Le Jour Chronograph, valjoux 72, 60s

Le Jour Chronograph (1960s)

Refined Vintage Precision with the Valjoux 72 Movement

This elegant Le Jour Chronograph from the 1960s embodies the golden age of mechanical chronographs. Housed in a 37mm stainless steel case with beautifully twisted lugs, the watch exudes classic mid-century sport elegance.

The sunburst silver dial catches the light with remarkable depth, featuring applied indices, bold Arabic numerals, and three symmetrically placed sub-registers for constant seconds, 30-minute, and 12-hour timing functions. A telemeter scale encircles the dial, adding both utility and vintage character.

At the heart of this chronograph beats the legendary Valjoux 72 movement — a hand-wound, column-wheel caliber celebrated for its precision, reliability, and use in many of the most iconic chronographs of the era.

Specifications:

• Brand: Le Jour

• Model: Chronograph

• Movement: Hand-wound Valjoux 72, 17 jewels, Incabloc shock protection

• Dial: Sunburst silver with triple register layout

• Case Material: Stainless steel

• Case Diameter: 37mm (excluding crown)

• Crystal: Acrylic

• Bracelet: Stainless steel beads-of-rice style

• Era: 1960s

• Functions: Chronograph, telemeter scale, hours, minutes, small seconds

Brand history

Founded in the mid-20th century, Le Jour was a Swiss watch brand known for producing finely crafted tool watches and chronographs, often powered by high-grade movements from Valjoux. The brand gained a loyal following among enthusiasts for its combination of Swiss craftsmanship, elegant design, and reliability. During the 1960s and 1970s, Le Jour timepieces were distributed in the U.S. market under the Heuer and Yema networks, establishing their reputation among collectors of classic mechanical chronographs.

Today, vintage Le Jour watches — particularly those powered by the Valjoux 72 — are highly sought after for their design, movement quality, and authentic 1960s charm.