Jaeger LeCoultre vintage watch with P480 movement

Today's my day and I wanted to feature something old (though I am not that old :) ). Here's on a favorite of mine. A highlight of the Dr. Strange movie that starred Benedict Cumberbatch was the obvious promotion of one watch brand that stood out from among what was shown as his collection of high end watches. This was a Jaeger LeCoultre (JLC) that was repeatedly shown until the end of the movie and surely sparking interest among those not yet in the know about this brand.

The watch face is quite simple but at the same time unique. There is an obvious patina derived from age (This is a 69-year old watch.) and likely moisture. The sub second functions very well and the gold hands are emphasized.

This is an old watch, manufactured ca. 1948 when its caliber P480 movement was introduced.

Here's another angle showing the domed glass and crown.

Side view showing the crown

Watch back with the serial number

The heart and soul of a watch will always be the movement. I dared not to open the back but got this from the seller. This is a caliber 480 movement with 17 jewels and a f = 18,000 A/h. Not bad for a watch from the late 1940s/early 1950s.

Here's a variation of the watch in pink gold. I learned a lot from the link including the following technical details (with the obvious exceptions being the part of the 18ct pink gold):

Technical details

[M] Jaeger-LeCoultre manually wound calibre P480 movement, lever escapement, 17 jewels, compensation balance, 18,000 BPH, shock absorber [D] silvered, raised pink Arabic and dot numerals and sword-shaped hands, engine-turned subsidiary seconds, outer minute track  [C] 18ct pink gold two-piece case with polished finish, chamfered bezel, splayed lugs, snap-on 18ct pink gold case back [S] case, dial and movement signed

Measurements

Diameter excluding winding crown: 30mm
Length including lugs: 37mm
Depth to centre of crystal: 8mm
Strap width/lug gauge: 16mm

Here's the watch on my wrist:

I have timed it thrice, each after a full wind. The first one clocked just over 48 hours, the second time it clocked at around 46.5 hours and the third one, recently, at 48.7 hours. By comparison, I have timed my moon watch to an average of 50 hours (also at full wind). This means the movement is still in tip-top condition and quite efficiently running. Not at all bad for a 69-year old watch.

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I am very thankful for today when I celebrate my 46th year. I always pray for good health not just for myself but for loved ones. Add to that my wishes for people to have a peace and love in their lives. May God bless us all!

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