LECOULTRE 14K Solid Gold "Black Roman" 1940s

The watch presented here is a LeCoultre rectangular dress watch in 14K solid gold, made in the 1940s. The black dial carries gold Roman numerals at 12, 3 and 9 with gold baton markers in between, and a small seconds dial sits at 6 o'clock.

Inside is the hand-wound Cal.438. Its origin is the Cal.410, the rectangular movement LeCoultre developed in 1933. The 410 went on to power the Reverso and LeCoultre's triple calendar and moon phase models, and it is also the starting point of the Cal.806 used in the 1949 model made in homage to Jacques-David LeCoultre. The Cal.438 was built on the 410 in 1940.

What sets this movement apart is the finishing. The edge of every part is bevelled by hand, and the bridges carry broad, smoothly curved Côtes de Genève stripes. LeCoultre was known in the trade as a movement maker, and the work here shows why. The same calibre was also supplied to Vacheron Constantin, where it was called the Cal.435.

The case is just as unusual. At the time, gold watches carried a heavy tax, yet this Cal.438 was sold on the American market with its case imported as 14K solid gold. The caseback is clearly stamped 14K, and the narrow case curves along its length to follow the wrist. Among LeCoultre watches of the period, this makes it a rare piece.

For anyone who wants a gold tank watch with a movement worth looking at, this is a watch to consider seriously.

- wrist size in our picture is 17cm circumference -