Jaeger LeCoultre Geophysic, £11,000 at Fellows.
Branding is everything in the watch market but Crockett is not alone in his assessment of the horological hierarchy.
Beneath the simple white dial the Jaeger LeCoultre Geophysic hides a lot of post-war tech. JLC created it to be one of the most robust and precise timekeepers ever made at the time. The calibre P478 chronometer grade movement was heavily based on its Second World War military mechanisms, though featured a number of upgrades. These included a temperature-resistant Glucydur balance and protection against magnetic fields via the use of an iron barrier between the case and movement.
Produced in 1958, the watch celebrated the 125th anniversary of the brand and also marked the first ‘International Geophysical Year’ – an effort by 67 nations to encourage scientific experimentation in sciences including geomagnetism, oceanography and meteorology. This was the watch used on the first nuclear submarine, the Nautilus, and accompanied explorers to both poles.
Limited to a total of just 1038 pieces, this stainless steel version (one of less than 800 produced) is highly collectable. Rarely seen in such original condition, the example offered at Fellows (25% buyer’s premium) on January 19 was estimated at £10,000-15,000 and sold to a buyer via thesaleroom.com at £11,000.
