Manufacturer: Jaeger-LeCoultre Year: 1970 Reference No: E558 Movement No: 2’175’591 Case No: 1’264’373 Model Name: Master Mariner “Deep Sea” Material: Stainless steel Calibre: Automatic, cal. K883, 17 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Rubber Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel pin buckle Dimensions: 36.5mm diameter Signed: Case, dial and movement signed Accessories: Delivered with a Jaeger-LeCoultre Extract from the Archives confirming the date of production of the present timepiece with its corresponding case and movement numbers in 1970.
Catalogue Essay
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Mariner "Deep Sea" is one of the timepieces that have slipped under the radar being overshadowed by other dive watches from the respective era. Launched in the late 1960s, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Mariner was certainly a cool timepiece with a very distinctive appeal equipped with a supercompressor case with double crowns and an inner rotating bezel. Developed as a professional tool watch for diving, the two piece case is composed of a screwed down caseback secured with a rubber gasket enhancing its waterproof capabilities.
The present example from circa 1970 is a wonderful example of the Master Marina. Offered in “New Old Stock” condition, the dial has aged harmoniously over the years while boasting a clean and sharp case retaining its original factory “soleil” finishing on the surface.
Not all companies in the watchmaking field have been able to stand the test of time quite like Jaeger LeCoultre, also known as the "watchmaker's watchmaker." Founded in 1833 by Antoine LeCoultre and originally named LeCoutre, the firm provided watchmaking's top brands, such as Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin and Audemars Piguet, the high-grade, unfinished mechanical movements with which they completed their watches.
In the early 1900s, Cartier's watch supplier Edmond Jaeger sought out LeCoultre's help in creating the world's thinnest watches. The collaboration resulted in the creation of Cartier's earliest Tank and Santos watches, all housed with LeCoultre movements. The duo decided to merge in 1937, and the firm officially became the Jaeger-LeCoultre brand by which collectors know and adore it today. Some of the firm's most significant and important timepieces include the Reverso, the Memovox, the Atmos clock and, among modern watches, their Master Complications.
