You’ve seen this watch, or some version of this watch, plenty of times before. In production from the 1930s until the ’70s, Étrier (translated to ‘yoke’ in English) refers, according to someone who knows a whole lot about LeCoultre, to the lug shape. Perhaps, like me, you’d mistakenly thought of these watches as LeCoultre Hermès watches this whole time—the link above’s got you covered on vanquishing that confusion as well.
The example, available for €3,500 from Rare Birds, is not only lovely but also decently sized. If it seems a little silly to claim a 28.5mm watch is ‘decently sized,’ most examples of this model are under 20mm. Given that it’s an over-50-year-old dress watch, the Étrier from Rare Birds seems in fantastic shape, with a clean, dynamic dial and a case that appears to have been well cared for.
Weston Cutter
2026-05-22 15:00:00