Swiss platinum, jade, and diamond set pendant watch Circa 1925

Platinum Art Deco keyless pendant watch by Jaeger-LeCoultre
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An extremely fine and rare Swiss jade, platinum, diamond set, and enamel pendant watch, circa 1925. This watch features a mechanical lever movement with back winding. It has a black enamel dial adorned with faceted baton indexes, Arabic numerals, and steel hands. The case is crafted from jade, platinum, and diamonds set, complemented by black enamel. Both the case and movement bear the maker’s signature, while both the maker and the retailer sign the dial. Accessories include a platinum chain with onyx and seed pearls, complete with a clasp.
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This elegantly crafted Art Deco jade pendant watch was sold by Ghiso, a renowned retailer in Buenos Aires.
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Dimensions: 67 x 32 mm
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Signed: Jaeger-LeCoultre/Ghiso
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The case is in very good overall condition with light wear and surface scuffing consistent with its age. The jade exhibits wear, surface scuffing, and marks throughout but remains intact, with some wear noted at the setting areas on the back. The glazing shows surface scuffing. The dial has surface wear with some loss to the white baton indexes and light dust present. There is visible wear on the hands near the centre arbour. The movement is operating and running smoothly.
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The Collaboration Between Jacques-David LeCoultre and Edmond Jaeger
At the turn of the century, LeCoultre was a leading manufacturer in the Vallée de Joux. The company’s prominence is evident in its watchmaking achievements: in 1903, it produced the world’s thinnest watch movements, including a mechanical movement measuring 1.38 mm in height, a chronograph movement at 2.8 mm, and a repeater watch at 3.2 mm. By 1929, it had created the smallest watch in the world, comprising 74 parts and weighing just 0.9 grams.
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In 1903, Jacques-David LeCoultre, the grandson of the company’s founder, Antoine, met Alsatian Edmond Jaeger in Paris. This partnership paved the way for LeCoultre’s entry into the luxury watch market. After decades of collaboration, Jaeger’s name became part of the company name in 1937. The brand name LeCoultre continued to be used in the US market for some time.
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Jaeger-LeCoultre is rightfully recognised as a manufacturer, a title highly esteemed in the watch industry. This is because the company not only crafts its own watches but also produces the corresponding movements through full vertical integration. These high-quality movements are in demand and are supplied to other renowned watch companies, such as IWC, which incorporate them into their models. Since 1986, IWC and Jaeger-LeCoultre were under the German VDO Group, known for automobile speedometers. After VDO became part of Mannesmann and was subsequently acquired by Vodafone, Jaeger-LeCoultre is now part of the Swiss Richemont Group, alongside Lange Uhren GmbH and IWC.