THE ESSENTIALS
MAKE: JAEGER-LECOULTRE
MODEL: 146.6.95
YEAR: c2005
BOX/PAPERS: NO/YES(SERVICE)
CASE DIAMETER: 41MM
CASE MATERIAL: PLATINUM
BRACELET MATERIAL: ALLIGATOR
MOVEMENT: AUTOMATIC
Fun fact: despite having photographed thousands of watches over the last few years, and being tempted by many of them, our talented Jake has only ever bought one watch for himself: a Jaeger-LeCoultre perpetual calendar.
In a world where “hype” watches seem to dominate the conversation, along with much of the content we consume across various media outlets, vintage and neo-vintage JLCs are almost entirely overlooked and often represent mind-bogglingly good value. Jake’s ref. 140.6.80 features a 37 mm platinum case, a gorgeous blue soleil dial, and a hunter caseback that reveals the in-house calibre 889/440/2 automatic perpetual calendar movement. Yet its current value is less than 20% of a 3940P, or roughly half that of a Vacheron Constantin or Audemars Piguet Quantième Perpetual from the same era, which, of course, are powered by movements originally developed by JLC.
The present example, ref. 146.6.95 Grande Memovox Master Control Perpetual Calendar, was released in the early 2000s as a limited edition of only 250 pieces. It is nothing short of a show-off from La Grande Maison. The watch combines arguably JLC’s two proudest complications: the perpetual calendar and the alarm, thanks to the in-house calibre 909/440 movement.
This is not a small watch at 41 mm, and it wears like it. However, if you have the wrist for it, it is simply a work of art. The blue soleil dial features applied arrow markers, with day and 24-hour indication, moon phase, date, and month displayed in the subdials at 3, 6, 9, and 12 o’clock respectively, alongside a year aperture at 12 o’clock. Brushed and polished hour and minute hands play beautifully with the light, while the outer alarm ring and central alarm hand serve the Memovox complication. Amazingly, all of these elements coexist in perfect harmony.
The watch has enjoyed an extremely easy life over the past two decades and, following a recent JLC service, looks as fresh as the day it left the factory. It comes fitted with a pair of alligator straps and its original platinum deployant buckle.
Amazingly, this watch can currently be bought for less than half of its original retail price from over 20 years ago. A masterpiece from the watchmaker’s watchmaker, and easily one of the most impressive watches to pass through the doors of Falco in recent weeks.