Jewels & Watches

Henri Rodanet (1884-1956), the descendant of a family of Parisian watchmakers, joined Jaeger LeCoultre after World War I. At the time, small wristwatches were beginning to be marketed toward women. The duo wanted to make small size lady’s watches without compromising on quality. Rodanet brainstormed the idea and came up with an innovative double-sided watch movement for the Calibre 101. LeCoultre’s Calibre 101 debuted in 1929 and became world-famous in 1953 when Queen Elizabeth famously wore one of these watches on her coronation day. Fortuna Auction will present one of these LeCoultre watches from the 1930s in the upcoming sale. The available piece is modeled as a continuous line bracelet, each link set with a single white diamond and a tiny watch dial set in a square window.

Among the offered 205 lots, a vintage long Alhambra necklace from Van Cleef & Arpels is particularly highlighted. Unveiled in 1968, the Alhambra motif was inspired by the four-leaf clover and is considered reminiscent of the traditional quatrefoil. Also showcased is a Gikas lapis lazuli set. This vintage 18-karat gold set includes a bracelet, earrings, and necklace. Explore the full listings and register to bid online on Bidsquare.