LeJour Chronograph Valjoux 7733 is a tool watch, no question. A sturdy and dependable construction is what is needed for a good tool watch; after all it’s got to be fit for purpose. What is true today is true of yesteryear too and this LeJour Chronograph Valjoux 7733 epitomises what a good vintage tool watch should be.

What immediately catches your eye when seeing this LeJour Chronograph for the first time is the “turning” tropical dial. The tachymeter scale is where you can notice this wonderful effect most easily. Between 3 and 6 o’clock, the outer edge of the face retains its original black which is counterbalanced by the gradual fade to a lovely chocolate brown between 9 and 12 o’clock. A process that will continue, each time it is exposed to the sun.

The hours are marked by luminous dots which is very reminiscent of Rolex, while the large triangle that marks 12 and the baton at 6, smack of early Omega divers watches. They retain a good lume and display a pale yellow, almost cream patina. As already mentioned, this beautiful tropical “T Swiss Made T” dial has an MPH Tachymeter around its edge that allows accurate timing, to with one-fifth of a second. The minute sub-dial is marked in red, for those Regatta countdown starts we all like to make.

The hands, a Sword for the minute, a Broad Arrow for the hours and a red lollipop for seconds, all with good lume, finish off the face perfectly.

As an aside, we are often asked what the “T Swiss Made T” mark means. This mark, printed at 6 o’clock, tells us two things. Firstly, the watch is “Swiss Made” and secondly that Tritium is used as the luminous agent to light the watch at night. The “T” designates that the watch contains a quantity of Tritium that emits less than 227 MBq (7.5 mCi or millicuries of radiation).

Other marks you are likely to see on Swiss watches are “Swiss T<25” which means that the watch is “Swiss Made” obviously and contains a quantity of tritium that emits less than 925 MBq (25 mCi). Most Swiss watches today, use photo-luminescent light emission, sometimes indicated by the optional marking of “L Swiss Made L”.

What does it all mean? It means your watch is safe to wear!

The bezel seems to be unique to this watch as we cannot, despite extensive research on the web, find another one like it. So, we either have a rare prototype, or special commission, and “we will be millllionaaires, Rodney”; or it’s got a replacement bezel. You decide! Whatever its provenance to originality is, we can certainly say it has been on the watch for a very long time because of the way it has been worn smooth around its edge. The raised numbers too are nicely finger polished. Something that happens over years of use, that can never be replicated.

The case is very clean indeed; the polished case with brushed lug tops appears to be original with good definition between the two finishes where they meet. It has been said that the 38mm stainless steel case with gently tapered lugs is reminiscent of the “Ed White” Omega Speedmaster (Reference 105.003-64); and who are we to argue!

The robust crown and chronograph pushers along with the solid screw down caseback, again with minimal signs of wear, finish this tool watch off perfectly.

However, an attractive design isn’t enough to make a chronograph great, no matter how striking it is. It’s what beats inside the watch which can make or break its value. This LeJour Chronograph, like the fabled Breitling SPRINT, is powered by a Valjoux drive train, a calibre 7733, that is as accurate as it is reliable.

So if you are Racing, Sailing, Diving or Flying; your watch is ready to do them all…. although, as with all our old watches, we don’t recommend the Diving bit anymore!