Brand: LeJour

Model: Yachtingraf ref. 9312 Yachting Regatta Chronograph; Made in France circa late 1960s

Case: Solid stainless steel case with screw-down back is approximately 38mm excluding the original winding crown and pushers; inner caseback is properly signed by Continental Time Co. with correct 9312 reference number

Strap: Vintage 19mm Tropic-style rubber strap (black) with stainless steel tang buckle; this model came on a similar strap from factory as depicted in original Yachtingraf advertisements

Movement: Valjoux cal. 7730 manual-winding chronograph movement (17 jewels) with 30-minute recording capability; Swiss Made; 18,000 BPH

Features: Stunning original matte black luminous dial with super cool blue, red, and white yachting regatta countdown register designed and patented specifically for regatta racing; original rotating "countdown" bezel with luminous triangle at 12 o'clock; original white handset; large unpolished 38mm stainless steel case with original winding crown and pushers; original domed acrylic crystal

Condition: Fantastic original condition overall with minor honest signs of wear consistent with age and careful use; solid stainless steel case appears to be unpolished with great lugs; crisp screw-down caseback remains clearly legible; beautiful original fat-font "countdown" bezel insert with original luminous triangle still in tact (rare); excellent original matte black dial with vibrant colors and original luminous hour markers; original hands with matching lume (some lume has flaked out of the minute hand which is common on this reference given the length and thinness of the hand); clean original domed acrylic crystal; nice vintage Tropic-style rubber strap

Other: It's no secret that the yachting regatta countdown is one of our all-time favorite complications here at watchsteez. If you haven't been out yachting recently, we'll break it down for you: The blue, red, and white segments each represent 5-minute intervals within the 15-minute countdown. In the 15 minutes leading up to a race, yachts are jockeying for position behind a starting buoy - The tri-color coding makes the chronograph easy for skippers to read at a glance, letting them know when they can cross the starting line. Given the relative obscurity of the sport, tool watches designed specifically for this purpose are quite rare. 

We strongly believe that the Yachtingraf is one of the coolest vintage regatta watches that money can buy, and this superb original example comes available for sale just in time for summer weather. Simply put, it's hard to beat the unique regatta sub-dial and overall design execution. The straight-lug case wears so well on the wrist just like an early Speedmaster! If you collect these or are trying to track one down, you already know how difficult they are to find in this condition. This particular example is branded by LeJour for the U.S. market and powered by a reliable manual-winding Valjoux 7730 movement. Yema manufactured this same watch with the same reference number for the European market.