The Watch
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Shortly after WW2 (1946), the British Air Ministry put out a call for new Wrist Watches for their Pilots. These watches were required to have the following: A matte black dial, consisting of Iron, with white fixtures and the four quarterly hour markers luminized, a high grade Swiss movement capable of 36 hours power reserve and chronometer spec timekeeping, a water resistant case, a Faraday cage for anti-magnetic purposes and an acrylic crystal with a retaining screw. Two manufacturers answered this bell: IWC and Jaeger-LeCoultre. Mark XI watches began to be issued in 1948 to Pilots across the British Empire.
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Today's example dates from the very first year of issue 1948. It is estimated that JLC only delivered around 2950 of these Watches to the RAF in total, making this guy a rare find.
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This watch was used by the navigator in an RAF plane in conjunction with a bubble-sextant to calculate the exact latitude and longitude of the aircraft.
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The Specs
Age: c.1948.
Movement: Manual wind with Hacking Centre Seconds.
Calibre: 488 SBR (specially produced).
Timekeeping: Very good.
Service History: Serviced 2024, fully inspected by John Senior July 2025.
Dial: Original JLC Military Specification Dial.
Case: Stainless Steel.
Measurements: without Crown: 35mm End to End: 46mm
Bezel: Solid.
Water Resistant?: No.
Hands: Original.
Crystal: Correct Original Acrylic crystal.
Crown: Correct Original unsigned Crown.
Strap/Bracelet: On a New 16mm Khaki Military Style Strap.
Lug Width: 17mm. Fixed Bars.
Getting Acquainted
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Bits that stand out:
- Issued to a Royal Air Force pilot, can you get any cooler?
- First Year Issue.
- Specially Designed Movement.
- 35mm Case.
-Iron Dial and Movement Cover, acting as a Faraday Cage.
-Hacking Seconds.
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Nitty Gritty:
-Dial has been Relumed.
-Minor age related marks to the Case.
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Overall this JLC Pilot is in nice Vintage condition.
The Dial is in very good condition, the Dial has been relumed on top of the original lume.
Case is in excellent order.
Caseback markings are in lovely order.
Original Crown.
Original Crystal in great shape.
Hands are in lovely shape.
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Photographed on a 7in Wrist.