Description
The Five-Digit Submariner Icon
This 18K gold Jaeger-LeCoultre automatic ref. E850 from around 1959 represents the Manufacture at its most luxurious and most discreet. Encased in solid 18K gold with the reliable Calibre K880, it is the kind of dress watch that Swiss watchmakers produced when elegance was measured in restraint — thin, precise and unmistakably of its era.
Specifications
Brand
Jaeger-LeCoultre
Reference
E850
Year
ca. 1959
Material
18K Gold
Caliber
JLC Cal. K880 Automatic
1959
Late-fifties golden era
18K Gold
Solid gold throughout
Cal. K880
In-house automatic
In-house gold watchmaking at its most refined.
Condition:
This late-1950s JLC presents with the beautiful warmth that only solid 18K gold develops over decades. The case and dial carry the honest patina of age, and the automatic movement offers smooth, reliable winding and timekeeping when recently serviced.
The Heart:
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre K880 is an in-house automatic movement from the late 1950s, featuring a rotor winding system and the refined finishing typical of JLC at this period. It exemplifies the Manufacture’s commitment to building every component entirely within Le Sentier.
Guarantee:
As a vintage 18K gold Jaeger-LeCoultre, this watch should be serviced by a specialist in vintage JLC movements. No modern warranty applies; the gold case and bracelet should be inspected for wear and any previous polishing.
Authenticity:
Genuine late-1950s Jaeger-LeCoultre automatics are identified by their in-house calibres, the Jaeger-LeCoultre signature on the dial, and the refined case finishing — a combination that distinguishes authentic examples from later reproductions.
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Today
The Watchmaker's Watchmaker in Gold
What Swiss manufacture has created over 1,200 unique calibres and is known as the Grand Maison?
Jaeger-LeCoultre’s reputation as the Watchmaker’s Watchmaker stems from its extraordinary technical breadth — over 1,200 unique calibres developed in-house. A gold JLC automatic from the late 1950s sits at the heart of this legacy: made entirely in Le Sentier, wearing only 18K gold, and driven by a movement conceived, built and finished by the same hands.
Pure JLC, pure gold, pure watchmaking.
This late-1950s Jaeger-LeCoultre in 18K gold is a study in what the great Swiss Manufacture could achieve when luxury and craft were indistinguishable. It remains a quietly magnificent piece for the collector who values substance over spectacle.
