Bring a LoupeA Lange Double Split, A Heuer Camaro, And An Early Jaeger Chronograph

Before the picks, both good and bad, let's look at the results from the last go-around. The skeletonized Chopard has been marked as "reserved;" the asking price was $6,999. On eBay: our Wittnauer chronograph did very well, finishing at $4,601.99, the Ralco Electric has been marked as sold at the buy it now price of £199.99, and our Gallet Multichron 45M Decimal sold for $3,301.99.

And now, your July 25th, 2025 edition of Bring A Loupe!

Lauded by our very own Mr. Ben Clymer back in 2013 as "the most 'bad ass' of all Lange chronographs," the Double Split was the first and still is the only mechanical chronograph capable of measuring split seconds and split minutes. This is a watch that essentially stands alone, only beaten by Lange themselves with the Triple Split in 2018. The Double Split achieves this rare complication through the use of two column wheels, two vertical clutches, and an additional rattrapante mechanism layered into the minute counter. It's a watch that can serve as a summation of Lange as a brand, or, as Ben put it, "just a monster, and … one of the most impressive and just downright mean chronographs ever made."

This is Lange doing what Lange does best, from functionality to execution. When it hit the market in 2004, it took the brand beyond the Datograph in the chronograph world, doing so with authority. Following up the watch that Philippe Dufour called the finest serially produced watch in the world is difficult, and the Double Split nailed it. The caliber L001.1 inside is comprised of 465 components, each finished with expertise. We have untreated German silver bridges, a hand-engraved balance cock, screwed gold chatons, and so on. The column wheels are on full display, as is much of the rattrapante mechanism. Put simply, the caseback side is a marvel.

When the platinum Double Split was introduced in 2004, its retail price was set at $97,000. By the time it was discontinued in 2011, that price had increased to $126,800. Amazingly, given the context of everything you just read, this example, complete with original box and papers, can be had for roughly a $10,000 discount versus the 2004 price.

The seller, Tim and the team at Subdial in London, England, are offering this Lange Double Split for £64,500. Click here to check it out.

In the world of vintage Heuer, the Camaro is often overlooked. Even when this market was at its peak, the Camaro never really enjoyed the highs of other models. You could always pick up a nice three-register, Valjoux 72-powered Camaro for significantly less than $10,000. And honestly, that's a shame but our opportunity, this is a lot of watch for the money.

Introduced in 1968 and named after the Chevrolet Camaro to capitalize on American muscle car culture, the Camaro is easily identifiable at a glance thanks to its cushion-shaped case. At 37mm wide with straight lugs and distinct brushing, it sits somewhere between pure sport, racing chronograph, and something that is a bit more design forward. In its day, it doesn't seem to have sold as well as the Carrera or Autavia, making it relatively rare in that way.

This reference 7220 T is a particularly desirable variant, featuring the legendary Valjoux 72 movement — a manual-wind, column-wheel chronograph caliber shared with now more expensive vintage models like the Rolex Daytona. The "T" in 7220T denotes the tachymeter scale on the dial, used to measure speed over a known distance. This is a "first execution" example as it features the earlier polished steel hands.

Up for sale at an auction house in Florida, this particular Camaro looks to be in original, as-found condition. The crystal is scratched, but that's an easy fix and well worth it, as the dial appears to be in excellent condition with nice patina to the lume plots. The minute hand has some lume loss, but that could be fixed! It's a bit of a project as you'll need to source a pair of pushers (the present top pusher is a replacement), but that can be done, and the vintage Heuer community will be helpful to a collector in need.

This Heuer Camaro is lot 314 of Hill Auction Gallery's Highway to Hill sale on Wednesday, July 30th, at 12 PM ET. The estimate is $100 to $1,000. Get all of the details right here.

The Jaeger-LeCoultre we know and love today dates back to 1833, yet for many of those early decades, the company was more a movement specialist than a complete watch manufacturer. That speaks to the LeCoultre side of the brand. Jaeger-LeCoultre, as a united brand, dates back to when the LeCoultre (Swiss) met the Jaeger (French) in 1903, setting the stage for a watchmaking marriage made in heaven. Edmond Jaeger established himself in Paris as a watchmaker in the last decade of the 19th century, supplying watches to the French Navy, and eventually being named Horloger de la Marine (state-appointed watchmaker to the French Navy). After Jaeger and LeCoultre met in 1903, the latter began supplying movements to the former. You may know of Edmond Jaeger's contract work for Cartier, utilizing those great Swiss movements from LeCoultre.

By 1937, the marriage was official, creating Jaeger-LeCoultre. Why does all of this matter? The watch we have today is a Jaeger-only signed chronograph dating to the 1930s, likely right after this official marriage. We see these Jaeger-signed JLCs particularly in the French market at this time because of Edmond's reputation there.

While LeCoultre was a movement specialist, the maison never excelled at chronograph production, instead leaning on Universal Genève. Due to the placement of the pushers here, I can take an educated guess and say the movement inside is a UG caliber 281, one of the first two-button chronographs. So while this watch is in somewhat rough condition, I still find it attractive and compelling because of how early it is and the branding behind it.

On top of all of that background, the case is extremely interesting and one I had not seen before, with cutouts in the lugs allowing for a wider strap. And the dial, although worn, is a work of art likely produced by the masters at Stern Créations. These "sandwich" style hour markers are seldom seen and so, so appealing. I sent a quick message to JLC's Product & Heritage Director, Matthieu Sauret, and he was quick to point out the telemeter scale, something the brand rarely utilized in the vintage period.

This Jaeger chronograph is a part of Accord Enchères Compiègne Venette's PRESTIGE EXPERIENCE - A fine back-to-school sale in Venette, France on Saturday, September 27th, at 2 AM ET. The estimate is €800 to €1,200. You've got a while before this one goes live, but click here and mark your calendar, it's worth saving.

Jenny might not be a household name today, but deep in vintage dive watch lore, it has earned serious respect. The brand was behind the first commercially available 1,000-meter dive watch — the Caribbean 1000 — and supplied waterproof case tech to more well-known brands like Doxa. This particular model, a Caribbean Junior chronograph from the 1970s, blends that same tool-watch ethos with colorful, funky '70s design language, and is powered by the Valjoux 7733.

The barrel-shaped steel case, faded tachy bezel, and high-contrast bi-compax layout allow the Caribbean Junior to sit between a racing chrono and a skin diver. The dial is mostly staid: matte black with squared lume plots and wide hands. But a pop of 70s tones come in with the three o'clock sub-register. This is graduated for yacht racing, making this watch first and foremost a yachting chronograph.

An eBay seller in Goole, England, has put this Jenny up for auction, ending on Wednesday, July 30th at 3:04 pm ET. At the time of publication, bidding had reached $628.91. Check it out and bid right here.