LeJour Yachtingraf

We like chronographs. As far as complications go, the versatile chrono can be applied to almost any purpose: war, motorsports, aviation, yachting. Wait, what? 

Yes, indeed. We'd like to present for your humble consideration one of the most obscure chronographs we can think of: the yachting (or regatta) timer. It's essentially a basic chronograph with specially-designed subsidiary registers to denote the countdown before the start of a regatta.

Unlike a race on dry ground, in a regatta boats are unable to start a race from a dead stop. Short of anchoring, there's no way for them to be perfectly still. At the start of a regatta, yachts are jockeying for position behind a starting buoy for 15 minutes. When the starting gun goes off, a countdown starts and the competing vessels launch past the start line 15 minutes later. Yachting Timers such as this one are used to time the countdown onboard, and feature brightly colored dials to denote the remaining time.

This particular timepiece was made by LeJour in the 1970s. Known to collectors primarily for their close association with Heuer and their "Poor Man's Heuer" models, the Yachtingraf model is an exceptionally rare - and exceptionally cool - timepiece. 

Featuring a solid steel case with a rotating outer bezel and powered by a Valjoux 7733 manually-wound chronograph movement, the Yachtingraf is every bit as robust as its highly sought after Heuer counterparts.

This particular example has developed a lovely even patina to the luminous hour markers and retains a nearly flawless matte black dial with a running seconds subsidiary register at 9:00 and the classic colorful countdown register at 3:00.  With near-perfect case proportions and a sweet patina, this is a killer piece Yachting timer from a great (however unsung) brand this is the perfect option for the collector who wants a chronograph that's different from the the run-of-the-mill. 

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Analog:Shift stands behind the authenticity of our products in perpetuity.

Condition

Since our pieces are vintage or pre-owned, please expect wear & patina from usage and age. Please read each item description and examine all product images.

Warranty

We back each Analog:Shift vintage timepiece with a one-year mechanical warranty from the date of purchase.

International Buyers

Please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.

All of our watches include complementary insured shipping within the 50 states.

Most of our products are on hand and will ship directly from our headquarters in New York City. In some cases, watches will be shipped directly from one of our authorized partners.

We generally ship our products via FedEx, fully insured, within 5 business days of purchase. An adult signature is required for receipt of all packages for insurance purposes. Expedited shipping is available at an additional cost. We are also happy to hand deliver your purchase in Manhattan or you may pick it up at our showroom.

Returns must be sent overnight or by priority international delivery, fully insured and paid for by the customer. A restocking fee may apply. Watches must be returned in the same condition as initially shipped.

We welcome international buyers, please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.