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Two Croissants, S'il Vous Plaît.
The French perfected the croissant. Jaeger-LeCoultre apparently decided it belonged on the wrist.
Made in the 1940s, this wonderfully strange little watch earns its nickname from the two deeply ribbed 18k rose gold forms that curl around either side of the rectangular case. They’re almost comically generous compared with the tiny dial in the middle, giving the watch a shape that is difficult to forget once you’ve seen it.
And tiny really is the operative word here. The Duoplan movement allowed Jaeger-LeCoultre to build remarkably compact watches without sacrificing the quality of the mechanics inside. This example takes the idea further with a back-winding arrangement, placing the crown behind the case and leaving the entire profile uninterrupted.
There is an impressive amount happening on the dial for something this small. Rose gold Arabic numerals at 3 and 9 are mixed with faceted baton and triangular markers, while small circular accents appear at 12 and 6. A thick mineral crystal sits above it all, adding another layer of vintage character.
The rose gold case is particularly special. We have only encountered one other example of this design in the wild, executed in yellow gold, making this rose gold version an especially unusual find. Interestingly, LeCoultre also produced cases of a remarkably similar form for Cartier. A white gold Cartier example recently sold at Monaco Legend Group for more than €136,000 including premium. Different signature and a very different price bracket, of course, but it shows just how much attention collectors are paying to these eccentric shaped watches from the period.
We had the pleasure of wearing this one throughout our recent travels in Europe, where it became an almost guaranteed conversation starter. Its dimensions may be petite, but those sweeping gold ribs give it an unmistakable identity on the wrist.
Best served with butter and a strong coffee.
The watch is preserved in attractive vintage condition with honest signs of age throughout.
The 18k rose gold case retains strong definition throughout the deeply ribbed outer sections with surface wear consistent with age.
The original dial shows visible patina and age-related marks while retaining its applied rose gold Arabic, baton, triangular and circular indices.
The inner caseback is signed LeCoultre with relevant case markings present.
The original-style hands remain well preserved, while the thick mineral crystal shows signs of age and wear.
Fitted to a new dark brown leather strap with a vintage AW gold-plated buckle.
The manual-wound Jaeger-LeCoultre Duoplan movement winds from the rear of the case and is running well at time of cataloguing.
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