Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. New Dials for Lebois & Co, with the Heritage Chronograph Linéaire
Elegant, historically grounded, and well executed
Founded in 1934 by Raymond Dodane, Lebois & Co. built its reputation during the golden age of mechanical watchmaking, crafting elegant, precision-driven chronographs. After decades of dormancy, the brand was revived in 2016 by a Dutchman, Tom van Wijlick, with a clear mission: to honour its heritage through nicely executed timepieces inspired by its vintage archives. The Heritage Chronograph series, introduced in 2023, has delivered several captivating references, including the black-and-gold version and the very recent Heritage Chronograph Atelier “Coquille d’œuf” with a Grand feu enamel dial. But there’s more to come.
The Heritage Chronograph Linéaire is an elegant reissue concept blending historic Lebois designs with contemporary craftsmanship; a recipe that works. The 39mm 316L stainless steel case measures 10.5mm thick (13.9mm including the crystal), with brushed and polished finishes. Rectangular pushers flank the fluted crown with the brand´s logo. The case is topped by a double-domed sapphire crystal with internal anti-reflective coating. Water resistance is rated to 50m, ensuring the Linéaire’s practicality matches its elegance.
For the dial, the Heritage Chronograph Linéaire draws inspiration from a 1950s Lebois chronograph rediscovered at Berlin’s retailer Shuck the Oyster. Launched in champagne-silver or rich blue, the Chronograph Linéaire dial features a distinctive vertical brushing that shifts gracefully under light. The applied gold-toned Arabic numerals, designed on mid-century linear geometry, rise gently above the dial surface, while the blued syringe hands provide legibility and contrast.
True to 1950s chronograph design, the dial layout incorporates a tachymeter scale (Base 1000) around the periphery, running seconds at 9 o´clock and a 30-minute counter with three-minute divisions, a nostalgic detail once used for timing long-distance phone calls.
The watch is powered by calibre LC-450, a hand-wound column-wheel chronograph movement made by La Joux-Perret, operating at 28,800 vibrations/hour with a 60-hour power reserve. The manual winding mechanism offers a tactile link to classic watchmaking, while the visible movement reflects the brand’s modern approach.
The Lebois & Co. Heritage Chronograph Linéaire is worn on a blue or sand-coloured leather strap, accentuating the dial hues. The model is available for EUR 3,300, with registration for early access beginning 15 December 2025, orders opening 20 December, and deliveries expected in Spring 2026. For more details, please visit www.lebois.com.
5 responses
Now that is stunning
Basically, the enamel face costs 7 grand. This thing with enamel is one of the main cons in watch marketing. Enamelled mugs cost a couple of dollars / euros and they withstand all sorts of abuse, try one 🙂
Love it. One variant in 37mm (as Angelus’ Telemetre) would be perfect
@Greg
That’s a fair response, and I understand where the comparison comes from. The key difference, however, is not the material itself, but the process, tolerances and failure rate involved.
An enamel mug has a very low rejection rate compared to watch dials, thanks to flat geometries, wide tolerances and highly optimized industrial processes. A Grand Feu watch dial is something quite different. In our case, the dial is not a single flat plate, but a three-part construction: a curved main dial with two separately produced and integrated subdials. Each element is fired multiple times at over 800°C, and every firing introduces risk of failure. Small variations in curvature, colour, tension or thickness can already lead to rejection.
On top of that, the dial has to meet very tight tolerances to work inside a chronograph: hand clearance, pinion height, and case geometry leave virtually no margin. Also, for the first batch, the failure rate is significant, which is a major cost driver.
If you ever have the chance to see the dial in person (or the videos we made at Donzé showing the firing, machining and assembly process) it might become clearer why this is not comparable to enamel cookware.
That said, I fully agree: enamel mugs are great too, especially this time of year with a hot cocoa 🙂
Best,
Tom
These indeed are lovely, can’t wait to see them in the flesh. Lebois are on a roll, well done!