full revolutions (phenomenal for a manual wind) the movement had a solid power reserve of approximately 37 hours. While the crown turns a bit stiffly when setting the time it winds smoothly. Given that this watch is more than 55 years old, that the crown turns stiffly and considering that the movement shows no clear signs of ever having been serviced (there are no visible watchmaker service markings on the inside of the case back or on the movement) a complete overhaul is long overdue and recommended. This watch measures approximately 37 mm excluding the crown, approximately 40 mm including the crown and approximately 19.5 mm between the lugs. Case thickness, measured from the bottom of the case back to the top of the fixed bezel, is approximately 9 mm. Including the crystal thickness measures approximately 12 mm.Although the movement runs strong and keeps accurate time with all chronograph functions working as they should, given the vintage nature of this watch, that the crown turns stiffly when setting the time and considering that the movement shows no signs of ever having been serviced a complete overhaul is recommended. As such there are no warranties, express or implied, attached with the sale of this watch. Vintage means old and while my personal belief is that old-school means better quality and workmanship, things can and do go wrong from time to time. Any servicing costs going forward are your responsibility.Please thoroughly read this entire listing and kindly ask any and all questions you may have prior to buying as this sale is final and no refunds of any kind will be given. And please study the 12 high magnification pictures carefully, which were taken in natural light and from various angles, as they are part of the description and serve as an accurate representation of the condition of this watch.Expedited and insured shipping along with signature confirmation will be provided. Thanks for looking!

Price: 1295 USD

Location: Brea, California

End Time: 2024-09-02T23:26:47.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD