LeCoultre Vintage Large Fancy Lugs Dress Watch 14K Yellow Gold 1950s

DESCRIPTION

DETAILS
Manufacturer: LeCoultre
Model: Vintage Dress Watch
Reference Number: n/a
Condition: Good, wear consistent with age and use
Gender: Men’s/unisex
Time Period: 1950s-1960s 
Retail / Compare-At Price: n/a collector’s item
Our Best Price: $11,500

THE CALIBER
Movement: Manual winding
Caliber: K830/CW (K stands for KIF - anti-shock system) 
Jewels: 17

THE CASE
Case Material: 14K yellow gold
Case Diameter: 33 mm (35 mm including crown) x 37 mm (46.5 including lugs)
Thickness: 8.5 mm
Waterproof: -
Water Resistance: -
Material Bezel: Fixed stepped 14K yellow gold
Glass: Domed acrylic 
Dial: Silver linen finish
Dial Numerals: Applied yellow gold baton hour indices, a double line at 3, 6, and 9 o'clock, and a triple line at 12 o'clock

THE BRACELET/STRAP
Bracelet color: Black 
Bracelet Material: Leather
Clasp: Tang buckle
Clasp material: Gold plated

THE FUNCTIONS
Hours, minutes, center seconds, power reserve up to 43 hours
 
OTHERS
The solid two-body round-shaped case, the fancy Art Deco lugs, and the stepped bezel are all polished.
Yellow gold applied stick-shaped hour/minute hands, black painted stick-shaped central seconds hand
14K yellow gold pull/push knurled crown with LeCoultre engraving
14K yellow gold solid fixed case back - the timepiece is disassembled from the dial to access the movement.
The LeCoultre caliber K830/CW movement powers this exquisite timepiece. It is embellished with fausses côtes motifs. It is constructed with 17 jewels, has a straight-line lever escapement, and a shock absorber system. A monometallic balance and a self-compensating flat balance spring are included.
This mechanism has a frequency of 18,000 vph (2.5 Hz)
Incomplete (no box, no papers)

Further reading:
During the 1950s and 1960s, the import tax in the U.S. was based on all components of a watch imported. Like other Swiss manufacturers, LeCoultre would bring dismantled parts into the country, like movements, dials, and hands. Once in the United States, each movement was fully assembled and placed in a case manufactured locally. As a result, most Swiss watches sold in the United States have only 17 jewels during this time, even though the European version of the same movement has more.
Each manufacturer marked their movements with a unique U.S. import code to identify a U.S. imported movement. However, Vacheron & Constantin and LeCoultre used the same import code, "VXN."  
On this Caliber K 830/CW, the code is engraved on the arm that holds the balance wheel. In addition, the marks "17 jewels" and "unadjusted" are indicated.