this is a very rare Jaeger LeCoultre Master Mariner Chronometer (Reference 24001) from 1973, coming with a new extract of the JLC archives, the original caliber-instruction- and the blank warranty booklet, sidekicked by a vintage JLC presentation box (can´t be closed with watch). This sensational, and historical important watch is powered by the perfectly running automatic JLC 906, which was also being used in the vacheron constantin royal chronometer. the Master Mariner contains all original parts, including the beautiful unmolested darkgrey tritiumdial and the original handset. It´s case is in outstanding sharp and perfect condition as it just returned from a JLC inhouse service. It´s original integrated bracelet will fit wrists up to a circumference of 20cm and can easily be adjusted smaller over the folded clasp. This 50-year-old collector’s piece definitely belongs in the constantly shrinking category of long overlooked „grail watches“, not least because it is so hard to come by and it only very rarely appears for sale on the open market.

history :
the 37mm steel automatic chronometer is extremely interesting, not only because it appears so rarely on the market, but also in a historical and designwise kind of way. it came out in 1973, the exact same year the AP royal oak 5402 hit the market, and even three years before the patek philippe nautilus 3700 was released in 1976. It´s clear that this is one of the very first sportchic watches with integrated bracelet ever, and it is a design template in our opinion. while the royal oak and the nautilus have become extremely succesfull icons of their brands, only a small minority of collectors is even aware of the existance of the jlc reference 24001. if you look closer at the watch, there are so many design similarities to the famous brothers, like for example the stepped dial (nautilus) or the two sharp edges on the case sides (royal oak) and severals more. it´s also a fact that both movements of the original nautilus and royal oak where refined jaeger lecoultre 920 calibers, so there was always a strong connection between those highend brands. As mentioned above, the Vacheron Constantin Royal Chronometer even used the same caliber (JLC 906) as a base.  the production of the jlc 24001 ended after only two years, in 1975, as an unsuccessful victim of the quartz-crisis. That was one year before the PP Nautilus was even released. only a few hundred must have been produced in steel.