The Watch
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Shortly after WW2 (1946), the British Air Ministry put out a call for new Wrist Watches for their Pilots. These watches were required to have the following: A matte black dial, consisting of Iron, with white fixtures and the four quarterly hour markers luminized, a high grade Swiss movement capable of 36 hours power reserve and chronometer spec timekeeping, a water resistant case, a Faraday cage for anti-magnetic purposes and an acrylic crystal with a retaining screw. Two manufacturers answered this bell: IWC and Jaeger-LeCoultre. Mark XI watches began to be issued in 1948 to Pilots across the British Empire.
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Today's example dates from the very first year of issue 1948. It is estimated that JLC only delivered around 2900 of these Watches to the RAF, making this guy a rare find.
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This watch was used by the navigator in an RAF plane in conjunction with a bubble-sextant to calculate the exact latitude and longitude of the aircraft.
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The Specs
Age: c.1948.
Movement: Manual wind with Hacking Centre Seconds.
Calibre: 488 SBR (specially produced).
Timekeeping: Very good.
Service History: Serviced 2023, fully inspected by our Watchmaker, October 2024.
Dial: Original JLC Military Specification Dial.
Dial: Original JLC Military Specification Dial.
Case: Stainless Steel.
Measurements: without Crown: 35mm End to End: 46mm
Bezel: Solid.
Water Resistant?: No.
Hands: Original.
Crystal: Correct Original Acrylic crystal.
Crystal: Correct Original Acrylic crystal.
Crown: Correct Original unsigned Crown.
Strap/Bracelet: On a New 16mm Light Blue Military Style Strap.
Lug Width: 17mm. Fixed Bars.
Getting Acquainted
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Bits that stand out:
- Issued to a Royal Air Force pilot, can you get any cooler?
- First Year Issue.
- Specially Designed Movement.
- Specially Designed Movement.
- 35mm Case.
-Original Radium Dial.
-Hacking Seconds.
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Nitty Gritty:
-Small burn to Dial by 11.
-Minor age related marks to the Case.
-Discolouration to the Hand Lume.
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Overall this JLC Pilot is in nice Vintage condition.
The Dial is in very good condition, with a small burn near the 11.
Case is in excellent order.
Caseback markings are in lovely order.
Original Crown.
Original Crystal in great shape.
Hands are in lovely shape.
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Photographed on a 7in Wrist.