Established by WWI US Navy veteran Samuel Klepper in 1937, The Jardur Import Company, New York was an importer and manufacturer of precision aviation instruments, producing tools like flight calculators, navigation plotters, protractors. They were also the exclusive importer from Switzerland the renowned Jardur Bezelmeter chronographs, and the Jardur aviation waterproof wristwatches.
The famous Bezelmeter Aviation Chronograph is essentially a cockpit instrument for the wrist, featuring a bezel with an independent chapter ring graduated in counterclockwise hours, and a red “degreemeter” scale on the dial. Rotating the bezel to align duration hour with the hour hand on the dial at takeoff will give the pilot a quick reference of the remaining flight time, and the “degreemeter” scale is used with the chronograph to calculate turns, making it an invaluable aviation tool for pilots. Most wristwatches at the time, even those that were made for aviation, did not feature a degreemeter, earning it a special place in aviation history.
Powered by the rare Valjoux 71, a forerunner to the legendary Valjoux 72, the Jardur Bezelmeter Aviation Chronograph boasts high timekeeping performance and technical finesse. The present example is preserved in great condition, with a delightful layer of patina developed on the dial and the luminous-filled cathedral-style hands aged to an attractive shade of golden brown.
Equally engineered to be functional with finesse, the second Jardur aviator’s wristwatch with 24-hour dial is encased in a much smaller 31.5mm case. The dial is marked by a red 24-hour scale, harmoniously complementing the luminous materials on the hands and Arabic numerals which has aged to a rich tone of toffee. Preserved in great condition, this set of two Jardur aviator’s wristwatches is a fascinating piece of aviation history, and they are perfect for any discerning collectors of pilot's watches.