LeCoultre Chronograph Reference 224115

An out of this world watch I am lucky to have in my orbit.

By Charlie Dunne

A few months back I wrote about several timepieces owned by Max Braun (also known as @mrbwatches on IG). Among them was a particular LeCoultre Chronograph Reference 224115. This article will be a bit of a recap with additional insights and high-resolution photographs to document the watch. As I mentioned previously, when the watch surfaced back in early 2020 I was enamored with it. While I hadn’t pulled the trigger, I was very lucky that the man who did would become a close friend. As Max beautifully says “you want to keep certain watches in your orbit”. Each time he comes down to visit he thinks of my appreciation for this watch is gracious enough to let me hold onto it for a few hours.

Vintage LeCoultre Chronographs

Despite being heralded as “The Watchmaker’s Watchmaker”, Jaeger-LeCoultre was never renowned for their ability to produce chronographs. The manufacturer would appeal to specialist like Valjoux and Universal Genève for their movements in the 1940s-1950s. The chronographs were commissioned by JLC very sparingly, and for this reason, there are not an abundant amount offered (particularly in exceptional condition). It seems that more often the brands’ chronographs were destined for the French or U.S. market (although I do not have any insight to support production numbers were larger for Switzerland, France, or North American). Despite being elusive, JLC chronographs are still not the most highly sought after models as many collectors instead focus on the more popular timepieces. To find a vintage LeCoultre chronograph is quite a special thing, and in my opinion this example is world class.

The Case

The case measures 35mm in diameter, however because of the near-straight lugs it wears quite a bit bigger on the wrist at 43mm lug-to-lug. However, it does not wear large, and I would attribute that to the 16mm lug width. These angular lugs are really beautiful and an understated highlight of the timepiece. While most people will gaze over the numerals, these compact, rounded surfaces are a superb element that speaks to the 1940s chronograph design. As shown in the photos, they incorporate fixed pinions which require the wearer to use female spring bars.

The interior case back features numerical reference code on the final line (224115) and the case number above. The LeCoultre reference incorporates the same coding which can be found in UG references:

Ref. 224115

2(Stainless Steel)

2(Chronograph)

4(Calibre 285, 287, or 292).

The background is decorated with a perlage, and is noted with “Enversteel” an alternative steel alloy to staybrite which was frequently used on UG chronographs from the 1940s. The mirror polished bezel is rounded, and intersects with a brushed case body. When looking at vintage LeCoultre chronos, a quick glance at the pushers will tell you what you’re dealing with. Round-pump pushers bear a Valjoux calibre and rectangular pushers feature movements by Universal Genève.

Dial

Quite possibly the best attribute of the watch is the applied-Breguet numerals. They add a bit of sophisticated style to the more sober LeCoultre chronographs from the WW2 era. One can’t help but associate the American market’s affinity for Breguet-numeral Patek Philippe chronographs from the same period. Among the ref 224115 examples that are known, those which feature Breguet numerals are exceptionally rare. Eric Wind of Wind Vintage shared his findings on these models stating: “Less than 10 examples have been publicly surfaced. Sadly, most of these LeCoultres have reprinted dials.”

The “LeCoultre” only signature indicates the watch was sold in the American market. While some collectors prefer the full-named dials, I personally love the American provenance and funky-underlined font. The dial has an eggshell color and the surface’s texture is extremely enjoyable to admire. Complementing the elegant numerals are the feuille (leaf) hands which have developed an attractive patina over the past 70 years. The large subdials have concentric circles and painted demarcations. Interestingly, the minutes subdial features three separate 3-minute lines which at the time was a practical feature to help the wearer gauge the length of their phone calls.

One noteworthy detail to highlight is that the crown has a very tactile response and when slightly touched, it will quickly close. I believe there may be some spring-like component inside the watch which likely was a protective measure used prior to the adoption of crew down crowns. At around 3 and 4 o’clock, the dial has developed slight discoloration from the humidity exposure near the crown. While some collectors see this as a flaw, I personally love this minor “damage” because it matches the character seen on the surfaces of the applied numerals and feuille hands. Vintage watch collecting requires an appreciation for the natural appearance and craftsmanship of these watches, as they will never be made (or recreated) as wonderfully. These details should be embraced rather than cruelly subjected to restoration.