Jaeger-LeCoultre 6B/346 Military Issue

This 1948 Jaeger-LeCoultre ref. 6B/346 is being offered by an established UK-based jeweller. The watch is presented on a khaki green NATO strap and the vendor advises it was serviced by Swisstec in July 2021 with a two-year warranty. They also advise that the dial and cathedral-style handset are original, and only light restoration has been undertaken in order to maintain its originality. No accessories are provided in the lot.

The watch presents in a satin-finished 35mm stainless steel case. As a military-issued item, it’s built with functionality and legibility in mind. The dial is black with contrasting white Arabic numerals. The markers at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock show some patina commensurate with age.

The large cathedral-style hands make reading the time easy at a glance. An arrow marking is visible at 12 o’clock, and on the case back, signifying it as an item issued by the British Ministry Of Defense. Housed inside the case is a manually-wound mechanical movement.

The 6B designation to the rear of the watch indicates that this was destined for the RAF. It differs from the WWW watches supplied to the MOD during this time for use by the Army, principally through the dial layout. WWW watches have a seconds sub-dial at 6 o’clock but the 6B has a long central seconds hand to aid precise navigation. The dial is made from thick iron, shaped to cup around the movement and meet the iron dust cover on the back. This provides a high level of magnetic shielding, necessary for use by pilots. 

All watches offered for sale are searched and cleared against The Watch Register database and a certificate is available to the winning bidder upon request.

The description of this auction lot is, to the best of the seller's knowledge, accurate and not misleading. Watch Collecting requests a range of detail about the lot from the seller, and performs a level of due diligence. However, bidders must satisfy themselves as to the accuracy of the description, and conduct any research they feel is necessary before committing to a bid. Please see our Terms and Conditions for full details.