Gents 1950s Le Cheminant Wrist Watch

A gents 1950s Le Cheminant wrist watch.

The first references to Le Cheminant are found in 1847 when John Le Cheminant, a jeweller and watch maker, had a shop in Wimpole Street, London. Le Cheminant went on to become one of several companies which supplied precision time pieces to the British Royal Navy with orders being placed in 1909 and 1915 for chronometers. 

By 1923 Le Cheminant had become Le Cheminant & Co with premises at Wigmore Street in London and the company continued to trade successfully. In 1957, probably around the time this particular watch was made, the company was bought by a Suffolk family, the Betts, who were watchmakers and jewellers.

This particular watch has a 41-jewel automatic movement, an AS 1581 (the 1641 automatic variant with date) which was produced from 1955 onwards, and it is working nicely.

The watch measures 34.5mm diameter excluding the winding crown and the lugs. The case is stainless steel and it is in good condition with just minor marking. The case back states that the watch is waterproof but, as with any vintage watch, it should be kept away from water. The case back has a short scratch.

The lens has a little marking to the edge but otherwise is in good condition… there is a magnification window over the date display.

The signed dial has some age related darkening. Dauphine shaped hands, centre seconds hand (with some marking), and an early form of quick set date display where the hands are moved repeatedly backwards and forwards between 12 midnight and 8.50pm until the desired date is reached.

A new leather strap has been fitted.

The watch will be sent in a new presentation box.

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All of our watches are checked over before listing, and are also checked for accuracy which is usually within around +/- two to three minutes over 24 hours (unless otherwise stated), which is considered respectable for a vintage watch.

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