For sale we have a 1960s Jules Jurgensen Racing Chronograph style watch with Base 1000 Tachymeter for conversion of elapsed time and speed. With all the key hallmarks of the period, this is a stylish and functional watch of good quality. It has a 38mm Stainless Steel case with count down bezel, a clear dial with constant seconds, 60 second counter, 30-minute counter and tachymeter scale. Inside is a recently serviced, gilt finished Landeron 248 movement. With the increasingly high prices of models such as the Heuer Autavia from the 1960s, examples such as this by Jules Jurgensen have increased in both popularity and value. 1960s racing DNA to the core.
 
History:
Jules Jurgensen has an illustrious history dating back to 1740 in Denmark, when Jurgen Jurgensen went into partnership with Isaac Larpent under the name Larpent & Jurgensen.
 
Upon Jurgens death in 1811, his son Urban took over changing the name to Urban Jurgensen. The company was paid by the Royal Danish government to kickstart the Danish marine chronometer industry. 
 
Urban Jurgensens son Jules Jurgensen, took over the company and started producing fine watches under the name Jules Jurgensen Coppenhagen in 1838 in Locle, Switzerland. Jules was rated alongside those of Charles Frodsham in London, as an extremely fine maker.
 
The firm continued under family control until 1916 when Jules had passed, with the brand being sold to E.Heuer in 1925. Whilst production was around 300 per year from 1848-78, it had now climbed to 17,000. 
 
By 1936, demand for great watches had shrunk and the firm was sold to the house of Aidenstein-Woronock. Other owners continued production up until Quartz era, but the most esteemed watches date to 1925 and earlier.
 
Its 1960s examples were of a high quality, just very different to low production, high grade artisan creations. They were completely Swiss made with a focus on Chronograph watches. These are the more modern examples that are still collectable due to their style and quality.
 
This example:
The watch has a stylish and sharp Stainless case which measures 38mm x 38mm, with a lug-to-lug length of 47mm. The top of the case has a lightly brushed finish. The centre section is sharp and the lugs taper to fit the wrist. The lugs have a subtle bevel to the side which is a clean design touch. To the right is the chunky Stainless crown and original pushers which are well proportioned. The screwback case has engraved logo and the reference 2015 EC. The case is original and unpolished. It wears its age with signs of it having been worn well, such as a knock to the bezel by 12 O’clock.
 
The dial is a matte black finish, with silver dished sub-dials adding balance to the dial and tying it into the case. The sub-dials have concentric circles to the centre reminiscent of many chronographs in this era. There is a Base 1000 Tachymetre scale around the exterior, with inner second track and mirror polished hour markers with lume in-fill. The handset is the original white painted finish, with restored lume to the tips. There are some scratches to the original crystal. 
 
The watch is presented on a racing style Italian handmade leather strap.
 
The movement is a Landeron 248 signed by Jules Jurgensen. It has a gilt finish. It is a manual wind chronograph with constant seconds, 60 second counter and 30-minute counter. The movement has been recently serviced by ourselves. It has a daily variation of +3 seconds a day.
 
Please see the images as these compliment and aid the description provided below.
A further condition report is below.
 
Dial: 
The dial is original and in very good condition. It has no noticeable wear. The hour markers are mirror polished and have little corrosion. They lume in-fill has been replaced. 
 
Hands: 
The hands are original with white painted finish. The original Tritium lume has been replaced. The black sub-dial hands are original, whilst the white central second hand is good and original.
 
Glass: 
The crystal is original and has a couple of light marks associated with age.
 
Bezel:
The bezel is original. It has a ding by 12 O’clock and is missing it’s lume pip. 
 
Crown and pushers:
The crown is original with chunky design, in good condition. The pushers are also original. They are in good condition. There is some corrosion to the rear lower section.
 
Case:
The Stainless case is in good original condition. It has light surface scratching associated with wear and some small nicks. It wears its age well and hasn’t been refinished. The sides of the case have a brushed finish.
 
Caseback:
The case back is Stainless Steel and is a screw back, which is in average condition. It has light surface scratching and some slightly deeper scratches from poor opening attempts. The engraving to the rear is still visible. 
 
Strap: 
The watch is on a new, black 20mm genuine leather racing strap, made in Italy.
 
Movement: 
The movement is a Landeron 248 signed by Jules Jurgensen. The movement has been recently serviced by ourselves and all aspects function perfectly. It has a daily variation of +3 seconds a day with an amplitude of 350 degrees and a beat error of 0.1m/s.
 
Case dimensions: 
Case width: 38mm
Case width with crown: 40.5mm 
Case length: 38mm 
Case length lug to lug: 47mm
Case Depth: 13mm
Lug width: 19mm