Jaeger-LeCoultre Tribute to Deep Sea Americane

Tribute to Deep Sea Americane

Vintage Tribute to a True Classic!

Laurent Ferrier - Another vision of the Galet Classic

The flagship model in the Laurent Ferrier collection, the Galet Classic reveals a more contemporary and sophisticated face in an interpretation representing an authentic renewal for this double-hairspring tourbillon that is already much admired by devotees of traditional fine watchmaking.

Its new slate-grey dial is lit up by 11 applied red gold Roman numerals, while the “assegai-shaped” hour and minute hands and baton-type seconds hands are also made of red gold. A hollowed seconds counter appears at 6 o’clock, and the matching dial creates an aesthetically harmonious overall effect. 

The Galet Classic is still driven by the exclusive in-house movement developed, assembled and adjusted by Laurent Ferrier and which forged his reputation as an exceptional watchmaker. This calibre features a tourbillon device based on the principle introduced by Abraham-Louis Breguet in 1801, and complemented for the first time by a double hairspring. The major advantage of this new construction is its ability to keep the balance centred on its axis, while compensating for the effects of gravity and thereby guaranteeing the extreme reliability of the rating system.

Its avant-garde innovative technical construction makes it a superlative chronometer instument, certified by the Besancon Observatory. Its high amplitude combined with manual adjustment of the escapement result in exceptional rating precision of the Tourbillon Double Spiral calibre that boasts a daily variation in rate of less than three seconds! 

The manual finishing of this calibre is truly exceptional, as confirmed by the many interior angles and the various smooth round-polished operations. The bridge of the tourbillon carriage is decorated in the finest watchmaking traditions, and the exquisite finesse of this craftsmanship is revealed only through the sapphire caseback, thereby confirming Laurent Ferrier’s preference for subtlety and discretion.

Technical specifications

Ref. LCF001-R 

• Movement: Calibre FBN 916.01, mechanical hand-wound, 80-hour power reserve
• Indications: hours, minutes, small seconds at 6 o’clock
• Movement diameter: 14’’’ = 31.60 mm 
• Movement thickness: 5.57 mm 
• Number of parts: 182 
• Number of jewels: 23 
• Frequency: 21,600 vibrations per hour (3 Hz) 
• Case: 18K 5N red gold 
• Water resistance: to 30 m
• Case diameter: 41 mm 
• Case thickness: 12.50 mm 
• Dial: 18K gold slate-grey plate, vertical satin-brushed with applied 5N red gold Roman numerals, hollowed small seconds at 6 o’clock 
• Hands: 18K 5N red gold, “assegai-shaped” for the hours and minutes, baton-type for the seconds 
• Strap: hand-sewn chestnut brown alligator leather with Alcantara lining 
• Buckle/clasp: pin buckle or double-blade folding clasp in 5N red gold 
  

Rare Jaeger-LeCoultre Antiquorum Auction Results

Last month at the Rare Jaeger-LeCoultre Timepieces Antiquorum’s Auction in Hong Kong some questions were answered with some very interesting results that were posted.

 The Gyrotourbillon One actually hammered at HK $2,420,000 equivalent to US $312,000 (including buyer's premium), while the Reverso Gyrotourbillon 2 sold for HKD1,820,000 which is equivalent to about $235,000. 

 Last but not least the Reverso a Triptyque sold for HKD2,540,000 which is around US $328,000.

All of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Haute Horology Masterpiece complication Trifecta were auctioned for above the Antiquorum's estimates very much in line with few previous known comparable auction results inclusive of those done in the secondary private market.

I wasn't exactly sure how I felt about breaking up the Limited WG Trio but apparently the market has spoken giving approval to each individual piece as an entity & their respective individual values. This is certainly a welcome good news for JLC high end compilations and especially for their owners/collectors.

On the other hand other notable complication was a piece unique from IWC Destriero Scafusia in platinum which just couldn't meet the $220,000-270,000 estimate which in my opinion says a lot about the actual collectors demand as well valuation for high end pieces from the house of Schaffhausen.

In the other news the two notable Patek Philippe ( first time at auction ref 1526 Perpetual calendar in YG vintage from 1951 as well a vintage ref 1518 first Perpetual Calendar Chronograph from 1946) were both a surprising no sales. On the other had the ref 3939 Tourbillon Minute Repeater in PG Enamel dial originally sold in 2010 and first time offered on the auction went above estimate for HK $3,200,000 about US$513,000. Surprisingly this time the appetite for the highest of haute horology most recent watches prevailed over usual vintage blockbusters.