LeCoultre 59 Alarm Clock

Q: I inherited a small alarm clock stamped “LeCoultre 59” on the base. “LeCoultre 8” and “Swiss” are printed on the face. It has a gold dial with black Roman numerals and is set in a brass and rose-colored mirrored case. The clock has a music feature, but it’s overwound. The clock is 3 inches high and 2 inches wide. What is it worth?

A: LeCoultre & Cie was founded in 1833 by Antoine LeCoultre, a watchmaker in Le Sentier, Switzerland. The company became Jaeger-LeCoultre in 1937 and is still in business. Your clock is an 8-day clock and only needs to be wound once every 8 days. It was made about 1950 in both musical and non-musical versions. The musical version plays “The Blue Danube.” The clock case could look black or red. Red is rarer. The value of your clock is reduced because the musical feature isn’t working. In perfect condition the red clock is worth about $300, but your clock needs to have the musical parts repaired and is worth less.