Offered for sale is a historically significant vintage Swiss Made L.Leroy two-register chronograph with reference 21160-5, believed to date from the 1960s based on its movement and hallmarks. Founded in Paris in 1785, L.Leroy built a prestigious reputation as a maker of luxury and military timepieces: at its peak, the brand served as the official watchmaker to the French King, Emperor Napoleon, and the French Imperial family. Queen Victoria famously bypassed many top-tier British makers to name L. Leroy an official watchmaker to the British court, and many historically important names once wore the brand on their wrist: Franklin D. Roosevelt, Alfred Nobel, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Frédéric Chopin, Richard Wagner to name a few. After becoming dormant during the Quartz Crisis, the brand has since been revived, continuing its historic legacy in modern high horology.
The 18k solid yellow gold case measures 35mm in diameter and just over 12mm in thickness, making it fairly substantial for its era. The case hallmarks provide fascinating insight into its origin: the double owl hallmarks and hammer with number 161 indicate production by renowned Swiss case maker Joseph Erard SA (later acquired by Hermès), before export to France. The watch was subsequently assembled and sold in partnership with UTI, a prominent luxury retailer associated with several prestigious names in watchmaking and jewellery (Blancpain, Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari,...).
The watch features a creamy silver sunburst dial with raised gold-tone indices and polished hands. The two-register chronograph displays a 60-second counter and an unusual 45-minute totalizer, an upgrade over the more common 30-minute configuration. Power comes from the legendary manual-winding Venus 188 chronograph calibre, forerunner of the modern Valjoux/ETA 7750 found in countless watches by a variety of high-end brands.
The watch was lovingly restored with eye for authenticity, and has received a full service prior to being listed for sale. The movement was completely stripped down, cleaned and lubricated, and is working perfectly. The example sold here has been worn throughout its life, but is still in good condition considering its age. You will find wear marks on the case, but no overly coarse damage. Said case has been cleaned entirely, but was purposefully left unpolished to maintain its sharp edges, curves and original finish. The crown is unsigned and its plating has faded; however, as it may still be the original crown, it was intentionally left unchanged. The flat chronograph pushers also show signs of fading to their plating. The plexiglass crystal is brand new and free from any scratches. The dial is in great condition still, with no notable damage to speak of. Please study the photographs carefully, as they accurately represent the condition of the watch without digital enhancements. We are sure that you appreciate honesty, and so do we. The chronograph comes fitted with a brand new 18mm black perforated leather strap with generic gold-plated buckle, ready to wear. Sold as watch only; unfortunately, no original box or paperwork are included with this piece.
Your new timepiece will be packaged with great care and shipped as quickly as possible. We usually dispatch orders on the same day payment is received and provide full insurance coverage together with tracking information for every shipment. If you have any questions regarding the watch or our services, please do not hesitate to contact us. We will gladly assist as soon as possible!
Offered for sale is a historically significant vintage Swiss Made L.Leroy two-register chronograph with reference 21160-5, believed to date from the 1960s based on its movement and hallmarks. Founded in Paris in 1785, L.Leroy built a prestigious reputation as a maker of luxury and military timepieces: at its peak, the brand served as the official watchmaker to the French King, Emperor Napoleon, and the French Imperial family. Queen Victoria famously bypassed many top-tier British makers to name L. Leroy an official watchmaker to the British court, and many historically important names once wore the brand on their wrist: Franklin D. Roosevelt, Alfred Nobel, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Frédéric Chopin, Richard Wagner to name a few. After becoming dormant during the Quartz Crisis, the brand has since been revived, continuing its historic legacy in modern high horology.
The 18k solid yellow gold case measures 35mm in diameter and just over 12mm in thickness, making it fairly substantial for its era. The case hallmarks provide fascinating insight into its origin: the double owl hallmarks and hammer with number 161 indicate production by renowned Swiss case maker Joseph Erard SA (later acquired by Hermès), before export to France. The watch was subsequently assembled and sold in partnership with UTI, a prominent luxury retailer associated with several prestigious names in watchmaking and jewellery (Blancpain, Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari,...).
The watch features a creamy silver sunburst dial with raised gold-tone indices and polished hands. The two-register chronograph displays a 60-second counter and an unusual 45-minute totalizer, an upgrade over the more common 30-minute configuration. Power comes from the legendary manual-winding Venus 188 chronograph calibre, forerunner of the modern Valjoux/ETA 7750 found in countless watches by a variety of high-end brands.
The watch was lovingly restored with eye for authenticity, and has received a full service prior to being listed for sale. The movement was completely stripped down, cleaned and lubricated, and is working perfectly. The example sold here has been worn throughout its life, but is still in good condition considering its age. You will find wear marks on the case, but no overly coarse damage. Said case has been cleaned entirely, but was purposefully left unpolished to maintain its sharp edges, curves and original finish. The crown is unsigned and its plating has faded; however, as it may still be the original crown, it was intentionally left unchanged. The flat chronograph pushers also show signs of fading to their plating. The plexiglass crystal is brand new and free from any scratches. The dial is in great condition still, with no notable damage to speak of. Please study the photographs carefully, as they accurately represent the condition of the watch without digital enhancements. We are sure that you appreciate honesty, and so do we. The chronograph comes fitted with a brand new 18mm black perforated leather strap with generic gold-plated buckle, ready to wear. Sold as watch only; unfortunately, no original box or paperwork are included with this piece.
Your new timepiece will be packaged with great care and shipped as quickly as possible. We usually dispatch orders on the same day payment is received and provide full insurance coverage together with tracking information for every shipment. If you have any questions regarding the watch or our services, please do not hesitate to contact us. We will gladly assist as soon as possible!
