Jaeger-LeCoultre 'European Market' Geomatic

Regular price
$12,000
Regular price
Sale price
$12,000
REF E398
Automatic-winding
36 MM
– Show less
SKU AS11472
Article Number 40980139
ref E398
case size 36 MM
movement Automatic-winding
approximate age 1960s
dial color Champagne
material Yellow Gold
style Dress
category Vintage
bracelet Leather
lug width 18 MM
Includes Brown calf strap with white contrast stitching and matching gold-tone pin buckle. Also includes Jaeger-LeCoultre: Ultimate Guide For The Collector By Zaf Basha.
overall condition Excellent condition overall. Case is in excellent condition showing only light wear associated with age and use. Dial and handset are in good condition. Missing index lume plots noted. Caseback engraving is in great condition.
REF E398
Automatic-winding
36 MM
– Show less
SKU AS11472
Article Number 40980139
ref E398
case size 36 MM
movement Automatic-winding
approximate age 1960s
dial color Champagne
material Yellow Gold
style Dress
category Vintage
bracelet Leather
lug width 18 MM
Includes Brown calf strap with white contrast stitching and matching gold-tone pin buckle. Also includes Jaeger-LeCoultre: Ultimate Guide For The Collector By Zaf Basha.
overall condition Excellent condition overall. Case is in excellent condition showing only light wear associated with age and use. Dial and handset are in good condition. Missing index lume plots noted. Caseback engraving is in great condition.

Why We Love it

In the early 1960s, Jaeger-LeCoultre wasn’t chasing trends — it was building benchmarks. The Geomatic is one of those quietly flexing, deeply serious watches that only look “simple” if you don’t know what you’re looking at. Inspired by the legendary Geophysic and born in the Vallée de Joux at the height of JLC’s technical confidence, the Geomatic arrived in 1961 as a chronometer-certified automatic designed to be worn daily, relied upon completely, and admired subtly.

This example, a Reference E398, in yellow gold is the kind of vintage dress watch that makes modern pieces feel like they’re trying too hard. At 36mm, the proportions are pure midcentury perfection: slim, balanced, and just assertive enough in precious metal. The gold-toned singer dial is a masterclass in restraint, with a domed sunray finish that catches the light like a luxurious silk tie, applied markers, a crisp framed date, and clean 'baton' hands that keep everything sharp and legible.

Inside is Jaeger-LeCoultre’s self-winding Calibre K881G, chronometer-certified and built to be one of the most reliable automatic movements of its era. Flip it over, and you’ll find the engraved gold medallion "CHRONOMETER GEOMATIC" caseback. A little flourish that feels like JLC whispering, “Built for a lifetime. Not for an unboxing.”

As one 1960s ad put it: "the precise and elegant assistant for the man of taste." Still true.

This spectacular piece comes from the collection of Zaf Basha, a noted authority on Jaeger-LeCoultre who has published two books: Vintage Military Watches: A Guide for the Collector and Jaeger-LeCoultre: The Ultimate Guide for the Collector. Over the years, Basha put together one of the most impressive assemblages of vintage JLC timepieces in the world, and we're thrilled and honor to offer many of them for sale on Analog:Shift. 

Brand Story

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Few watchmaking concerns are as storied as Jaeger-LeCoultre. Though the maison is not technically a member of the “Holy Trinity” of Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, and Vacheron Constantin, one could easily make the argument that it should be: After all, it was JLC that supplied movements to Patek from the beginning of the 20th century through the early 30s.

Founded in 1833 by Antoine LeCoutlre in Le Sentier, Switzerland, the firm became the Jaeger-LeCoultre we know today when it merged with Parisian watchmaker Edmond Jaeger’s business in 1937. The two horological concerns collaborated on numerous projects before cementing their partnership, the most important of which was no doubt the Reverso. A sport watch with a reversible case, this ingenious timepiece was designed to offer protection to the watch dial — when engaged in sport or otherwise dangerous activity, the wearer would simply flip the case over, exposing its back to the world, rather than the vulnerable crystal.

But the Reverso is far from the only significant timepiece brought to market by JLC: The firm also produced the world’s thinnest pocket watch in 1907, powered by the Caliber 145. In 1929, the maison released the Caliber 101, still today the smallest mechanical movement. (Queen Elizabeth II wore a Caliber 101-equipped wristwatch to her coronation in 1953.) And perhaps no other watchmaker is world-renowned for their production of a clock in the way that JLC is famous for the Atmos. Invented by Jean-Léon Reutter, it’s powered by miniscule changes in atmospheric pressure — Edmon Jaeger acquired the patent and licensed it beginning in 1936. The Atmos is still produced in numerous forms today, and remains the Swiss government’s foremost diplomatic gift.

From classic, near-centuries old designs like the Reverso and the Atmos to modern über-complications such as the brilliant Master Gyrotourbillon, Jaeger-LeCoultre remains on the cutting edge of horological technology nearly two centuries after its founding.

A:S Guarantee

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Our Pledge

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 two-year mechanical warranty from the date of purchase.

International Buyers

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

Shipping & Returns

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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.

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Jaeger-LeCoultre 'European Market' Geomatic

Jaeger-LeCoultre 'European Market' Geomatic

Regular price
$12,000
Regular price
Sale price
$12,000
Jaeger-LeCoultre 'European Market' Geomatic