====== Jean Lassale ======

{{wst>author|[[Foskett, Stephen|Stephen Foskett]] ([[https://grail-watch.com/|Grail Watch]])}}

**Jean Lassale** was a [[Swiss]] watch brand specializing in [[ultra-thin]] watches. Founded by [[1974]], the Lassale brand was later owned by [[Seiko]], while the mechanical movements went to [[Nouvelle Lemania]] and [[Piaget]].

===== History =====
Jean Lassale was founded by [[1974]] as a brand of Bouchet-Lassale SA of Geneva. The brand name comes from the founder, Jean Bouchet-Lassale. The initial products were simple dress watches with oval, round, or square stepped gold cases and black dials. The company also produced jewelry watches and other dress models before focusing on [[ultra-thin]].

At the [[Basel Fair]] in [[1976]], Jean Lassale introduced the thinnest watch movement in history, the hand-winding Cal. 1200 and automatic Cal. 2000 at 1.20 mm and 2.08 mm, respectively. Designed by Pierre Mathys, it would become the company's claim to fame and their downfall, launched just as [[quartz movement]]s were becoming prized. This movement caused a sensation and received much press for the young brand, however, with various models with tonneau, square, and round cases and a model with an integrated bracelet.

The company produced both quartz and mechanical watches, casing a 1.2 mm mechanical movement or 1.25 mm quartz movement in a 3 mm case. These movements and patents were purchased by [[Claude Burkhalter]], who founded [[Nouvelle Lemania]] in [[1982]]. The resulting movements were licensed to [[Piaget]], who has continued this tradition.

Lassale had switched entirely to quartz movements in the 1980s, produced in association with [[Seiko]], and tried to diversify from the ultra-thin market. The company was purchased by Seiko in [[1979]].

===== Seiko Lassale =====
Lassale also produced high-end cases for [[Seiko]], which fitted them with their quartz movements for their [[Credor]] line. This cooperation lasted from [[1977]] through [[1979]], when the company became a Seiko subsidiary. In [[1981]] Seiko introduced the quartz **Seiko Lassale** watch line, advertising it as "Seiko's proudest hour." These were later branded **Jean Lassale** or just **Lassale**.

For a time, Lassale watches were produced both in Japan and Switzerland. The former, branded Seiko, and the latter, branded Jean Lassale, were marketed separately by the two companies but shared Seiko's ultra-thin quartz movement. For example, the Jean Lassale Thalassa line, introduced in [[1985]], was a rounded sports watch with an integrated bracelet and quartz movement. The thin octagonal dress watch was renamed Orphée in [[1983]]. Both were produced in Geneva.

Seiko reorganized Jean Lassale in [[1987]] and re-launched the brand in [[1990]]. By [[1992]], it was once again going strong, introducing new models and sponsoring sport, art, and film events. They even re-introduced an ultra-thin mechanical watch, with a skeletonized Swiss movement.

For their part, Seiko produced their Seiko Lassale products entirely in Japan, though the design was similar to previous Swiss products. One special model from 1981 was a Seiko Lassale Centennial, commemorating the company's 100th anniversary and etched with Kentaro Hattori's signature.

In [[1991]], Seiko re-launched Lassale as a high-end brand intended to compete with the elite Swiss manufacturers. These products featured solid gold cases, diamonds, and other luxury touches. But lower-end movements were substituted for the early specialty calibres. Seiko cancelled the Lassale brand in the 2000's.

===== Lassale Movements =====
Lassale is best known for their Calibre 1200, the thinnest in the world at that time. It was invented by Pierre Mathys in [[1970]] and brought to Lassale in [[1975]]. It caused a sensation for a few years, before Lassale went bankrupt and was acquired by [[Seiko Group]] in [[1979]]. The movement technology went to [[Nouvelle Lemania]] in [[1982]] and was used by [[Piaget]] and [[Vacheron Constantin]].

One of the primary technical tricks was to mount all moving components on one side only, with the other "[[flying]]". The barrel (with mainspring and ratchet wheel) was free-floating, guided by three side ball bearings rather than a traditional pivot, and also held the ratchet wheel, mounted on another ball bearing. Microscopic ball bearings were used instead of pivots for most wheels. Everything was supported on a single plate with no bridges apart from the pallet and balance. Despite the thin profile, the movement presented at the [[Basel Fair]] operated at 28,800 A/h and had a 50 hour power reserve.

  * **JL1200** was 20.4 mm in diameter, 1.2 mm thick and used 13 0.24 mm ball bearings, a novel design. It had 11 jewels, and a power reserve of 35 hours.
  * **JL2000** was an automatic variant of Calibre 1200. It was 2.08 mm thick, had 18 ball bearings, and a gold or platinum central automatic rotor

Both calibres 1200 and 2000 were produced from [[1976]] through [[1979]] in [[Geneva]]. Nouvelle Lemania produced successor movements to these, the 1210 and 2010, respectively, in the 1980's. These were used exclusively by [[Piaget]] until their acquisition by Cartier. After this, [[Vacheron Constantin]] also used them.

Seiko produced special versions of their [[Seiko 7A|7A series]] analog [[quartz]] [[chronograph]] movements for Lassale wrist and pocket watches, [[Seiko 7A|Calibres 7A54 and 7A75]], which were more decorated but otherwise similar to the standard movements.

===== External Links =====
  * [[http://www.collectionjeanlassale.ch/documents/histoire.htm|Collection Jean Lassale Histoire]]
  * [[http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.php?137692-My-rare-Seiko-Lassale-and-a-brief-history|My rare Seiko Lassale and a brief history....]]


{{tag>Watch_brands Watch_brands_Switzerland Watch_brands_Japan Seiko}}