Le Jour - Broad Arrow Regatta Chronograph - Valjoux 72 - Circa 1968

Produced in 1968, as ocean racing had grown into serious international sport, this Le Jour was built to be used. The matte black dial carries three registers arranged around a center that belongs entirely to the red lollipop chronograph seconds hand sweeping the full diameter of the dial with a clarity that makes it instantly visible. The broad arrow hour hand and the aged tritium lume throughout have warmed to a rich amber and pumpkin tone against the black, the triangle markers on the dial and bezel matching that same warmth. Nothing here is decorative. Le Jour produced this broad arrow regatta configuration in limited numbers to begin with, and within that already low production, the Valjoux 72 variant is by far the rarest configuration of all. At the time of this listing, there are no other examples of this specific watch available on the open market.

In 1968, the Admiral's Cup, the Fastnet, and the Sydney-Hobart had drawn a generation of helmsmen for whom the five-minute starting sequence was the most consequential interval in the race. Cross the line early and you sail the whole course under penalty. The regatta countdown register on this watch, calibrated to that exact window, was a tool specification, not a design choice. Combined with the outer tachymeter scale and the rotating elapsed-time bezel, this watch was built for someone who needed to know where he was, how fast he was going, and how much time he had left, simultaneously, without looking twice.

The movement is a Valjoux 72, the same caliber that powered the early Rolex Daytona, the Heuer references collectors pursue most seriously, and the important Breitlings of the same period. Most examples of this Le Jour left the factory fitted with the Valjoux 726 or 7733. The 72 is not simply an earlier version of those movements. It is probably the most iconic and searched-for chronograph caliber ever made, representing the architecture before the higher-beat evolution arrived to displace it. The column wheel governs the engagement and disengagement of the timing function with a crispness that later lever-operated calibers could not replicate. The chronograph starts, stops, and resets correctly.

Le Jour distributed through J.P. Pingouin Co., and the signatures on this watch are consistent and correct throughout. The dial reads LE JOUR / 17 JEWELS / INCABLOC. The inner caseback reads J.P. PINGOUIN CO / SWISS MADE. The movement bridge carries J.P. PINGOUIN CO / PINGOUIN / 17 JEWELS / SWISS. The outer caseback reads ALL STAINLESS STEEL WATERPROOF TESTED TO 20 ATMOSPHERES INCABLOC SWISS MADE ANTIMAGNETIC. Tritium lume, noted T SWISS T at the base of the dial. For a vintage chronograph of this era, that coherence across every signed surface is not something to take for granted. Decades of hands and services have left many watches of this period with mismatched parts. This one reads as it should from caseback to bridge to dial.

The case is unpolished with honest wear and good lug definition consistent with its age and use. The watch comes on its original period H-link bracelet. It was recently serviced prior to my purchase and is running well, confirmed on a timegrapher.

Terms: Please review all photos carefully as they are a part of the listing. This is a vintage timepiece. Accuracy, power reserve, and water resistance are not guaranteed. Vintage watches may require periodic service. Performance can vary with wear, temperature, and position.

I am happy to service any unserviced watch listed on the site — please inquire about service charges when purchasing.

All sales final.