• Inspired by a historic reference: capturing classical proportions and restrained aesthetics in a 36mm steel case

• Manufacture mainstay: showcasing the latest version of Calibre 899 with a 70-hour power reserve

• Limited edition: celebrating the collection’s heritage with a caseback bearing the emblem of the earliest Master Control models, attesting to their ‘1000-hour Control’ certification and recalling the original medallion design of the 1990s

Underlining the timeless appeal of classical design, Jaeger-LeCoultre presents the Master Control Classic, inspired by a 1995 Master Control reference, in a limited edition of 500 pieces.

Set in a 36mm steel case – just two millimetres larger than its historic predecessor – the Master Control Classic is faithful to the original in every aesthetic detail, exuding vintage appeal with its cool, silvery-white colour palette and minimalistic design. The steel case is complemented by a classic silver-coloured sunray dial, with elongated triangular indexes and luminescent dots marking the hours, along with Dauphine hands.

The blued central seconds hand provides a subtle touch of colour. Fastened with a pin buckle, the warm brown ostrich strap, accented with lighter stitching, enhances the vintage appeal of the Master Control Classic.

While aesthetically faithful to the historic reference, the Master Control Classic is fitted with the latest version of the self-winding Calibre 899. A Jaeger-LeCoultre mainstay since its introduction almost two decades ago, Calibre 899 has been repeatedly updated to incorporate the latest performance-enhancing technology and today offers a power reserve of 70 hours.

The caseback bears the emblem that set the early Master Control models apart, a mark of their ‘1000-hour Control’ certification, and takes inspiration from the original medallion design of the 1990s. Behind this emblem lies a proprietary protocol, a stringent test of the fully cased watch – not just its movement – which established a new standard of precision when introduced in 1992 and has continually evolved alongside technological advances. 

In paying homage to an historic model introduced 30 years ago, the limited-edition Master Control Classic celebrates the enduring appeal of elegant simplicity and classical design codes.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

MASTER CONTROL CLASSIC

Case: Steel

Dimensions: 36mm, 8.15mm thick

Movement: Self-winding Calibre 899

Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date

Power Reserve: 70 hours

Dial: Silver sunrayed

Water resistance: 5 bar

Strap: Brown ostrich with pin buckle

Reference: Q4008520

Limited edition of 500 pieces

• A new interpretation of the Master Grande Tradition Calibre 948, with a green enamel dial
• A uniquely artistic expression of the world-time complication unites mechanical excellence with rare handcrafts - enamelling, guillochage and lacquering
• The Universal Tourbillon makes a complete circuit around the dial in 24 hours, echoing the way that Earth spins on its axis and makes a circuit around the Sun

Throughout its history, Jaeger-LeCoultre has been distinguished by its mastery of complications and, for almost a century, this has included timepieces able to display multiple time zones simultaneously. Calibre 948 is a uniquely artistic expression of universal time, combining a world time display with a flying tourbillon that makes a complete circuit of the dial in 24 hours – an allusion to Earth’s rotation on its axis and its orbit around the Sun. In 2024, La Grande Maison presents a new interpretation of the Master Grande Tradition Calibre 948, with a green enamel dial that celebrates the colours of nature and showcases the skills of the Manufacture’s in-house Métiers Rares™ atelier. Set in an 18-carat (750/1000) pink gold case, it is offered in a limited edition of 20 pieces.

The precision of the world’s time zones

As with all measurements of time, the origin of our world’s time zones lies in astronomy: the passage of our 24-hour day is determined by the rotation of Earth on its own axis. However, zones are a relatively recent concept, driven by the need to impose order and precision on international timing. Until the 19^th Century, every city determined its own time, based on 12 noon being the time that the sun was at the highest point in the sky. As railway travel developed in the 19th century, this made scheduling impossible and it became clear that standardised timing – the synchronisation of clocks within a given geographical region – and global norms were needed.

At the International Meridian Conference in 1884, it was decided that Greenwich Observatory in London (longitude 0°) would be the basis for calculating times around the globe and each of the 24 major time zones would be defined by 15 degrees of longitude. The world’s day would start and end at midnight at the Greenwich meridian and times would be counted east and west from there – hence the terms Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), ante meridian (am) and post meridian (pm).

The Métiers Rares™ atelier: mastery of ancestral crafts

To create the complex and richly coloured dial of the Master Grande Tradition Calibre 948, the master artisans of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Métiers Rares™ atelier united the skills of enamelling, guillochage and lacquering. To complete a single example of the dial requires a total of more than 70 hours of meticulous work.

Champlevé – which translates literally as ‘raised field’ – is a noble and ancient enamelling technique that originated almost 2,500 years ago. With great skill, the artisan must first carve out depressions in the surface of the precious metal, conforming precisely to the outline of the desired image. These hollow areas are then filled with multiple layers of enamel – fired at very high temperatures after each layer – until they are flush with the original surface. Adding refinement and intrigue, the enameller uses a combination of opaque and translucent enamels to create areas of lighter and darker colour that suggest the continents’ different landscapes. The Calibre 948 dial required 10 layers of enamel and represents more than 20 hours of work for the enamelling alone.

Lacquering is a lengthy and exacting artisanal process that requires the manual application of multiple layers of coating on the surface to be decorated. It begins with a clear coat of varnish, followed by a layer of colour. This is followed by up to 15 coats of translucent lacquer, to add depth and richness – with each coat requiring a precisely controlled drying process. The lacquering is completed by polishing the disc to a perfect finish that attracts the light and amplifies the richness of the colour.

A world of time expressed through artistry of rare precision

Measuring just 25.5mm in diameter, the multi-layered dial of the Master Grande Tradition Calibre 948 is a remarkable work of art in miniature. In keeping with world-timer tradition, the centre of the dial is dominated by a map of the world as seen from the North Pole. The outline of the continents is cut from a fine plate of 18ct gold and decorated with champlevé enamel. However, unlike the traditional flattened image, this map floats above the main dial plate on a domed skeleton of pink gold formed by the longitudes and latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. A masterpiece of laser-cutting precision, this complex and delicate domed structure brings lightness and depth to the dial and makes a subtle allusion to the depth and complexity of time measurement.

Beneath the dome, representing the oceans, the dial plate is decorated with blue-green translucent lacquer applied over a wavy guilloché pattern that suggests the movement of the sea.

As on all classical world timers, each time zone is represented by the name of a city, set on a green opaline ring around the central dial. Set outside the city ring are two concentric fixed rings. The inner ring indicates 24 hours, which are marked with applied rectangular indexes and laser-engraved numerals. The outer ring features the minute track, which is a laser-engraved on a background of dark green lacquer that complements the colour of the map and oceans. In a circular aperture to one side of the map, the flying tourbillon appears to float weightlessly above the oceans, spinning in 60 seconds. As the tourbillon makes a complete 360-degree revolution of the dial in 24 hours, the domed map and the city ring turn in unison, mimicking the rotation of Earth on its axis. Thus the right time in every city is always indicated by the hour marked on the city ring adjacent to the city name.

An elegant case for an exceptional calibre

When Jaeger-LeCoultre created Calibre 948, it was the first time that a world-time complication had ever been united with a flying tourbillon. Moreover, the Universal Tourbillon – patented by Jaeger-LeCoultre – makes a complete circuit of the dial every 24 hours, corresponding to the length of a mean solar day. Consisting of 388 components, the automatic movement is an eloquent expression of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s technical expertise, having been conceived, developed and entirely produced within the Manufacture.

Despite its complexity, Calibre 948 has been designed to ensure that the watch is very simple to operate: the time is set with the crown, which synchronises all of the time zones around the world. On arrival at a new destination, local time is set by the same crown, which moves only the hour hand, in one-hour jumps forwards or backwards, allowing the minutes and seconds to continue running accurately.

With its pure lines and refined proportions, the Master Grande Tradition case is a perfect foil for the complexity of the dial. Comprising more than 40 parts, its convex bezel contrasts with broad bevels on the lugs, and the hollowed-out lug sides add dynamic tension. Different surfaces are microblasted, polished and satin-brushed to maximise the play of light. The warmth of the pink gold is complemented by a dark green alligator strap that matches the dial.

With its magnificent green dial, the new interpretation of the Master Grande Tradition Calibre 948 is testament to Jaeger-LeCoultre’s commitment to uniting artistic creativity and sophisticated mechanics, always maintaining the fine balance between the spirit of innovation and a profound respect for tradition.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

MASTER GRANDE TRADITION CALIBRE 948

Case: Pink Gold 750/1000 (18 carats)

Dimensions: 43mm diameter x 14.13mm thick

Calibre: Automatic Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 948

Functions: Hours, minutes, universal flying tourbillon, world-time display with 24-hour indication

Frequency: 4 Hz (28,800 vph)

Power reserve: 48 hours

Dial: Green translucent lacquer over a wavy guilloche pattern; domed skeleton structure decorated with champlevé enamel

Case-back: Sapphire crystal

Water resistance: 5 bar

Strap: Black alligator leather with folding buckle

Reference: Q52824E1 – Limited edition of 20 pieces

Contrasting with the fully polished pink gold case, the blue dial of the new timepiece provides a dramatic backdrop for the tourbillon and the date display, and reflected light dances across the sunray pattern of the guillochage with every movement of the wrist. The hand-guilloché pattern is a work of immense precision and skill: each of the 180 ‘sun rays’ required six passages of the hand-operated rose engine lathe, making 1,080 lines altogether. Guided only by the eye and hand, the master guillocheur must ensure that every line is absolutely straight, evenly spaced and perfectly aligned, radiating out from the centre to the edges of the dial. In addition, the date sub-dial is hand-guilloché in a circular pattern (known in French as azurage) to create a subtle texture that contrasts with the sunray. This is another work of remarkable precision, representing more than 1,100 gestures in total by the guillocheur.

Once the guilloché work on the main dial is completed, the master enameller applies Grand Feu enamel in multiple layers – one layer at a time, followed by firing at 800ºC and carefully managed cooling – to create the desired intensity and depth of colour. This is a newly developed shade of blue, created by mixing pigments in various proportions and testing the results – a lengthy process of iteration made necessary because the nature of Grand Feu enamel means that the outcome of firing is highly unpredictable.

In the lower half of the dial, a laser-engraved seconds counter provides a visual anchor for the tourbillon aperture; a mirror-polished pink gold bridge secures the tourbillon cage and draws the eye deeper into the mechanism, its transparency and lightness amplified by the contrast with the colour of the surrounding dial.

The strap is alligator in a shade of blue created to perfectly match the dial and, in a further touch of refinement, it is lined with small-scale alligator and fitted with a pink gold folding clasp.

Harnessing La Grande Maison’s Tourbillon Expertise

For Jaeger-LeCoultre, the tourbillon has been a key element in its pursuit of precision. Invented to counteract the impact of gravity on the oscillations of the escapement, it is a delicate mechanism consisting of the balance wheel and hairspring rotating inside a cage. Since creating its first tourbillon movement in 1946, the Manufacture has invented many new tourbillon configurations and different hairspring shapes – the latter possible only because it is one of the very few Maisons to possess the highly specialised skill of crafting hairsprings in-house.

The movement powering the Master Ultra Thin Tourbillon Enamel is the latest generation of Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 978, which won an international chronometry prize in 2009, the year of its launch. The calibre has been Jaeger-LeCoultre’s mainstay tourbillon movement ever since, and received a comprehensive update in 2019 to harness new technology. Comprising 77 components, including a titanium cage, it weighs less than half a gram and is equipped with a flat, two-level hairspring designed with a specific curve at the attachment points to help ensure that the oscillations are as regular as possible, thus delivering a high level of timekeeping accuracy.

With its dramatically beautiful dial and sophisticated calibre, the new Master Ultra Thin Tourbillon Enamel is an eloquent expression of La Grande Maison’s philosophy of uniting technical virtuosity with enduring beauty and timeless aesthetics.

TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS

MASTER ULTRA THIN TOURBILLON ENAMEL

Case: Pink Gold 750/1000 (18 carats)

Dimensions: 40 mm diameter x 12.13 mm thick

Calibre: Jaeger-LeCoutre automatic Calibre 978

Functions: hours, minutes, date, tourbillon

Power Reserve: 45 hours

Dial: sunray guilloché with blue Grand Feu enamel, applied indexes and Dauphine hands

Water resistance: 5 bar

Strap: Blue alligator, with small-scale lining

Reference: Q13224E1

With its streamlined design, elegant proportions and refined details, the Master Ultra Thin Moon embodies all the elements of the quintessential dress watch. For 2023, Jaeger-LeCoultre presents a new variation of the model in pink gold with a gradient midnight blue dial. The rich contrast between the sunray finish and intense gradient blue of the dial and the warmth of the pink gold case adds dramatic impact to the timeless elegance of the design, while accentuating its subtle beauty and refinement.

Perfectly matching the pink gold case, the dial indications enhance the aesthetic harmony of the design and emphasise the beauty of the dial’s gradient colour. The hours are marked by long, tapered triangles, which, like the ‘JL’ logo, are applied; their shape is echoed by the Dauphine hands; and the minutes are indicated by applied golden dots.

The moon phase display adds further detail and refinement, its subtly textured finishes contrasting with the shiny blue of the sunray dial and the mirror-polished moon disc. Displaying the date on a ring around the moon-phase aperture maintains aesthetic harmony and creates a visual anchor for the main complication.

At 39mm in diameter, the case is well-balanced and perfectly proportioned; combining a mix of polished and brushed surfaces, it maintains a strong visual presence on the wrist even with its slim profile. An exact match for the blue of the dial, the alligator strap allows easy changes whenever the wearer wishes.

Developed and produced entirely in-house, the new-generation Calibre 925 is a high-performing automatic movement that provides 70 hours of power reserve. An 18-carat pink gold oscillating weight and refined decoration and finishing can be enjoyed thanks to the transparent case-back.

Perpetuating the Manufacture’s long heritage of pairing sophisticated and high-performing in-house calibres with the aesthetic beauty of timeless case and dial designs, the combination of gradient-blue sunray dial and pink gold case elevates the discreet and classically elegant Master Ultra Thin Moon to a new level of contemporary sophistication.

TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS

MASTER ULTRA THIN MOON

Case: Pink Gold 750/1000 (18 carats)

Dimensions: 39mm diameter x 9.3 mm thick

Calibre: Automatic Calibre 925

Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, moon phases, date

Power Reserve: 70 hours

Dial: Gradient blue sunrayed

Water resistance: 5 bar

Strap: Blue alligator

Reference: Q1362580

Epitomising the Maison’s commitment to watchmaking excellence, the Master Control takes its name from Jaeger-LeCoultre’s 1,000-Hour Control Certification and was the first watch collection to undergo this rigorous testing protocol – not just of the movement, but of the cased-up watch – which has since become standard for all Jaeger-LeCoultre timepieces.

A Refined and Contemporary Aesthetic Inspired by the Maison’s Rich Heritage

With its harmonious proportions and restrained styling, the Master Control collection draws inspiration from the Maison’s emblematic round watches of the 1950s and ’60s, such as the Memovox and Futurematic. The new Master Control Chronograph Calendar with black dial subtly recalls the coloured watch dials of the mid-20^th century, reinterpreting their vintage appeal in confidently contemporary style.

Anchored by the clean, modern lines of the case, myriad refined details highlight the chronograph and calendar displays. The dial is framed by a pulsometric scale marked around the flange (a traditional indication originally developed for physicians to measure patients’ heart rates, and equally relevant for today’s lifestyles), which, in keeping with tradition, is marked in red. Creating a dynamic contrast with the black dial, the red is repeated on each of the three sub-dials and in the day and month windows, drawing the eye to this valuable information.

The indications for the two complications – a complete calendar and a bi-compax chronograph – are balanced in a dial layout that is timeless, straightforward and intuitive to read, despite the complexity of the information shown. The 30-minute chronograph counter at 3 o’clock is balanced by the running seconds sub-dial at 9 o’clock, while the day and month windows in the upper section of the dial are balanced by the circular moon-phase and date indicator at 6 o’clock. The finely textured ‘azurage’ finish on these three sub-dials, and the rich blue of the moon-phase indicator, create a subtle and pleasing contrast to the vibrant black of the sunray-brushed dial, which captures and reflects the light with movements of the wearer’s wrist. Legibility is further enhanced by the contrast between the warm pink gold tone of the Dauphine hands and applied trapezoidal indexes.

Elegant Proportions for the Modern Sophisticate

With its 40-millimetre diameter, outwardly sloping bezel and dynamically curved lugs, the pink gold Master Control case exudes a relaxed and understated elegance. Satin-brushing on the case-sides and lugs is complemented by the polished bezel, crowns and lug bevels. Refined details abound, including bas-relief engravings on the back bezel and a sapphire crystal case-back to reveal the finely finished and decorated movements. Enhancing this timeless style, rectangular chronograph pushers add a purposeful, modern air to the well-proportioned 12.05mm thick case. A black alligator leather strap adds allure to the pink gold case, honouring a classically elegant aesthetic that has been appreciated for many generations.

Technical Complexity Expressed Through Mechanical Elegance

A fine example of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s technically sophisticated and mechanically elegant watchmaking, the Master Control Chronograph Calendar is powered by the automatic Calibre 759. An integrated chronograph movement with a 65-hour power reserve, it features a column-wheel chronograph mechanism with vertical clutch, allied to a triple calendar with moon-phase display.

The fine finishing, visible through the sapphire crystal case-back, includes Côtes de Genève, blued screws, and Jaeger-LeCoultre’s emblematic open-worked gold rotor bearing the ‘JL’ motif. Like all of the Maison’s calibres, the movement was entirely designed, produced, finished and assembled within its own Manufacture at Le Sentier, in Switzerland’s Vallée de Joux.

TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS

MASTER CONTROL CHRONOGRAPH CALENDAR

Case: Pink Gold 750/1000 (18 carats)

Dimensions: diameter 40 mm; thickness 12.05 mm

Calibre: Automatic Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 759

Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, day, date, month, moon phases, chronograph with 30-minute counter and pulsometer

Power Reserve: 65 hours

Water resistance: 5 bar

Dial: Black sunray-brushed

Strap: Black alligator

Reference: Q413257J

2022 marks the 30 years of the Master Control, launched in 1992 as a demonstration of the Maison’s commitment to the very highest levels of watchmaking excellence. The Master Control marked the beginning of the 1000 Hours Control system of internal quality standards at Jaeger-LeCoultre, a system subsequently incorporated throughout the full range of watches and which is now emblematic of the Maison’s fine watchmaking promise to its customers.

The Master Control epitomises the dedicated approach to precision timekeeping at Jaeger-LeCoultre. In addition, the collection is a celebration of the continued value of mechanical watchmaking and its most emblematic complications, even in the 21st century. Two new Master Control models, in stainless steel with interchangeable bracelets, bring the calendar display and chronograph function more fully into contemporary everyday life, recognising the prominence of active lifestyles in the world today.

Earlier this year at Watches and Wonders 2022, the Maison demonstrated its exceptional savoir-faire in the domain of calendar watches. Timepieces such as the Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945 and the Atmos Hybris Mechanica Calibre 590 represented some of the most sophisticated mechanical expressions of cosmic time in modern horology.

Expanding the utilitarian side of calendrical watchmaking at Jaeger-LeCoultre are two new interpretations of the Master Control Calendar and the Master Control Chronograph Calendar.

Building on the recent success of the Master Control Calendar with blue dial, the latest Master Control Calendar with interchangeable bracelet comes in a dial colour palette that focuses on purity and refinement. The silver sunray-brushed dial features a tone-on-tone aesthetic, maintaining the essential design codes of the Master Control such as dauphine hands and Arabic numerals intercut with dart hour markers. The jumping date hand that characterises this model is endowed with a red-lacquered indicator tip in the shape of the Jaeger-LeCoultre logo, allowing the date to be read easily and intuitively.

The Master Control Chronograph Calendar is equally pure in its chronometric expression, using blue chronograph hands and a blue moonphase disc to bring out the indications of the complications. For the first time, both the Master Control Calendar and the Master Control Chronograph Calendar are available on a steel bracelet with a quick-change system — a timely reflection of the ever-growing importance of versatile and robust-wearing timepieces in contemporary life.

Both the new Master Control models with steel bracelet also come with a light-brown strap in Novonappa® calf leather. These leather straps are equipped with the same quick-change system, allowing the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control to truly become a watch for all seasons.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

MASTER CONTROL CALENDAR

Dimensions: 40 mm x 10.95mm

Calibre: automatic mechanical Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 866AA

Functions: hours/minutes/seconds, date, day, month, moon phases

Power reserve: 70 hours

Case: stainless steel

Case-back: open

Water resistance: 5 bar

Dial: silver sunray-brushed

Strap: interchangeable stainless steel bracelet and brown Novonappa® calf leather strap

Reference: Q4148120

MASTER CONTROL CHRONOGRAPH CALENDAR

Dimensions: 40 mm x 12.05mm

Calibre: automatic mechanical Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 759

Functions: hours/minutes/seconds, date, day, month, moon phases, chronograph, 30-minute counter, pulsometer

Power reserve: 65 hours

Case: stainless steel

Case-back: open

Water resistance: 5 bar

Dial: silver sunray-brushed

Strap: interchangeable stainless steel bracelet and brown Novonappa® calf leather strap

Reference: Q413812J

2022 marks the 30 years of the Master Control, launched in 1992 as a demonstration of the Maison’s commitment to the very highest levels of watchmaking excellence. The Master Control marked the beginning of the 1000 Hours Control certification of internal quality standards at Jaeger-LeCoultre, a system subsequently incorporated throughout the full range of watches and which is now emblematic of the Maison’s fine watchmaking promise to its customers.

In full alignment with this unceasing commitment to timeless quality that maintains Jaeger-LeCoultre at the forefront of 21st-century horological craft, the Master Control collection has been enriched with two stainless steel models with sunray-finished dials in a refined shade of blue. All the essential codes of the Master Collection can be found in the Master Control Date and the Master Control Calendar. These include features such as the combination of applied Arabic numerals with faceted dart markers for the hours, faceted dauphine hour and minute hands, and bevelled case lugs that curve towards the strap attachment point. The slim case bezels bring an open feel to the 40mm cases, symbolic of the inherent versatility in this case diameter.

Legibility and readability are emphasised, using minute scales in a subtly contrasting lighter blue, with distinct minute divisions intercut with dot markers in Super-LumiNova® for an intuitive and precise indication of the time. With the Master Control Calendar, the jumping date indication makes a welcome reappearance. A slender date hand extends outwards from the centre of the dial, ending in a red-lacquered Jaeger-LeCoultre logograph that points towards the date on the outer periphery of the dial. For optimal reading of the dual-display moon phase and small seconds subdial, the date hand makes a 90° jump between the 15th and 16th day of each month. This ensures that the moon phase and small seconds subdial is never bisected by the date hand; a small yet effective detail that increases the design clarity of the Master Control Calendar.

To complete the overall harmonious aspect of these two new models, the date ring of the Master Control Date is also in blue, with white transferred Arabic numerals. The white-on-blue day and month indications of the Master Control Calendar provide similar aesthetic integration with the rest of the watch, with additional visual refinement found in the snailed finish of the small seconds subdial. The upper half of the subdial reveals the moonphase disc decorated with a star-studded background.

Both the Master Control Date and the Master Control Calendar come with matching blue straps in calf leather. The straps are trimmed in complementary blue stitching that continues across the strap attachment point for a touch of vintage allure. These straps have been fitted with a quick-change mechanism, allowing the wearer to easily switch between a range of straps for a completely different look.

Within these new models beats two Jaeger-LeCoultre in-house automatic movements. The Calibre 899 of the Master Control Date and the Calibre 866 of the Master Control Calendar have 70 hours of power reserve, bringing close to three days of running autonomy even when they are not being worn. Each model is limited to 800 pieces.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

MASTER CONTROL DATE

Dimensions: 40mm x 8.78mm

Calibre: automatic mechanical Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 899AC

Functions: hours/minutes/seconds, date

Power reserve: 70 hours

Dial: deep blue sunray-brushed, light-blue minute track

Case: stainless steel

Case-back: open

Water resistance: 5 bar

Strap: Calf leather

Reference: Q4018480 - Limited to 800 pieces

MASTER CONTROL CALENDAR

Dimensions: 40mm x 10.95mm

Calibre: automatic mechanical Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 866AA

Functions: hours/minutes/seconds, date, day, month, moon phases

Power reserve: 70 hours

Dial: deep blue sunray-brushed, light-blue minute track

Case: stainless steel

Case-back: open

Water resistance: 5 bar

Strap: Calf leather

Reference: Q4148480 - Limited to 800 pieces

·        The Memovox Timer offers an additional alarm-setting function based on elapsed time

·        The Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 956AA was entirely redesigned for the new generation of Memovox timepieces

Since Jaeger-LeCoultre launched the first Memovox watch in 1950, it has become the reference in wristwatch alarms, with various useful and innovative functions added to create different Memovox models over the decades.

In 2020, the Manufacture’s engineers developed an entirely new alarm-setting mechanism – the Memovox Timer. With the initial steel-cased model now highly sought-after by collectors, Jaeger-LeCoultre introduces a new aesthetic interpretation: the Master Control Memovox Timer in pink gold.

The Timer function enables the watch owner to set the alarm based on the number of hours that should elapse before the alarm rings. Alternatively, the owner may set the alarm in the traditional way, based on a particular time (such as the time of an appointment or a wake-up alarm). The indicators are linked, so that whichever alarm-setting method is chosen, the second indicator will automatically move to the corresponding position.

The dial of the Master Control Memovox Timer is laid out in concentric circles – the black sunray-brushed background provides a rich contrast with the grey of the outer minutes ring and the alarm-indication disc. The innermost ring is engraved in bas-relief with highly polished numerals standing out against the granular texture of the background. Here, the elapsed hours-until-alarm are indicated by a small hand tipped with a red JL logo. Set at the outer edge of the ring, the Memovox’s signature triangular marker points to the time at which the alarm will ring, indicated on a second concentric ring. Adding refinement, the elongated triangular shape of the applied hour indexes – a signature of mid-century Memovox models – is echoed by the elegant simplicity of the Dauphine hands.

Contrasting with the deep shades of the dial, the pink gold 40-millimetre Master Control case exudes a relaxed and timeless elegance, with its sloping bezel, dynamically curved lugs and mix of polished and satin-brushed surfaces.

The Origin of the Memovox Legend

Despite being one of the most useful – and charming – of all complications, the alarm remains surprisingly rare in horology. The Memovox story began in 1950, a time when the world experienced a great burst of energy and inventiveness. Against this backdrop, Jaeger-LeCoultre harnessed its mastery of chiming mechanisms to develop an alarm watch – a highly practical timepiece that seemed perfectly suited to the times.

In common with other chiming watches, an alarm mechanism has a hammer and gong; however, its particular technical challenge is that the hammers must strike the gong multiple times at very high speed, for a relatively extended period.  

A Redesigned Movement

For the latest generation of alarm watches, the Manufacture’s engineers comprehensively revised the self-winding Calibre 956, which – like all Jaeger-LeCoultre calibres – had been entirely conceived, developed and produced in-house. Previously, Memovox watches had a closed case-back, to which the gongs were attached; however, the new Master Control case has a transparent sapphire back, allowing the wearer to enjoy watching the hammers in action. This demanded a complete redesign of the striking mechanism, with the gong now attached to the case side. An open-worked pink gold rotor, decorated with Côtes de Genève to match the fine finishing on the movement plates, ensures an unobstructed view of the strike-works. One important element remains unchanged from previous generations, however: the signature “school bell” sound of the alarm, which lends such charm to the Memovox.

The Master Control Memovox Timer in pink gold will be produced in a limited edition of 100 pieces, available exclusively from Jaeger-LeCoultre boutiques.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

MASTER CONTROL MEMOVOX TIMER

Dimensions: 40mm x 12.39mm

Calibre: automatic mechanical Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 956AA

Functions: hours/minutes/seconds, date, alarm, timer

Power reserve: 44 hours

Dial: two-tone grey and black sunray-brushed, engraved numerals on Timer disc, applied indexes

Case: pink gold

Case-back: open

Water resistance: 5 bar

Strap: Alligator

Reference: Q410257J - Boutique edition limited to 100 pieces

· A new expression of the world-time complication unites artistry and technical prowess

· Multiple skills from the Manufacture’s Métiers Rares® atelier are brought together to create the domed, open-worked and enamelled dial – the product of 70 hours of work

· The Universal Tourbillon rotates in 60 seconds and makes a complete circuit of the dial in 24 hours

In the long history of timekeeping, time zones are relatively recent concept – but, like all measurements of time, have their origins in astronomy. The passage of our 24-hour day is based on the solar cycle, which is determined by the rotation of Earth on itself and its orbit around the Sun. Thus, as early navigators and explorers discovered, sunrise and sunset occur at different times in different places. With the development of maritime trade in the 18th century and railway travel in the 19th century, the need became clear for standardised timing – the synchronisation of clocks within a given geographical region – and for global norms to be established.

At the International Meridian Conference in 1884, it was decided that the Greenwich Observatory in London would be the prime meridian (longitude 0°) as the standard of time reckoning around the globe. Longitudes would be calculated both east and west from Greenwich up to 180° and the world’s universal day would be the Mean Solar Day, starting and ending at midnight at Greenwich and counted east and west from there – hence the terms ante meridian (am) and post meridian (pm). These resolutions were later formalised to create the 24 major time zones, each defined by 15 degrees of longitude.

When Jaeger-LeCoultre created the Calibre 948, it was the first time that a world-time complication had ever been united with a flying tourbillon. What’s more, the Universal Tourbillon makes a complete circuit of the dial every 24 hours – the length of a mean solar day. A true expression of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s technical expertise, the automatic calibre was conceived, developed and entirely produced within the Manufacture. The splendid new aesthetic expression of the world-time complication showcases La Grande Maison’s artistic creativity and mastery of the decorative crafts alongside its technical prowess.

A World of Time on the Dial

In a subtle allusion to the depth and complexity of time measurement, the dial is made of several parts.

At its centre, in keeping with world-timer tradition, is a map of the world as seen from the North Pole. However, unlike the traditional flattened image, this map floats above the dial bed on a domed skeleton formed by the longitudes and latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. Created by the master artisans of the Manufacture’s Métiers Rares® (Rare Handcrafts™) atelier, the outline of the continents is cut from a sheet of white gold and decorated with champlevé enamel.

Champlevé – which translates literally as ‘raised field’ – is a noble and ancient enamelling technique that was first practiced almost 2,500 years ago. With great skill, the artisan must first carve out a depression in the raw metal, conforming exactly to the outline of the desired image – in this case, the shapes of the continents seen from the North Pole. This hollow area is then filled with multiple layers of enamel – fired at very high temperatures after each layer – until it is flush with the original surface. On the completed enamel surfaces, miniature-painted details of the continents’ major landscape features have been painstakingly added, enhancing the work with even greater intrigue and refinement.

For the new Master Grande Tradition Calibre 948, the enamelling of a single dome requires 55 hours of work. Measuring just 25.5mm in diameter, each dial is a remarkable work of art in miniature, requiring almost 70 hours of meticulous work altogether.

Beneath the dome, representing the oceans, the dial bed is a disc of vivid blue translucent lacquer applied over a wavy guilloché pattern that suggests the movement of the sea and the lunar influence on its tides. In circular aperture to one side of the map, the flying tourbillon appears to float weightlessly above the blue oceans, spinning in 60 seconds.

As on all classical world timers, each time zone is represented by the name of a city, arranged in a ring around the central dial. Set outside the city ring are two concentric fixed rings: a 24-hour indicator with applied numerals and rectangular indexes, and a minute track laser-engraved on a ring of blue lacquer that matches the blue oceans. Mimicking the rotation of Earth on its axis, the domed Earth map – together with the Universal Tourbillon and city ring – makes a complete 360-degree revolution in 24 hours, always indicating the right time in each city.

The Master Grande Tradition Calibre 948 is very simple to read: the hour marked on the ring adjacent to the city name is the time in that city’s zone. It is equally simple to operate: the time is set with the crown, which synchronises all of the time zones around the world. On arrival at a new destination, local time is set by the same crown, which moves only the hour hand, in one-hour jumps forwards or backwards, allowing the minutes and seconds to continue running accurately.

The Master Grande Tradition case is a perfect complement to the dial. Comprising more than 80 parts, its convex bezel contrasts with broad bevels on the lugs, and the hollowed-out lug sides add dynamic tension. Different surfaces are microblasted, polished and satin-brushed to maximise the play of light.

Blending art and mechanics, the new Master Grande Tradition Calibre 948 is testament to Jaeger-LeCoultre’s dedication to maintaining the fine balance between a passionate drive to innovate and profound respect for tradition.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

MASTER GRANDE TRADITION CALIBRE 948

Case: white gold; sapphire case-back

Dimensions: 43mm x 14.13mm

Calibre: automatic mechanical Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 948

Frequency: 28,800

Functions: hours/minutes, universal flying tourbillon, world-time display (24 time zones), 24-hour indication

Power reserve: 48 hours

Dial: blue translucent lacquer over a wavy guilloche pattern; domed skeleton structure decorated with champlevé enamel

Water resistance: 5 bar

Strap: alligator leather with deployant buckle

Reference: Q52834E1 – Limited edition of 20 pieces

Having fully mastered sidereal time – the measurement used by astronomers to track the apparent movement of the constellations across the night sky – our watchmakers are able to create one-of-a-kind calibres that reproduce these astronomical events on the wrist, bringing complications together in fascinating new ways. Originally created in 2010, Calibre 945 unites a sky chart with a celestial vault, a zodiacal calendar and a minute repeater, and is further elevated by Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Cosmotourbillon – a celestial flying tourbillon.

·  The new “Atomium” and “Galaxia” dials showcase the skills of the Manufacture’s Métiers Rares® atelier, introducing grisaille enamel to Jaeger-LeCoultre’s repertoire of rare artistic crafts for the first time

· A Cosmotourbillon makes a complete circuit of the dial in one sidereal day, and a Northern Hemisphere sky vault tracks the positions of the constellations in real time, as seen from the Vallée de Joux

· The exquisite chimes of a minute repeater complement the celestial timekeeping

A Heavenly Display

The essence of the watch is the way in which it interprets astronomical timekeeping for the wrist, using the dial to display our link to the cosmos on both a literal and philosophical level – unlike a classical calendar dial, in which we infer that link from the numerical readings.

Highlighting the astronomical aspect of time measurement, our watchmakers developed a mechanism able to display the passing of sidereal time, based on the stars. Set at the centre of the dial, the celestial vault maps the Northern Hemisphere night sky as seen from the 46th parallel – the latitude of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s home in the Vallée de Joux – tracking the position of the constellations in real time.

Enhancing this celestial display, the Cosmotourbillon is elevated beyond its purely technical function as a regulating mechanism, measuring the passing of time as it makes a complete, anti-clockwise circuit of the dial in one sidereal day. With a duration of precisely 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4.1 seconds, a sidereal day is defined by Earth’s rotation measured in relation to more distant fixed stars, whereas the 24-hour solar day – our civil time – is measured by Earth's orbit around the Sun.

A golden sun-shaped pointer set at the edge of the dial indicates the month of the zodiacal calendar and solar time on a 24-hour scale, which is necessary for setting the watch. The Dauphine-shaped hands indicate the minutes and 12-hour cycles of civil time, which are displayed on two concentric rings on the flange of the dial.

Showcasing the Métiers Rares®

An exceptional movement merits an exceptional habillage and the new Master Hybris Artistica Galaxia and Master Hybris Artistica Atomium bring fresh artistic expression to this marriage of complications. Hand-decorated by the artisans in the Métiers Rares® atelier of the Manufacture, the multiple-level dial amplifies the beauty of the celestial theme while also showcasing the Cosmotourbillon.

For the star map, Jaeger-LeCoultre introduces grisaille enamel to its repertoire for the first time. A painterly technique that originated in 16th-century France, grisaille enamel is unique in creating a chiaroscuro effect, with an illusion of three-dimensionality created by half-tones and shading. First, the enameller must perfect the dark background – traditionally blue or black – building the depth and intensity of colour by applying multiple layers, each of which requires firing. Then, using a super-fine brush, the image is added in white enamel, layer by painstaking layer, again with a firing after each stage. Because thicker enamel creates lighter areas, its application must be controlled with the utmost skill to achieve the ethereal beauty and apparent depth that make grisaille so beguiling. Thanks to this rarefied technique, the dials of the Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945 depict with utmost artistry the sky that we see above us at night.

In a subtle allusion to the way the night sky seems to form a dome above us when we look at the stars, the dials are constructed on multiple levels, dominated by a domed structure that also wraps around the Cosmotourbillon. Visible around the edge of the dome and beneath the tourbillon, the deepest level of the dial is a midnight blue or black disc (for the white gold and pink gold cases, respectively) decorated with translucent lacquer over opaline, with transferred white inscriptions for the names of the months, and the tourbillon seconds.

The dome is formed of two sections. On the black dial of the “Galaxia”, both the outer section of the dome and the inner celestial disc are made of gold, with grisaille enamel depicting the planets, and the star map and names of the constellations transferred over the enamel. The “Atomium” takes its name from the delicate filigree of silvered metal that forms the outer section of the dome, its shape echoing the lines that link the stars to form constellations. Framed within this, on the domed celestial disc, midnight-blue grisaille enamel and a transferred star map amplify the visual connection to the cosmos.

The dials of the “Galaxia” and “Atomium” are encircled by three concentric rings that carry the indices for solar time. The inner ring, for 24 hours, and outer ring, displaying minutes, are finished in opaline; between them, the hour ring is decorated with enamel over a hand-guilloché base, with applied indexes.

The Master Grande Tradition case is a perfect complement to the artistic dials and mechanical sophistication of these sumptuous pieces. Comprising more than 80 parts, its convex bezel is complemented by broad bevels on the lugs; the hollowed-out sides of the lugs add dynamic tension, while the repeater slide is tapered to harmonise with the curving case sides. Different surfaces are microblasted, polished and satin-brushed to maximise the play of light and emphasise the details.

When the Constellations Chime

This exceptional timepiece also takes Jaeger-LeCoultre’s expertise in chiming watches to new heights by uniting the astronomical complications with a minute repeater – considered to be the most challenging and rewarding of all horological complications for a watchmaker to master. The technical difficulty of creating one lies in the complexity of the mechanism needed to transcribe the precise time shown by the hands into a series of perfectly programmed strikes, with different sounds for hours, quarters and minutes. The artistic challenge is that, this being a miniaturised musical instrument, the chimes must be pure, harmonious and clearly audible. At Jaeger-LeCoultre, this continuing quest for the ideal sound has produced several patented innovations, including crystal gongs, trebuchet hammers and a silent governor. In the minute repeater mechanism of Calibre 945, these inventions contribute a special magic that complements the romance of celestial timekeeping.

In every sense, the new Hybris Artistica interpretations of Calibre 945 are testament to Jaeger-LeCoultre’s enduring expertise in astronomical watches, its dedication to maintaining the fine balance between innovation and tradition, and its devoted quest for a perfect synthesis of art and mechanics.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

MASTER HYBRIS ARTISTICA CALIBRE 945 GALAXIA

MASTER HYBRIS ARTISTICA CALIBRE 945 ATOMIUM

Case: pink gold or white gold with micro-blasted, satin and polished finishes; sapphire case-back

Dimensions: 45mm x 16.05mm

Calibre: manual mechanical Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 945

Frequency: 28,800

Functions: hours/minutes, months, 24-hour indication; Cosmotourbillon indicating sidereal time; celestial disc with star chart indicating the constellations in the northern hemisphere in real time; minute repeater, zodiacal calendar

Power reserve: 40 hours

Dial: black dial with grisaille enamel (in pink gold case) or blue dial with silvered laser-welded structure (in white gold case)

Water resistance: 5 bar

Strap: alligator leather

References:

Q5262470 – pink gold version – Limited edition of 5 pieces

Q5263481 – white gold version – Limited edition of 5 pieces

The tourbillon was invented at the dawn of the 19th Century, to counteract the negative impact of gravity on the escapements of pocket watches and thus increase accuracy. However, in the 20th century, as pocket watches were superseded by wrist watches, the tourbillon became largely forgotten. In 1946, as part of its continuous research into timekeeping precision, Jaeger-LeCoultre created a tourbillon movement, Calibre 170. Housed in a pocket watch, it was intended for chronometry trials – and in 1948 won first prize in the Neuchâtel Observatory centennial trials, followed by several more prizes during the 1950s. In 1993 – a time when tourbillon wristwatches were still very rare – Jaeger-LeCoultre produced its first example, a Reverso fitted with the rectangular Calibre 828. Further exploration brought the tourbillon to new horizons, leading to the invention of the first spherical, dual-axis tourbillon in 2004 – the Master Gyrotourbillon 1.

In 2009, the Manufacture introduced the Master Tourbillon with Calibre 978, which won the International Chronometry Prize organised by the Horological Museum of Le Locle, Switzerland. This calibre has been Jaeger-LeCoultre mainstay tourbillon movement ever since, and received a comprehensive update in 2019 featuring new high-end finishes.

For the Master Ultra Thin Tourbillon Moon, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s engineers capitalised on the 978 movement to develop the new Calibre 983, with the addition of the moon phase and ‘jumping’ date complications.

The triple moon phase indicator – displaying the age of the moon as well as its phases in both Hemispheres – is also a recent development, having been introduced last year. Beating at a frequency of 28,800 vph (4 Hz), the new Calibre 983 offers a power reserve of 45 hours.

Timeless style and a new pink gold alloy

The Master Ultra Thin Tourbillon Moon is presented in a case made of Le Grand Rose gold. Introduced this year, the new pink gold alloy has a remarkable sheen and depth of colour, and is highly resistant to fading over time. True to the classically elegant design codes of Master Ultra Thin, the case is fully polished, with elongated and bevelled lugs and a fine bezel.

Complementing the warmth of the pink gold, an eggshell-white dial provides a restrained backdrop that places all the emphasis on the moon phase display and tourbillon. Adding to the sense of refinement, the shape of the Dauphine hands is echoed by the elongated arrow-shape of the applied golden indexes. Closer examination reveals different index profiles as the shapes are modified according to their position on the dial, as well as several key details marked in red, to increase legibility and add a discreet touch of colour.

Original and intriguing displays

Set in the upper half of the dial, the astronomical complication displays the Northern Hemisphere moon phases in the traditional way – a deep blue sky scattered with stars provides the background for a polished golden disc. Surrounding this is a ring with applied Southern Hemisphere moon phases on the left and the Age of the Moon on the right, each indicated by a double-ended hand.

For the peripheral date display the Manufacture’s engineers chose Jaeger-LeCoultre’s signature ‘jumping’ complication. Every month, the date hand makes 90-degree jump, gliding rapidly from the 15th to the 16th, in order not to obscure the tourbillon.

The lower half of the dial is dominated by the tourbillon. A newly designed bridge in polished pink gold secures the titanium tourbillon cage (which weighs around 0.3 grams with its components) as it completes one revolution every 60 seconds. The fine tourbillon bridge and wide aperture maximise transparency and light, drawing the eye right through the mechanism.

On the reverse side, the long span of the open-worked tourbillon bridge further enhances this transparency, while its Côtes de Genève decoration complements the sunray pattern of the stripes on the main plate. The open-worked pink gold winding rotor, which features the JL logo and a combination of polished and micro-blasted surfaces, allows a clear view of the movement, with additional fine finishes including blue screws, circular graining and chamfered bridges.

Like all Jaeger-LeCoultre timepieces, the Master Ultra Thin Tourbillon Moon carries an eight-year warranty in addition to the 1,000 Hours Control certification – one of the watch industry’s most stringent testing protocols.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Dimensions: 41.5mm x 12.10mm

Calibre: automatic mechanical movement, Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 983, 28,800 vph (4 Hz)

Functions: hours, minutes, seconds, peripheral ‘jumping’ date (from the 15^th to the 16^th), tourbillon, moon phases in both Hemispheres and age-of-moon indicator

Power reserve: 45 hours

Case: Le Grand Rose gold

Dial: eggshell with applied indexes and Dauphine hands

Case-back: open

Water resistance: 5 bar

Reference: Q1692410

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Kingsman Knife watch will be offered exclusively on MR PORTER, as a key part of The King’s Man ‘costume to collection’, from July 20^th to September 6^th. After that date, the watch will also be available directly from Jaeger-LeCoultre online and in selected boutiques.

The newest film in the Kingsman series links past and present, going back 100 years to the origins of the Kingsman agency. So too has Jaeger-LeCoultre drawn upon its great historic mastery of ultra thin calibres to develop a new timepiece directly inspired by the celebrated 1907 ‘Couteau’ (couteau is French for knife) pocket watch. The Master Ultra Thin Kingsman Knife watch is a refined dress watch that blends tradition and modernity in a manner perfectly suited to both The King’s Man and to contemporary style. 

The aesthetic roots of the new watch are unmistakably those of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s traditional pocket watches: the very broad bezel slopes gently from the sapphire crystal to the edge of the case, creating a fine profile reminiscent of a knife blade and the winding crown, protected by its triangular bow, is placed at 12 o’clock. However, these timeless and traditional elements are brought right up to date with subtly modern details: simple index hour markers keep the dial refined and clean, while a finely drawn ring is repeated as a circular highlight on the bezel.

Presented in a classically elegant 40mm size, the pink gold case is just 4.25mm thick. The ultra thin case houses Jaeger-LeCoultre’s celebrated hand-wound calibre 849. At just 1.85 millimetres thick, the movement underlines La Grande Maison’s century-old mastery of this demanding form of Haute Horlogerie: ultra thin movements require a perfect ratio between thinness and solidity, to ensure that components retain sufficient strength to ensure reliable timekeeping. 

In tribute to the film’s narrative, the case-back of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Kingsman Knife watch has been engraved with the Kingsman logo, as well as the legend “One of 100”, and is presented in a specially designed Kingsman sleevebox.

In an eloquent expression of the Kingsman maxim ‘Manners Maketh Man’, the Master Ultra Thin Knife is the perfect gentleman’s timepiece; not only functional but supremely elegant.

‘Our Manufacture is proud of its heritage which drives the creativity of our master watchmaking since 1833. We are delighted to partner with Matthew Vaughn and Mr Porter to unveil a unique timepiece celebrating the elegance pioneering spirit. The thinness of this watch, inspired from a pocket-watch with a knife shape from 1907 is illustrating the skills and creativity of our fully integrated Manufacture. It represents the spirit of times with timepieces passed from generation to generation’ - Ms Catherine Renier, CEO, Jaeger-LeCoultre

‘We at MR PORTER are thrilled to be working with Matthew Vaughn and the Jaeger-LeCoultre team to exclusively launch the limited-edition Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Kingsman Knife, in advance of the global release of The King’s Man later this year. The watch has a strong heritage styling coupled with being limited to only 100 pieces and will sure to be received extremely well with our growing global watch community’ - Mr Sam Kershaw, Buying Director, MR PORTER

About The KING’S MAN / 20th CENTURY STUDIOS

As a collection of history's worst tyrants and criminal masterminds gather to plot a war to wipe out millions, one man must race against time to stop them. Discover the origins of the very first independent intelligence agency in “The King's Man.”

“The King’s Man” is directed by Matthew Vaughn and stars Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton, Rhys Ifans, Matthew Goode, Tom Hollander, Harris Dickinson, Daniel Brühl, with Djimon Hounsou, and Charles Dance.

Matthew Vaughn, David Reid and Adam Bohling are the producers, and Mark Millar, Dave Gibbons, Stephen Marks, Claudia Vaughn and Ralph Fiennes serve as executive producers. “The King’s Man” is based on the comic book "The Secret Service" by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons, and the story is by Matthew Vaughn and the screenplay is by Matthew Vaughn & Karl Gajdusek. “The King’s Man” opens in U.S. theaters on September 18, 2020.

About MARV Studios & MATTHEW VAUGHN

MARV Studios is the production company of leading British filmmaker Matthew Vaughn, who specialises in genre-redefining films. His films have garnered over $2.6 billion at the global box office, making him one of Britain’s most successful and critically acclaimed independent filmmakers. 

Vaughn began his career as producer with Guy Ritchie’s Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch, which starred Brad Pitt and received wide critical acclaim. Through his production company MARV, Vaughn debuted as a director with the crime thriller Layer Cake, which starred Daniel Craig and introduced his signature style to audiences.

Vaughn followed that up by directing, producing and co-writing with his writing partner Jane Goldman, Stardust, which starred Robert De Niro and Michelle Pfeiffer. In 2009, Vaughn produced action-thriller Harry Brown, which starred Michael Caine. 2010 saw Vaughn producing and co-writing The Debt, which starred Helen Mirren and Sam Worthington, and directing, producing and co-writing Kick-Ass, the first in the edgy franchise with a breakout performance from Chloë Grace Moretz. In 2011 Vaughn co-wrote and directed the 20th Century Fox prequel X-Men: First Class, a massive box office and critical hit which re-invigorated the popular series. He continued his involvement in the series by co-writing 2014’s X-Men: Days of Future Past.

2014 also saw the debut of the global blockbuster Kingsman series, beginning with Kingsman: The Secret Service, written and directed by Vaughn, and its follow-up Kingsman: The Golden Circle in September 2017. The prequel to the franchise, The King’s Man, boasting an all-star cast, will be released in September 2020.

In 2019 MARV and Rocket Pictures released Rocketman, a critically-acclaimed musical fantasy based on the life of Elton John, directed by Dexter Fletcher and starring Taron Egerton in a Golden Globe® winning and BAFTA nominated performance.

About JAEGER-LECOULTRE: HOME OF FINE WATCHMAKING SINCE 1833

Located in the calm, serene setting in the Vallée de Joux, our Home offers a unique sense of belonging. It is here, inspired by the exceptional landscapes of the Jura Mountains, guided by an unquenchable inner fire, that La Grande Maison gets its soul. With all crafts under one roof within the Manufacture, watchmakers, engineers, designers, artisans work together to give birth to fine watchmaking creations. Driven by a compelling energy and a spirit of collective invention that daily inspires the commitment of each and every member of our family, we cultivate our understated sophistication and technical creativity. This same spirit has powered the creation of more than 1200 calibres since 1833 and made Jaeger-LeCoultre the Watchmaker’s Watchmaker.

About MR PORTER

Since launching in February 2011, MR PORTER has established itself as the world’s leading, award-winning online destination for men’s style, with an unparalleled product offering from the best menswear and luxury brands, including categories that range from fine watches and lifestyle through to own labels Mr P. and Kingsman.

MR PORTER produces unmatched digital and printed content across its shoppable online magazine, The Journal, and its bi-monthly newspaper, The MR PORTER Post. In 2019, MR PORTER founded MR PORTER Health In Mind, a content and fundraising initiative in partnership with Movember, developed to raise awareness around men’s mental and physical health.

MR PORTER offers express worldwide shipping to more than 180 countries, including same-day delivery to New York, London and Milan, while providing a seamless shopping experience across mobile, tablet and desktop, with easy returns and multi-lingual customer care and personal-shopping teams who are available 24/7, 365 days a year.

MR PORTER is a part of the YOOX NET-A-PORTER Group – the world leader in online luxury and fashion that comprises a complete luxury retail ecosystem. The Group sells directly to customers globally through its own family of multi-brand online shops NET-A-PORTER, MR PORTER, YOOX and THE OUTNET. The Group’s Online Flagship Stores division partners with many leading luxury brands to power their own e-commerce destinations. The Group has more than 4.3 million high-spending active customers globally. As pioneers in bringing together the realms of technology and luxury, YOOX NET-A-PORTER satisfies the most discerning clientele with expertly curated products from the best luxury brands, personalised end-to-end service, the latest technology and inspiring content, all shaped by 20 years of insights into the modern luxury shopper.

For more information about MR PORTER and the YOOX NET-A-PORTER Group, visit www.mrporter.com and www.ynap.com.  

Instagram: @mrporterlive / Facebook: mrporterlive / Twitter: @MRPORTERLIVE / YouTube: MRPORTER

Despite being one of the most useful (and charming) of all complications, the alarm remains surprisingly rare in horology. In the 70 years since Jaeger-LeCoultre launched the first Memovox, it has become the reference in wristwatch alarms, appearing in timepieces designed for both urban lifestyles and underwater sports.

The Memovox story dates back to the late 1940s. As the post-war economy recovered, the world experienced a great burst of energy and inventiveness: technology gave rise to entire new industries, cities expanded, and the businessman-on-the-move personified the mood of optimism and confidence.

Against this backdrop, Jaeger-LeCoultre harnessed its mastery of chiming mechanisms to develop an alarm watch – an immensely practical timepiece that seemed perfectly suited to the times. While an alarm mechanism draws its inspiration from minute repeaters, its particular challenge is that the hammer must strike the gong multiple times at very high speed.

A new generation with a transparent sapphire case-back

This year, to launch the new-generation Master Control Memovox, Jaeger-leCoultre has taken inspiration from the first Memovox watches of the 1950s, giving it a contemporary style, while retaining the spirit of utility and charm that defined the originals. Continuing the tradition of adding useful auxiliary functions, the new Master Control Memovox Timer incorporates an entirely new alarm-setting mechanism, while the Master Control Memovox, brings clean-lined contemporary style to the classic alarm-plus-date model.

For this new generation of alarm watches, the Manufacture’s engineers have comprehensively revised the self-winding calibre 956. Previously, Memovox watches had a closed case-back, to which the gong was attached; however, the new Master Control case has a transparent sapphire back, allowing the wearer to enjoy watching the hammer in action. This demanded a complete redesign of the striking mechanism, with the gong now attached to the case side. A new, open-worked pink gold rotor, decorated with Côtes de Genève to match the fine finishing on the movement plates, ensures an unobstructed view of the strike-works. One important element remains unchanged, however: the signature “school bell” sound of the alarm, which lends such charm to the Memovox.

MASTER CONTROL MEMOVOX

Reinterpreting the graceful and uncluttered dial of the original 1950 Memovox in a streamlined modern style, the new Master Control Memovox presents the classical combination of alarm and date display with a silvery sunray-brushed dial. The applied indexes add refinement, their elongated triangular shape – a signature of mid-century Memovox models – is echoed by the Dauphine hands, and a blue seconds hand adds a subtle pop of colour to animate the silvery-white palette.

MASTER CONTROL MEMOVOX TIMER

Over the decades, underlining the practical value of alarm watches, Jaeger-LeCoultre has added various useful functions to its Memovox models, such as a world time-zone indicator and a parking-meter reminder. In the same spirit, its engineers have now developed an entirely new useful function: the Timer.

This enables the owner to set the alarm based on the number of hours that should elapse before the alarm rings (for example, the duration of a meeting or the number of hours of sleep on a given night). Alternatively, the owner may set the alarm in the traditional way, based on a particular time (such as the time of an appointment or a wake-up alarm to catch a flight). The indicators are linked, so that whichever alarm-setting method is chosen, the second indicator will automatically move to the corresponding position.

The dial is laid out in concentric rings, in two shades of blue with a sunray finish, complemented by an inner ring engraved in bas-relief with polished numerals. On this inner ring, the elapsed hours-until-alarm are indicated by a small hand tipped with a red JL logo. Set at the outer edge of that ring, the Memovox’s signature triangular marker points to the time at which the alarm will ring.

The Master Control Memovox Timer will be produced in a limited edition of 250 pieces.

Both Memovox models are presented in the new 40-millimetre Master Control case. With its sloping bezel, dynamically curved lugs and mix of polished and satin-brushed surfaces, the design exudes a relaxed, contemporary elegance.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

MASTER CONTROL MEMOVOX

Dimensions: 40 mm x 12.39mm

Calibre: automatic mechanical movement, Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 956

Functions: hours/minutes/seconds, date, alarm (Memovox function)

Power reserve: 45 hours

Case: stainless steel with satin and polished finishes

Dial: silver sunray dial

Case-back: open

Water resistance: 5 bar

Reference: Q4118420

MASTER CONTROL MEMOVOX TIMER

Dimensions: 40 mm x 12.39mm

Calibre: automatic mechanical movement, Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 956

Functions: hours/minutes/seconds, date, alarm (Memovox function), timer indication (hand with the JL logo)

Power reserve: 45 hours

Case: stainless steel with satin and polished finishes

Dial: two-tone blue sunray dial, engraved numerals on the Memovox disc

Case-back: open

Water resistance: 5 bar

Reference: Q410848J, Limited to 250 pieces

The Master Grande Tradition series epitomises Jaeger-LeCoultre’s horological ingenuity and artistic creativity, bringing innovations and complications together in fascinating new ways. As the latest addition to this series, the new Master Grande Tradition Calibre 945 harnesses more than a century and a half of accumulated expertise. This masterpiece of mechanical engineering incorporates two of the most romantic yet technically challenging complications in horology – a minute repeater and a celestial vault. The complex mechanism is further elevated by an orbital flying tourbillon. This limited edition of eight pieces each in rose gold and in white gold features a new aesthetic that reaffirms Jaeger-LeCoultre’s mastery of the artistic crafts.

A MINUTE REPEATER FOR THE MODERN AGE

Considered by watchmakers to be the most challenging – and rewarding – of all horological complications to master, a minute repeater is not only a timepiece but also a miniaturised musical instrument. The technical difficulty of creating one lies in the complexity of the mechanism needed to transcribe the precise time shown by the hands into a series of perfectly programmed strikes. The artistic challenge lies in ensuring that those strikes produce a sound that is rich, harmonious, pure and clearly audible.

Over the past 150 years, minute repeaters have had a major presence in Jaeger-LeCoultre’s portfolio of complicated timepieces. La Grande Maison’s mastery of chiming watches is confirmed by more than 200 calibres, including some 100 minute repeaters made before the year 1900. Since the mid-1990s, when Jaeger-LeCoultre revived this noble horological legacy, its engineers and designers have worked to redefine the benchmark for acoustic quality, harnessing technology to serve and safeguard horology’s most treasured traditions.

One of the most important elements of a chiming watch is the way in which sound is transmitted from within the watch to be heard by the human ear. Capitalising on the superior acoustic qualities of synthetic sapphire crystal, Jaeger-leCoultre’s patented ‘crystal gongs’ (introduced in 2005) are soldered directly to the sapphire crystal, which acts as an amplifier. The square-profile gongs introduced two years later provide a flat striking surface for the hammers, ensuring more consistent and powerful strikes, while the additional material provides a greater vibrational mass and thus a fuller sound. The articulated trebuchet hammers (introduced in 2009) use a similar mechanical principle to the medieval counterweight catapults that they are named after, greatly improving the speed and force of the hammer strike.

Even the most beautiful chime can be marred by background noise – a problem that Jaeger-LeCoultre resolved 125 years ago, with its patented silent strike governor. Using centrifugal forces to regulate chiming, it eliminates the background buzz characteristic of older striking mechanisms. Recognised as a benchmark, it is now used in almost all chiming watches of the Grande Maison.

A HEAVENLY DISPLAY

The new Master Grande Tradition Calibre 945 embodies Jaeger-LeCoultre’s mastery of astronomical complications in its celestial vault complication, which defines the dial of the watch.

Jaeger-LeCoultre first brought together the technical innovations of its new-generation minute repeaters with an astronomical display in the original Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication of 2010. That watch also introduced the Orbital Flying Tourbillon, integrating it into the mechanism as a regulating device.

As well as turning on its own axis in 60 seconds, the tourbillon makes a complete, anti-clockwise circuit of the dial in one sidereal day. Slightly shorter than a solar day (on which we base civil timekeeping), a sidereal day is based on Earth’s rotation measured relative to the ‘fixed’ stars, which takes precisely 23 h, 56 min and 4.1 seconds. The sidereal day is used by astronomers to follow the apparent movement of the stars across the night sky.

A golden sun-shaped pointer set at the edge of the disc of constellations indicates the date, the month, and the signs of the Zodiac, as well as the 24-hour scale that is marked on the inner flange of the dial. Civil time is read on the two concentric rings that complete the dial: applied hour indexes on the first ring and minutes on the silvery-white outer ring.

AESTHETIC

An exceptional movement merits an exceptional habillage and the new Master Grande Tradition Calibre 945 brings fresh artistic expression to this marriage of complications. Reaffirming Jaeger-leCoultre’s expertise in design and mastery of artistic crafts, the timepiece is offered in two versions: one marries the warm glow of pink gold to a black dial, while the other combines deep blue tones with the coolness of white gold and the discreet sparkle of baguette-cut diamonds, which are set on the bezel.

A multiple-level dial amplifies the beauty of the celestial theme while also showcasing the orbiting tourbillon. On the deepest level of the dial, a midnight blue or black disc (depending on the model) is decorated with tiny stars. Above it, a delicate filigree forms a dome, its structure echoing the pattern of the constellations marked on the convex celestial disc. The star chart depicts the Northern Hemisphere night sky, as seen from the 46th parallel – the latitude of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s home in the Vallée de Joux.

The new Master Grande Tradition case, introduced in 2019’s two minute repeaters, is a perfect complement to the artistry of the dial and the sophistication of the movement. Comprising more than 80 parts, its convex bezel is complemented by broad bevels on the lugs; the hollowed-out sides of the lugs add dynamic tension, while the repeater slide is tapered to harmonise beautifully with the curving case sides. Different surfaces are microblasted, polished and satin-brushed to maximise the play of light and emphasise the details.

In every sense, the new Master Grande Tradition Calibre 945 is testament to Jaeger-LeCoultre’s enduring expertise in chiming watches and its dedication to maintaining the fine balance between a passionate drive to innovate and profound respect for tradition.

TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Dimensions: 45 mm

Calibre: manual mechanical movement, Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 945

Functions: hours/minutes, month, 24-hour indication, orbital flying tourbillon indicating the sidereal time, minute repeater with cathedral ‘crystal gongs’ soldered directly to the sapphire crystal, celestial disc with star chart indicating the constellations in the north hemisphere

Power reserve: 40 hours

Case: satin, micro-blasted and polished finishes, pink gold or white gold with bezel set with baguette-cut diamonds (44 diamonds – 3.76 carats)

Dial: black dial with golden laser welded structure (pink gold version) or blue dial with silvered laser welded structure (white gold version)

Case back: open

Water resistance: 5 bar

References: Q5262460 (pink gold version, limited to 8 pieces), Q5263480 (white gold version, limited to 8 pieces)

In 2020, La Grande Maison relaunches the collection, drawing inspiration from the classic round watches of the 1950s, such as the Futurematic, PowerMatic and Memovox models, and adding a dash of 21st-century flair.

Rather than paying homage to a single historic reference, Jaeger-LeCoultre presents a range of timepieces featuring some of its most emblematic complications.

Designed for the urban sophisticate, every element of the Master Control line has been restyled. Jaeger-LeCoultre’s designers have harnessed and modernised the Maison’s classical design codes to create a refined yet entirely contemporary aesthetic that highlights the collection’s complications. A new case design heralds the introduction of a new pink gold alloy – Le Grand Rose gold®.

When launched in 1992, the Master Control line was the first of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s collections to benefit from its pioneering ‘1000 Hours Control’ certification – which inspired the collection’s name. A demanding process that tests the entire cased-up watch (not just its movement), it set a new benchmark when introduced and has continually evolved in response to technological advances, to remain one of the watch industry’s most stringent testing protocols.

Naturally, with this background and the Maison’s long history of technical innovation, the relaunch of Master Control is not simply a stylistic exercise. The Manufacture’s engineers have comprehensively revised and updated all of the movements, increasing power reserves to as much as 70 hours and enhancing overall performance and reliability. Like all Jaeger-LeCoultre timepieces, the Master Control watches carry an 8-year warranty in addition to the 1,000 Hours Control certification.

TIMELESS DESIGN CODES WITH A CONTEMPORARY TWIST

With its 40-millimetre diameter, outwardly sloping bezel and dynamically curved lugs, the new Master Control case exudes a relaxed and understated elegance – timeless yet absolutely contemporary. Satin-brushing on the case-sides is complemented by the polished bezel, crowns and lugs. Refined details abound, including bas-relief engravings on the back bezel and a sapphire crystal case-back to reveal the finely finished and decorated movements.

On the dials, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s designers have reinterpreted the Maison’s classical codes in a streamlined and modern style, in order to highlight each model’s complications. The applied indexes add refinement, their elongated triangular shape echoed by the Dauphine hands. Uniting the collection, sunray brushing animates the silvery-white background colour, a blue central seconds hand adds a subtle pop of colour and, according to the model, blue subdial hands further accentuate the complications.

LE GRAND ROSE GOLD®  – A NEW PINK GOLD ALLOY

The versatility of the new collection is underlined by the choice of two case materials – steel and Le Grand Rose gold®. Seen for the first time in the new Master Control line, the new pink gold alloy has a remarkable sheen and depth of colour. The addition of palladium to the metal’s proprietary formula (the exact details of which remain a closely guarded secret) guards against oxidation and ensures that the radiant colour will not fade over the years.

NEW CALFSKIN LEATHER WATCH STRAPS NOVONAPPA®

The straps, too, have been re-worked for the new collection. To complement the timeless informality of the steel cases, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s designers have chosen the soft, matt finish of Novonappa® calf leather in tan. Produced by the finest tannery in France, through a vegetable-based tanning process that retains the natural variations of the hides, Novonappa gains a distinctive patina over time. Thanks to a Presto Spring lug attachment and a simple clip for removing and refitting the deployant buckle, the Novonappa straps can be quickly changed, without the need for any tool. Classical alligator leather in black or chocolate brown lends a more formal allure to the Le Grand Rose gold® cases – which can also be fitted with Novonappa straps if preferred.

UPGRADED CALIBRES AND NEW COMPLICATIONS

With the goal of improving reliability, power reserve and long-term performance, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s engineers have comprehensively revised and re-engineered Calibre 899, the high-performing pillar of the Master Control collection. The improvements, which have been incorporated into the entire range of Master Control calibres, include a silicon escapement, a redesigned barrel and various energy-saving enhancements.

MASTER CONTROL CHRONOGRAPH CALENDAR

The headline model of the new Master Control collection features a newly developed movement, Calibre 759, which combines a chronograph with a triple calendar display and a moon-phase. Brought together for the first time in a Jaeger-LeCoultre timepiece, this alliance of complications evokes the ancient links between watchmaking and astronomy. The new Calibre 759 features a column-wheel chronograph with a vertical clutch, a moon-phase indicator, and a 65-hour power reserve.

With a balanced dial layout that combines the familiarity of two classical complications – a triple calendar and a bi-compax chronograph – Jaeger-LeCoultre’s designers have made the reading of the displays straightforward and intuitive, despite the complexity of the information shown. The 30-minute chronograph counter at 3 o’clock is balanced by the running seconds subdial at 9 o’clock, while the day and month windows in the top part of dial are balanced by the moon-phase and date indicator at 6 o’clock. The entire display is anchored by the central chronograph seconds hand and contained by the pulsometric scale marked around the dial flange. Complementing the Chronograph Calendar’s timeless style, rectangular chronograph pushers add a purposeful, modern air to the well-proportioned 12.05mm thick case, which is offered in steel or Le Grand Rose gold®.

MASTER CONTROL DATE
 

With its cool, silvery-white colour palette, minimalistic design and refined details, the Master Control Date anchors the new collection. Thanks to its slim movement, Calibre 899, the 40mm steel case of the Master Control Date is just 8.78mm thick. A Jaeger-LeCoultre mainstay since its introduction fifteen years ago, Calibre 899 has been repeatedly updated to incorporate the latest performance-enhancing technology.

Revised again for the new Master Control collection, the latest-generation Calibre 899 features a new escapement and pallets: reconstructed in a slightly modified shape, they are made of silicon to minimise friction and thus consume less energy. The central-seconds wheel has been redesigned to eliminate shaking; the fixing screws of the oscillating wheel are made of highly resistant titanium, rather than steel; and new oils, specifically formulated for the new materials, have been used. In order to increase the power reserve to 70 hours, the barrel was redesigned to accommodate a stronger and longer mainspring without increasing the 3.3mm height of the movement.

MASTER CONTROL CALENDAR

In the 1940s and ’50s Jaeger-LeCoultre was renowned for its triple calendar moon-phase movements, and the new Master Control Calendar brings that tradition into the 21st century. With a case measuring 40mm x 10.95mm, it is offered in either steel or Le Grand Rose gold®.

The finely balanced classical layout of the dial is retained, with the dates marked around the periphery, indicated by a red-tipped hand, the days and months displayed in the upper part of the dial, and the moon-phase set within the small seconds subdial in the lower part. But there is a fresh new twist to the date display: as well as updating Calibre 866 with the same performance-enhancing improvements made to cal.899, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s engineers have added a delightful new jumping complication. Every month, the date hand makes a 90-degree leap from the 15th to the 16th, in order not to obscure the moon-phase display.

MASTER CONTROL GEOGRAPHIC
 

Jaeger-LeCoultre’s unique interpretation of the travel watch has been a feature of the Master Control collection since 1990, much appreciated by connoisseurs. Rather than indicating only the hour of a second time zone, the Geographic also has a 24-hour night/day indicator and, in an aperture at the bottom of the dial, displays the city name relating to the zone. This gives travellers the option of setting the second time by location, rather than needing to calculate the time difference. The dial adheres to the familiar Geographic layout, with time-zone displays balanced by a date subdial and a power reserve indicator, and blue steel hands adding a pop of colour to enhance legibility. But now, the entire dial is sunray-brushed, contained within a wide, convex flange on which the elongated triangular indexes are set. The profile of each index has been shaped to fit perfectly flush with the curve where the flange meets the dial – a challenge to Jaeger-LeCoultre’s artisans but entirely in keeping with the Maison’s attention to detail.

The new-generation Calibre 939 increases the power reserve of the Master Control Geographic to 70 hours, while the case is available in a choice of steel or Le Grand Rose gold®.

Inspired by the past and redesigned in the confident spirit of the 21st century, the new Master Control collection combines the creativity and deep know-how of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Manufacture, where all mechanical movements are made in-house. Blending timeless style with the relaxed elegance of modern urban living, it is destined to become a point of reference in contemporary watchmaking.

TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION:

MASTER CONTROL CHRONOGRAPH CALENDAR

Dimensions: 40mm x 12.05mm

Calibre: automatic mechanical movement, Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 759

Functions: hours/minutes, small seconds, calendar with date, day and month indications, moon phases, chronograph

Power reserve: 65 hours

Case: stainless steel or Le Grand Rose gold®, satin and polished finishes, sapphire crystal case-back

Water-resistance: 5 bar

Dial: silver sunray finish, applied indexes

Strap: Novonappa® calf or alligator

Reference: Q4138420 (stainless steel), Q4132520 (Le Grand Rose gold®)

MASTER CONTROL DATE

Dimensions: 40mm x 8.78mm

Calibre: automatic mechanical movement, Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 899 (new generation)

Functions: hours/minutes/seconds, date

Power reserve: 70 hours

Case: stainless steel, satin and polished finishes, sapphire crystal case-back

Water-resistance: 5 bar

Dial: silver sunray finish, applied indexes

Strap: Novonappa® calf

Reference: Q4018420

MASTER CONTROL CALENDAR

Dimensions: 40mm x 10.95mm

Calibre: automatic mechanical movement, Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 866 (new generation)

Functions: hours/minutes, small seconds, day, jumping date, month, moon phases

Power reserve: 70 hours

Case: stainless steel or Le Grand Rose gold®, satin and polished finishes, sapphire crystal case-back

Water-resistance: 5 bar

Dial: silver sunray finish, applied indexes

Strap: Novonappa® calf or alligator

Reference: Q4148420 (stainless steel), Q4142520 (Le Grand Rose gold®)

MASTER CONTROL GEOGRAPHIC

Dimensions: 40mm x 10.96mm

Calibre: automatic mechanical movement, Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 939 (new generation)

Functions: hours/minutes/seconds, date, second time zone, 24-hour display, 24 time zones, power reserve indication

Power reserve: 70 hours

Case: stainless steel or Le Grand Rose gold®, satin and polished finishes, sapphire crystal case-back

Water-resistance: 5 bar

Dial: silver sunray finish, applied indexes

Strap: Novonappa® calf or alligator

Reference: Q4128420 (stainless steel), Q4122520 (Le Grand Rose gold®)

In 2013, Jaeger-LeCoultre first introduced the Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3 to mark the Maison’s 180th anniversary. Combining a third-generation interpretation of the Gyrotourbillon with an intriguing and highly unusual instantaneous digital display chronograph, it represents mechanical sophistication of the highest order.

But still, Jaeger-LeCoultre wanted to do more. And so, this new version of Gyrotourbillon 3 harnesses the exceptional skills of the Manufacture’s Rare Handcrafts™ (Métiers Rares®) artisans to elevate the rare and precious timepiece to a new level. With various elements of the dial showcasing the traditional Rare Handcrafts™ of hand-guillochage, engraving and grand feu enamel, this new model introduces the rarely seen craft of meteorite inlay.

On the dial side, the intriguing geometric markings of the silvery-grey meteorite are complemented by the subtle glitter of deep blue aventurine and the glow of pure white grand feu enamel. This harmonious interplay of materials, colour and surface pattern is complemented by the warmth and richness of the pink gold case and dial details.

Found in Namibia, the Gibeon meteorite chosen for this watch is an iron-nickel alloy with an octahedrite crystal structure, formed by the cooling of the asteroid fragment in outer space over the course of billions of years before it crashed to earth in prehistoric times. The abstract geometric patterns of the intersecting crystal structures shimmer gently when the material catches the light, their irregular arrangement making every slice of meteorite subtly different from all others.

In addition to the meteorite inlaid on the German silver bridges, a disc of meteorite sits at the centre of the time display dial, surrounded by a ring of aventurine with applied indexes. On the chronograph display, an aventurine disc is encircled by a ring of white grand feu enamel, marked with elapsed seconds. The Day/Night display comprises a 24-hour plate on which two gold semi-circles are applied, one each for day and night. The white day section is decorated with hand-guilloché, hand-engraved sunrays and an applied polished pink gold sun; the night section features applied polished pink gold crescent moon and stars, set on a rich blue background.

Asymmetrical yet perfectly balanced, these three overlapping dials are layered, adding visual depth to the watch face – and, despite tempting glimpses of the movement, drawing the eye irresistibly to the tourbillon as it spins in space, with no immediately visible means of support.

It is on the back of the movement that the meteorite truly takes centre stage. A lively yet subtle mixture of colour and texture – blued screws, ruby jewels, the shiny aspect of the hand-chamfered and hand-polished jewel countersinks, bridges and plates, and the matt finish of the brushed borders of the German silver plates – offsets the abstract geometric patterns of the meteorite, which adorns all of the plates and bridges.

A skill mastered by very few craftsmen in the world, meteorite inlay requires a rare degree of precision and dexterity. First, the artisan must hollow out the surface of the German silver plate or bridge, to a depth that exactly matches the thickness of the meteorite fragment, leaving only a fine fillet of German silver at the borders. Once the new surface has been polished, the meteorite must be laid so that its edges fit seamlessly within the complex, curving borders and its surface lies exactly flush with them, to form a completely flat and unified plane. It is work of the utmost refinement and precision, measured in fractions of a millimetre.

Such exacting work complements the remarkable precision of the Gyrotourbillon mechanism. Exceedingly rare and complex, this multi-axis tourbillon comprises two cages, set at two different angles, turning opposite directions, at different speeds, with a blued spherical balance spring beating like a heart in their centre. In the absence of a tourbillon bridge, the cantilevered all-aluminium cages of Gyrotourbillon 3 appear to be suspended in space.

Hand-wound movement, calibre 176, incorporates a fully integrated chronograph, which displays the seconds on a traditional round dial and elapsed minutes on an instantaneously jumping digital counter.

Conceived and crafted for true connoisseurs of art and mechanics, the new Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3 ‘Meteorite’ represents the highest expression of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s codes.

Technical characteristics:

Dimensions: 43.5 mm

Thickness: 15.8 mm

Calibre: manual mechanical movement, Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 176

Functions: digital instant monopusher chronograph, hours/minutes, day/night indicator, gyrotourbillon

Power reserve: 45 hours

Case: pink gold

Dial: aventurine, white enamel, meteorite, hand-guilloché day/night indicator

Caseback: open

Water resistance: 50 m

Reference: Q5032441

Limited to 8 pieces

This year, la Grande Maison brings the brilliance of a star-studded night sky down to mingle with the more earthbound constellations found on the red carpet of the Mostra. A new edition of the Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Céleste, will be presented during the 76th edition of the oldest film festival in the world, scheduled for 28 August to 7 September 2019.

The best films can redefine the most quotidian experiences, elevating life to art. In line with this approach, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Céleste features a different perspective on time itself, with an orbital flying tourbillon that makes a complete turn of the dial over the course of 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds. This unusual time unit is the length of one sidereal day, calculated with reference to the more distant stars instead of the Sun.

The dial itself depicts the night sky of the Northern hemisphere, showcasing the constellations of the zodiac calendar framed by an outer ring displaying their associated symbols. A tiny gold marker, seen just beyond the orbit of the flying tourbillon, revolves around the dial annually, an indication of where we are within this alternative and ancient star calendar.

Differentiating this model of the Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Céleste from previous versions is its contemporary and arresting new design. At first glance, the dial has been simplified in terms of textures and indications, but it has in fact gained an additional dimension which is visible only in low light. The hour markers and constellations have been filled with Super-LumiNova™, evoking the glow of heavenly bodies on a clear night.

An elegant and contemporary case, part of the new generation of case design set by this January’s Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon Westminster Perpétuel, encloses the 334-component calibre 946 of the Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Céleste. A complex blend of surface textures, from satin finish to micro-blasting and mirror polish, comes together in a 43mm white-gold case that perfectly complements the deep blue dial and the roseate hue of the constantly beating gold balance wheel.

In both its mechanical and aesthetic aspects, the Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Céleste takes us beyond the everyday. It is the rare timepiece that captures the rhythms of daily life in parallel with the movements of the universe.

An Affinity for the Extraordinary

Jaeger-LeCoultre has developed unparalleled expertise in a wide range of horological métiers since it was founded in Le Sentier in 1833. Today, the Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre practices no fewer than 180 watchmaking and watch-related skills in its Vallée de Joux facility, many of them honed over decades and enhanced by in-house innovation.

The orbital flying tourbillon featured in the Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Céleste was first seen in the 2010 Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication, a chiming masterwork that exemplifies the savoir-faire of Jaeger-LeCoultre and its role in expanding the field of high complication.

The flying tourbillon is uniquely combined with yet another area of mechanical watchmaking dominance for Jaeger-LeCoultre — the sidereal indication of time, which appears in both masculine and feminine collections of La Grande Maison.

Technical characteristics:

Dimensions: 43 mm

Calibre: manual mechanical movement, Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 946

Functions: Hours/Minutes, Zodiac calendar, 24-hour civil time, Month, Orbital Tourbillon, Skychart

Power reserve: 45 hours

Case: white gold

Dial: deep blue with Super-LumiNova™ treatment displaying the celestial bodies at night

Water resistance: 50 m

Case back: Open

Reference: Q5273480

Limited to 28 pieces

Under the distinguished patronage of His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco, the eighth edition of the biennial and charitable Only Watch event will once again go on a promotional world tour, with stops in Europe, the US, Asia and the Middle East.

Watchmaking innovation at the service of medical research

In keeping with tradition, the 2019 edition of the Only Watch event will kick off in Monaco from 25 to 28 September. The event will come to a close in Geneva from 7 to 9 November, where the charity auction will take place, the proceeds of which will go towards medical research on Duchenne muscular dystrophy and Association monégasque contre les myopathies.

This year, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Manufacture is honoured to be included among other major names in the watchmaking industry to promote the event and participate in this worthy cause. The Manufacture will be offering a unique piece to be included in the auction: the Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Enamel Chestnut. This white gold piece is instantly charming with its hand-guillochéd enamel dial in a striking chestnut colour.

New Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 868A/2 with automatic winding

In keeping with the emblematic aesthetic codes of the Master Ultra Thin collection, this new piece highlights the talents of the Manufacture's artisans who work together in the Rare Handcrafts™ (Métiers Rares®) workshop. The Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Enamel Chestnut captivates as soon as the gaze lands on its generously sized dial, perfectly adapted to the different lifestyles of men today.

The timepiece’s perfectly balanced hand-guillochéd dial gives pride of place to four beautifully proportioned counters, including a new display of the perpetual calendar at 12 o’clock. At 6 o’clock there is a subtle moon phase that simultaneously indicates the moon’s waxing and waning phases in both hemispheres. To give full justice to this virtuoso spectacle, we would be remiss if we failed to mention the workmanship on the engraved counter, whose elegant purity is enhanced by the scintillating sparkle of the dial’s beautiful chestnut brown translucent enamel. The date counter is featured at 9 o’clock, with the days of the week at 3 o’clock. The full splendour of the sunburst guilloché radiates on the dial, providing the Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Enamel Chestnut with an impression of relief and depth. The guillochage work was carried out by hand on both the dial and the counters by Jaeger-LeCoultre's artisans, who bring all of their expertise to bear with rare precision, working with age-old machines and tools in the purest watchmaking tradition. A unique piece to help support a noble cause.

Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Enamel Chestnut

Dimensions: 39 mm

Thickness: 10.44 mm

Calibre: 868A/2– Automatic

Case: White gold

Water resistance: 5 bar

Functions: H/M/S, Perpetual calendar (Day, Date, Month, Year, Moon phase, Security Zone)

Power reserve: 70 hours

Dial: Chestnut brown guilloché enamel, Engraved moon phase counter

Case-back: Open

Reference: Q13035EW

Unique Piece

https://www.onlywatch.com/

This second chapter under the theme “The Art of Precision” was unveiled for 2019 in Japan. It’s no accident that the Manufacture elected to set the event in the impressive city of Kyoto, known for its special atmosphere, beautiful architecture, and finely wrought craftsmanship that relies on precision in action.

The Home of the Art of Precision

This event provided a unique opportunity to discover the powerful bond linking Japan’s former Imperial capital to the Grande Maison, uniting them around a common preoccupation with precision. For Jaeger-LeCoultre, this ceaseless quest ranges from the technical precision of a movement – intended to tell the time, as well as giving more complex indications – to the precision of the strictly controlled gestures and artistic rigour of the 180 specialised trades and Rare Handcrafts "Métiers Rares®" perpetuated by our artisans under one roof. The Japanese arts have strived to meet this calling and challenge for centuries, with the same rigour and extreme attention to detail.

A living, vibrant testimony

The evening showcased some of the most highly regarded watchmaking skills and applied art techniques in the world, mastered by Japanese Living National Treasure artists: Mr. Kiju Fukuda, Mr. Kenji Suda and Mr. Kazuo Yamagishi. Alongside these artists were two Jaeger-LeCoultre watchmaker and enameller artisans, who travelled from the Vallée de Joux especially for the event. Not only watchmaking precision, but also enamelling – a centuries-old decorative technique reintroduced at the Manufacture in 1999 – drew parallels with the secrets of Japanese embroidery and marquetry, skills that were presented along with a number of rare and precious objects. Guests got a fascinating insight into genuine works of art which, like Jaeger-LeCoultre watches, require many hours, if not months, to craft.

The power and beauty of extreme precision

A similarly exacting degree of precision gave rise to the new limited edition watch that the Manufacture is honoured to present to you in an exclusive preview, the Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle. Drawing inspiration from the aesthetic codes of the celebrated Master Grande Tradition Collection, this new masterpiece confirms Jaeger-LeCoultre’s expertise in the field of chiming watches. Its innovative gong system was designed to reproduce the idealised chime made by antique chiming pocket watches, with a rich acoustic clarity rarely attained in Grand Complication watches. Housed in a highly compact (13.72 mm) white gold case that optimises the wearer’s experience, this exceptional timepiece represents the next generation of chime-related innovation, both in terms of mechanical innovation and miniature decorative arts. The truth of this is evident from just one glance at the two dial variations available for this watch – one a neoclassical silver-grained dial and the other a deep blue translucent guilloché enamel dial.

Under the bright night-time lights of Kyoto, city of art and history, Jaeger-LeCoultre had the immense pleasure of paying homage yet again to the precision that has guided every gesture of its master watchmakers and artisans since 1833. This precision in both technique and aesthetics mirrors that same rigour that has been practised for thousands of years in Kyoto – a city of particularly emblematic status in Japan, that is highly esteemed by lovers of beautiful objects and heritage pieces.

Catherine Rénier, CEO of Jaeger-LeCoultre:

“We are delighted to present our collection of watches dedicated to Art of Precision in the city of Kyoto, known for its uniquely refined atmosphere and heritage. Resembling a perfectly executed theatre act, where the role of precision is of utmost importance: in nature, in architecture, in culture and customs. Precision everywhere and all around …. Precision is the common denominator between the city of Kyoto and the Jaeger-LeCoultre Manufacture dedicated to watchmaking savoir-faire and technical expertise since 1833 in the Vallée de Joux. It was a perfect opportunity to immerse our guests in the Art of precision theme, paying attention to detail, and traditional gesture accomplished to create piece of arts, as our collection of watches.”

With close to two centuries of horological expertise, Jaeger-LeCoultre stands alone in its command of complicated watchmaking. This includes unparalleled in-house experience in chiming watches, the most prestigious and exalted domain of mechanical savoir-faire. As a matter of fact, La Grande Maison du Sentier has the distinction of being the only manufacture in the world to have over 200 chiming watch calibres in its historical and modern inventory.

In May 2019, following the success of the Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon Westminster Perpétuel at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), Jaeger-LeCoultre debuts a timepiece that once again brings new levels of excellence to its mastery of chiming watches.

The Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle features an innovative gong system that resurrects the idealised chime of antique pocket sonneries, paired with an evolutionary case design that transmits timelessness and modernity.

Key points of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle

• A new gong system that replicates the richness and strength of antique sonnerie pocket watches
• Evolutionary case design that redefines the timelessness and modernity of the Master Grande Tradition timepieces
• Heightened focus on customer experience with automatic winding system and intuitive perpetual-calendar setting

A new chime

Innovation in the domain of chiming watches has been one of the foundation stones of mechanical expertise at Jaeger-LeCoultre since 1895, when the company was awarded a patent for the world’s first silent strike regulator. In the 21^st century, Jaeger-LeCoultre channelled its creativity in sonnerie watches towards producing the most energy-efficient and volume-optimised chime possible.

The Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle represents the next generation of chime-related innovation at La Grande Maison. Its movement, the automatic calibre 950, unites the two apex values of chime quality that were previously thought to be incompatible — power and beauty. This combination of qualities has largely eluded the best watchmakers in history, the understanding being that one can come only at the cost of the other.

The research and innovation team of Jaeger-LeCoultre have achieved this idealised chime by creating an entirely novel gong configuration, unlike any other. Instead of lying flat in overlapping coils like the most commonly seen minute repeater gongs, the gongs of the Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle depart radically from convention by incorporating unprecedented height and space. Two gongs, welded together at their base, travel in the same direction around the periphery of the movement, making one near-complete tour before dramatically arching upwards, traversing the entire height of the movement. They then diverge and take a terminal semi-arc around the other side of the movement, stopping just before their ends meet.

By maximising the space occupied by the element that creates sound vibrations — the gongs — the calibre 950 boosts its capacity for sound transmission. Further increasing this capacity is the proximity of the gongs to a larger proportion of the watch case, according to the acoustic principles that instinctively guide us where to position a relatively weak audio source in relation to an resonator (such as when a personal music player is placed in a glass dish to amplify the sound).

Signature chime innovations of Jaeger-LeCoultre, such as the square gong cross-sections and the articulated “trebuchet” hammers, ensure that the gongs are struck with the greatest possible impact and the least interference from hammer recoil. These set the stage for the meticulously engineered acoustic profile of the Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle chime.

The lower-pitched gong takes a helical path from gong heel to tip. Though irregular in shape, its unidirectional flow allows it to vibrate in a way that creates the harmonic overtones giving fullness and balance to bass notes.

The higher-pitched gong switches direction, effectively folding back on itself like the tines of a tuning fork. This configuration emphasises the fundamental vibration of the gong, producing a purer tone that imparts the clarity and brilliance prized in treble notes.

This new optimised combination of chime volume and acoustic quality marks out new territory for Jaeger-LeCoultre in sonnerie watches, an expansion that is fully supported by the other customer-centric aspects of the Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle.

Focus on the wearer

Perpetual calendars are among the most practical and useful mechanical complications that can be incorporated into a timepiece. Their ability to display the correct calendar information, taking into consideration the varying lengths of the months — even during leap years — provides everyday convenience for the wearer, especially when combined with an automatic winding system for low-maintenance upkeep when worn regularly.

Traditional-style perpetual calendars are mostly hand-wound, as the prestige of a high complication generally demands that the finely finished movement should be fully visible for admiration. Automatic minute repeaters are even rarer, with occasional exceptions such as the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Minute Repeater Flying Tourbillon and the Jaeger-LeCoultre Rendez-Vous Ivy Minute Repeater.

The winding rotor of the calibre 950 is hidden within the movement, positioned between the perpetual calendar and minute repeater mechanisms, in order to a have full view on the mechanism at the back of the watch. The Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle is thus continuously supplied with energy without the need to obscure a single finely finished component, whether chamfered, satin-finished, decorated with côtes de Genève, or any combination of the above.

Another feature of the watch that puts the needs of the wearer foremost is the intuitive Security zone that appears in a dial aperture near the axis of the hour and minute hands. This indication appears between the hours of 10pm and 1am, when adjusting the time or calendar is not advised due to the possibility of stressing or even damaging the movement. This reminder takes the onus off the wearer to remember when the time and calendar indications can be adjusted.

Despite the multiple complications and the automatic winding system, all of which are known to add bulk to a timepiece, the Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle is highly compact, with a diameter of 43mm and a height of 13.72mm.

Design evolution

The Master Grande Tradition collection has always been a platform for high watchmaking at Jaeger-LeCoultre, emphasising classic design in order to let the sophisticated mechanisms take centre stage. In the Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle, Jaeger-LeCoultre recalibrates the balance of technical prowess against aesthetic refinement to arrive at a new equilibrium of power and beauty.

A new case, comprising more than 80 separate hand-finished parts, was created for the Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle. Particular attention was paid to the ergonomics of the case, from the deeply convex bezel and broad bevels on the lugs to the smoothly tapered minute repeater slide.

Parts are alternately polished, satin-finished or sandblasted, the latter being highly challenging to execute on the exterior segments of a watch. The extremely porous surface of a sandblasted component causes it to easily pick up oils from even the slightest contact with human skin, leaving a mark that can be seen as unsightly (though easily removed) blemish. In its finishing and Métiers Rares ateliers, Jaeger-LeCoultre has perfected the technique of applying a sandblasted finish that is resistant to such oil transfer.

The Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle comes in two dial variations, a neoclassical silver-grained dial and a deep blue translucent guilloche enamel dial that is produced by hand in the Atelier des Métiers Rares.

A dial of solid white gold is first decorated with guillochage on century-old rose engines, each round of guilloché work repeated several times in order to achieve the correct depth of engraving. The perpetual calendar counters are then precision laser-welded onto the dial, before the remaining spaces are filled with translucent enamel in another multi-stage process. The enamel is then polished, resulting in the final dial of shimmering vitreous blue that changes in hue with the light and angle.

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle is the result of 149 years of experience in sonnerie timepieces, combined with an unparalleled patrimony in mechanical innovation and the most exalted levels of miniature decorative arts. With this latest masterpiece, La Grande Maison du Sentier recommits itself to furthering the frontiers of 21st-century watchmaking.

Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle

Dimensions: 43 mm

Thickness: 13.72 mm

Calibre: 950 – Automatic

Case: White gold

Water resistance: 5 bar

Functions: Hours/Minutes, Minute repeater, Perpetual calendar (Day, Date, Month, Moon phase, Year)

Power reserve: 38 hours

Dial: Blue guilloché enamel / Silver grained

Case-back: Open

Reference: Q52334E1 (Limited to 30 pieces), Q5233420 (Limited to 30 pieces)

Precision and harmony

Against the eggshell-coloured dial of the Master Ultra Thin Tourbillon watch, its new, larger hour-markers with their gilded, honed silhouette are more eye-catching and easier to read than ever. They taper off at 6 o'clock and disappear altogether to make room for the Tourbillon to display itself, with its new gold bridge. On the back of the watch, the new mainplate of its automatic movement can be seen, decorated with a sunray finish. The extremely sophisticated crafting of this watch – both in its details and finishes – brings a whole new dimension, no matter which angle you take to admire its front or its reverse.

The finesse of precision

10.77 millimetres – that’s how fine the new case is on the Master Ultra Thin Tourbillon, yet it can accommodate the Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 978G. Taking beautiful finishing to even greater heights, this self-winding mechanical movement benefits from a 45-hour power reserve. Its Tourbillon draws the eye through a wide aperture at 6 o'clock, captivating the gaze with the play of full and empty spaces among its gear cogs. This is the very heartbeat of the watch, made visible in a perfect rhythmic movement, which gives watchmaking precision an aerial lightness that never fails to fascinate.

Utterly sober

The pink gold version of the Master Ultra Thin Tourbillon offers perfect equilibrium, a balance that can be enjoyed both rationally and emotionally. Irreproachable rigour – expressed in the supreme linearity of its hands and hour-markers – is a foil for the complex, intricate tangle of components that make up the Tourbillon. Its utterly sober pink gold case and eggshell dial are balanced by the generosity of a brown alligator leather strap. Proof that technical stringency can go hand in hand with creative audacity. Master watchmakers, artists and craftsmen at the Manufacture in the Vallée de Joux have abided by this golden rule since the Grande Maison’s beginnings.

Celebration of precision, in a model of exceptional finesse... These few words sum up the entire philosophy behind the Master Ultra Thin collection, inspired by the first ultra-slim watch designed by Jaeger-LeCoultre in 1907.

Master Ultra Thin Tourbillon

Dimensions: 40 mm

Thickness: 10.77 mm

Calibre: 978G – Self-winding

Case: Pink gold

Water resistance: 5 bar

Functions: Hours/Minutes, Tourbillon (with seconds display)

Power reserve: 45 hours

Dial: Eggshell, gilded appliqué hour-markers, dauphine hands

Case-back: Open

Reference: Q1682410

The remarkable Master Ultra Thin line enriches its collection with three new models featuring complications among the most emblematic of watchmaking expertise – moon phases, tourbillon, date, and perpetual calendar. A testament to precision and sophistication, these three new limited editions in white gold and midnight blue enamel complement the Master collection.

Master Ultra Thin Tourbillon Enamel

The new Master Ultra Thin Tourbillon Enamel features a new tourbillon movement and a new-look date counter. They form a balanced pair on this watch, produced in a limited series of 50 pieces. In an elegant case from the Master Ultra Thin collection, the famous Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 978 has been reconceived both technically and aesthetically. In terms of finishes, the sunray-effect really stands out, as does the light and graceful gold oscillating weight. As always, one’s gaze is captured by the endlessly fascinating spectacle of the tourbillon, fittingly placed in an aperture at six o’clock.

A Jaeger-LeCoultre tourbillon

The Master Ultra Thin Tourbillon Enamel gives us a glimpse of the watchmaking expertise of the Manufacture. With an almost tangible quality under its transparent sapphire crystal, the tourbillon showcases its acrobatic dexterity with rare precision on a blue and white gold backdrop, revealing the details of its exceptional finishes. In an eternal dance, Jaeger-LeCoultre's emblematic tourbillon marks out the time in a way that is both precise and precious.

Sophisticated details

With the Master Ultra Thin Tourbillon Enamel, fine watchmaking has taken a step forward in terms of refinement. The arrow of the small seconds hand indicates 60 numerals as it makes its way around the dial, a true demonstration of excellence. For the artists and artisans of the Manufacture's Rare Handcrafts (“Métiers Rares®”), the Master Ultra Thin line remains an endless source of inspiration. This new model will win over anyone who loves precision, as every detail is heightened in a pure expression of sophistication. Like the hand-guilloché dial that blends in with a beautiful blue enamel background. Or the perfectly proportioned white gold case, with its 40 mm diameter. Or the slender hour markers, specially redesigned for this limited edition, like a natural extension of timeless and understated Dauphine hands.

Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Master Ultra Thin Tourbillon Enamel is a perfect example of the exceptional expertise of the Manufacture in the Vallée de Joux. In terms of both function and form, the watch is characterized by the attention paid to every last detail, with the extreme precision of its movement complementing the extreme precision of its design.

Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Enamel

With its four internal apertures that are the embodiment of watchmaking complications and a blue enamel guilloché motif, the new Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Enamel asserts itself from the very first gaze. This ultra-thin piece has seen a reimagining of its famous Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 868, one of the most emblematic of the Grande Maison. Both inside and outside its case, this new interpretation has all the hallmarks of exclusivity, as can be seen by the number of pieces produced: only 100 for this limited edition.

A new perpetual calendar

The new and original display of its perpetual calendar (day at 3 o’clock, date at 9 o’clock, month and year at 12 o’clock) simultaneously indicates the moon in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. In a starry sky that has been delicately polished, the moon phase is housed in a disk at 6 o’clock. Enhanced by a new design, including an engraved counter that immediately attracts the eyes, it sets itself in motion thanks to its different phases, waxing or waning. A perfect example of the mastery of Rare Handcrafts (“Métiers Rares®”), this symbolic complication provides the Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Enamel with an aura that connoisseurs are sure to appreciate.

Specially developed hour-markers for this limited edition

Just like the two limited editions from the same family, the Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Enamel watch sets itself apart with its refined and lengthened hour-markers. Their stretched-out silhouette elegantly blends in with the guilloché blue enamel dial. Completed by hand at the Jaeger-LeCoultre Manufacture, this artistic work enhances the functions on this model, where a concern for ergonomics is visible to the naked eye. The intense and luminous blue of the new and perfectly geometrical guilloché dial goes well with the deep blue of the matching alligator strap.

The Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Enamel watch not only showcases the precision of its movement and complications, but also, and essentially, artisanal handcrafts. With the help of ancestral tools, some of which were produced on site at the Grande Maison, artisans use their hands to enamel, polish, refine, enhance and carry out guilloché work on dials, movements and complications, in accordance with age-old processes, solidifying Jaeger-LeCoultre's reputation as an essential watchmaking Manufacture. Since 1833, the art of precision so dear to Antoine LeCoultre has well and truly expanded beyond the borders of the Vallée de Joux and the Jura mountains in Switzerland.

Master Ultra Thin Moon Enamel

Issued in a limited series of 100 pieces, the new Master Ultra Thin Moon Enamel proudly expresses its character in a pure and refined watchmaking style, which translates directly into a new hand-guilloché blue enamel dial, new hour-markers, a new polished moon, and a new engraved counter. Its extremely thin case in white gold (10.04 mm) conceals its engine, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 925, an automatic mechanical movement with a 70-hour power reserve.

A hand-guilloché blue enamel dial

The elegance of the new Master Ultra Thin Moon Enamel comes down to the assertive character of its guilloché blue enamel dial. This deep captivating blue brings to light the geometric motifs and the relief effect characteristic of guillochage, a traditional decorative technique more fashionable than ever. Enameling, this age-old expertise, was reinstated at the Manufacture in 1996. Executed completely by hand by a few artisans trained at the Manufacture, enameling requires extreme concentration and infinite patience. Furthermore, performing the guillochage work and the application of the translucent blue enamel layer requires an incomparable level of meticulous attention.

A new polished moon phase

The Master Ultra Thin Moon Enamel features a new moon phase setting, one that has been redesigned with painstaking attention to detail. When the moon is full, its perfectly round and polished white disk comes to rest on an exquisite stellar background.

A new take on hour-markers and an engraved counter

In addition to the unmistakable presence of the polished moon phase, this limited edition of 100 pieces skillfully revisits the standards of the Master Ultra Thin, a line that has been a watchmaking classic for over 20 years. Connoisseurs are sure to notice the new design of the hour-markers, which are longer and split into two at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock. In an aperture at 6 o’clock, the counter that houses the polished moon phase has been engraved, a way of bringing out the numerals depicting the date. Visually, the effect is one that combines presence and discretion.

An emblematic piece that showcases the expertise of the Jaeger-LeCoultre master watchmakers, artists and artisans, who have ceaselessly reinvented mechanical precision, all while combining it with peerless artistic creativity.

Master Ultra Thin Tourbillon Enamel

Dimensions: 40 mm

Thickness: 12.13 mm

Calibre: 978F – Automatic

Case: White gold

Water resistance: 5 bar

Functions: Hour/Minute/Second, Date, Tourbillon

Power reserve: 48 h

Dial: Blue guilloché enamel, engraved date counter

Case back: Open

Limitation: 50 pieces

Reference: Q13234E1

Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Enamel

Dimensions: 39 mm

Thickness: 10.44 mm

Calibre: 868A/2 – Automatic

Case: White gold

Water resistance: 5 bar

Functions: Hour/Minute/Second, Perpetual Calendar (Day, Date, Moon Phase, Year, Month, Red zone)

Power reserve: 70 h

Dial blue guilloché enamel, engraved moon phase counter

Case back: Open

Limitation: 100 pieces

Reference: Q13035E1

Master Ultra Thin Moon Enamel

Dimensions: 39 mm

Thickness: 10.04 mm

Calibre: 925/2 – Automatic

Case: White gold

Water resistance: 5 bar

Functions: Hour/Minute/Second, Date, Moon phase

Power reserve: 70 h

Dial: Blue guilloche enamel

Case Back: Open

Limitation: 100 pieces

Reference: Q13635E1

The guilloché enamel exteriors of this new Master Ultra Thin Enamel model is a testament to precision and sophistication, where blue is featured in all its majesty – a deep, intense midnight blue which achieves perfect harmony with the case of this limited edition.

Master Ultra Thin Moon Enamel

Issued in a limited series of 100 pieces, the new Master Ultra Thin Moon Enamel proudly expresses its character in a pure and refined watchmaking style, which translates directly into a new hand-guilloché blue enamel dial, new hour-markers, a new polished moon, and a new engraved counter. Its extremely thin case in white gold (10.04 mm) conceals its engine, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 925, an automatic mechanical movement with a 70-hour power reserve.

A hand-guilloché blue enamel dial

The elegance of the new Master Ultra Thin Moon Enamel comes down to the assertive character of its guilloché blue enamel dial. This deep captivating blue brings to light the geometric motifs and the relief effect characteristic of guillochage, a traditional decorative technique more fashionable than ever. Enameling, this age-old expertise, was reinstated at the Manufacture in 1996. Executed completely by hand by a few artisans trained at the Manufacture, enameling requires extreme concentration and infinite patience. Furthermore, performing the guillochage work and the application of the translucent blue enamel layer requires an incomparable level of meticulous attention.

A new polished moon phase

The Master Ultra Thin Moon Enamel features a new moon phase setting, one that has been redesigned with painstaking attention to detail. When the moon is full, its perfectly round and polished white disk comes to rest on an exquisite stellar background.

A new take on hour-markers and an engraved counter

In addition to the unmistakable presence of the polished moon phase, this limited edition of 100 pieces skillfully revisits the standards of the Master Ultra Thin, a line that has been a watchmaking classic for over 20 years. Connoisseurs are sure to notice the new design of the hour-markers, which are longer and split into two at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock. In an aperture at 6 o’clock, the counter that houses the polished moon phase has been engraved, a way of bringing out the numerals depicting the date. Visually, the effect is one that combines presence and discretion.

An emblematic piece that showcases the expertise of the Jaeger-LeCoultre master watchmakers, artists and artisans, who have ceaselessly reinvented mechanical precision, all while combining it with peerless artistic creativity.

Master Ultra Thin Moon Enamel

Dimensions: 39 mm

Thickness: 10.04 mm

Calibre: 925/2 – Automatic

Case: White gold

Water resistance: 5 bar

Functions: Hour/Minute/Second, Date, Moon phase

Power reserve: 70 h

Dial: Blue guilloché enamel

Case Back: Open

Limitation: 100 pieces

Reference: Q13635E1

The classicism that characterises the collection is augmented by the vintage charm of these pieces, driven by automatic movements and enhanced with touches of blue. This navy shade echoes across the dial like a leitmotif, in the skeletonised baton hands and the blued stainless steel central seconds, as well as in the complications and the minute circle. As an elegant accompaniment to these three new faces, a strap of alligator leather takes up the shade of blue, intensifying it to a deeper hue.

A subtle play of light weaves across the surface of these models. The polished finish on the bezel and lugs forms a sophisticated contrast with the satin-brushed case-band, imbuing the case with additional charm. On the face of each watch, a circular satin-brushed finish in the outer section sets off the opaline finish at the heart of the dial. This makes light bounce off it at different angles, ensuring the indications are easier to read. The contrast is further heightened by black hour-markers at the centre of the watch.

Master Control Date

This watch exudes a genuine charm. Its clean, rounded lines reflect the essence of the Master Control collection, with its emblematic numerals 6, 9, and 12 retained, and the 3 making way for a date indication. This simple function remains a “must” in watchmaking. With its automatic movement housed in a 39 mm case, this model is an elegant and reassuring presence on the wrist, ideal for active men who want a watch that looks just as fitting during the working day as for more dressed-up occasions. To prolong the pleasure of discovery, a sapphire crystal case-back reveals the Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 899/1 with its 22-carat gold oscillating weight.

Master Chronograph

This chronograph watch follows the Master Control collection’s distinctive aesthetic lines, featuring a contemporary design inspired by vintage styling. Its "casual chic" look will appeal to aficionados of this emblematic complication, seeking an original model. The two push-pieces housed on the case-band make the chronograph easy to use, with its two counters indicating hours and minutes set out harmoniously on the dial. Their invigorating blue colour is echoed in the blued stainless steel hands and the tachometer that runs discreetly around the outer perimeter. It is useful for measuring the speed of travel from one point to another with ease. There is a sporty feel to this automatic watch, and its 40-mm diameter case adds a real sense of distinction to the wrist.

Master Geographic

The Master Geographic is the emblematic model of the Master Control collection, providing travellers with a novel way of reading the second time zone. The aperture in the lower section of the dial displays the names of 24 world cities, representing all the time zones. A crown set at 10 o’clock on the case makes adjusting the indicator of this second time zone simplicity itself. Patterned in a circular guilloché that catches light from a different slant, the indicator contrasts elegantly with the other finishes on the dial. With its signature blue colour, the design brings a fresh feel to this watch, without taking away from its classic sobriety.