Baselworld/SIHH

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SIHH 2010: Jaeger-LeCoultre

Jaeger-LeCoultre presented a small collection this year, which is a surprise since they never do.

To start with, two models previously found in the LMH-era JLC Master range have been revived. The Master Control chronograph has returned with an automatic movement; the original was Meca-quartz, a very interesting and mechanically sophisticated quartz calibre, but desperately small. The new Master Chronograph is 40 mm fortunately but reminiscent of the old Meca-quartz chronograph. Both rose gold and steel versions are available. The blue steel hands are particularly striking on the steel version.

Also brought back is the Master Memovox. JLC has a long history of making alarm watches and the old Master Memovox (a contemporary of the Master Control Chronograph) was almost quintessential JLC so it was only a matter of time before it was brought back.

A limited edition Memovox International (750 in steel and 250 in rose gold) with city disc in the centre of the dial allows tracking of two time zones. This is a retro looking watch that goes back even further in JLC history than the Master Memovox. This, as well as the Master Memovox, are 40 mm in diameter.

JLC introduced the Master Grande Tradition collection last year, which was meant to showcase traditional watchmaking, JLC-style. Added to the Grande Tradition collection this year is watch with a double Grande in its name, the Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication. Dimensions are 44 mm wide and 15.6 mm; the unbroken vertical sides of the Master case exacerbate its thickness.

Limited to 75 pieces and cased in white gold, this watch features a flying tourbillon, sky chart, Zodiac calendar and minute repeater. But since this is JLC, the complications are not merely complications. The minute repeater uses a crystal gong where the gongs are connected to the crystal for resonance; the repeater also uses the trebuchet hammers first developed for the Hybris Mechanica super-grande sonnerie; and the escapement is silicon. To top it off, the dial is a pleasing shade of blue enamel over a guilloche base.

But unlike its predecessors, this watch has a set of modest functions, date, moon phase and 1/6 seconds. The date is advanced with the button at ten while the moon is set by a pusher at 12. Note that this watch has both a constant 1/6 second counter at six as well as a constant central seconds hand. The 1/6 seconds counter is driven directly by the escapement, hence the 1/6 increments; the escapement beats at 21,600 bph (21,600/60/60=6).

The other new model in the Duomètre range is the chronograph with a black dial. Unlike the original which looks sedate, this version has striking gold hands which contrast sharply with the dial. I like this version tremendously.

Now on to the sports watches. The flagship sports watch for this year is the Master Compressor Extreme LAB 2. It’s a chronograph with second time zone function made for use in extreme (cold) environments. Three mountaineers scaled a Himalayan peak in late 2009 wearing this watch (along with the Extreme LAB 1 and a vintage Geophysic) and then named the mountain after Antoine LeCoultre.

Very rarely do I encounter a watch that I do not know how to use intuitively, this is one of them. To start with, this watch includes a function selector in the crown, similar in principal to what Renaud et Papi does for Richard Mille. One push of the crown allows the setting of date and second time zone, another allows the setting of the time and a third push brings it back to neutral allowing only winding of the watch. This removes the need for pulling out the crown, which enhances protection against the elements.

In addition this watch also has a rather complicated hack seconds system. When setting the watch the seconds hand does not hack, instead a sliding pusher on the left of the case has to be slid and pushed in order to stop the seconds hand, and then slid and pushed back to start it.

It doesn’t stop there. The power reserve is displayed in a large, semi-circular arc on the top half of the dial perimeter while the elapsed minutes are displayed very legibly on two discs at 12 o’clock. The hour counter and constant seconds are co-axial at nine o’clock, while the elapsed chronograph seconds starts at nine o’clock as well, presumably to stay away from the minute counter aperture.

In addition there are numerous other elements mentioned in the press release, including the case and movement construction which are too numerous to list here. All of that is packed into a 46.8 mm case. Two versions of this will be available, rose gold or titanium, both of which have ceramic bezels and crowns. The rose gold is limited to 200 while the titanium is a 300 piece edition.

Another new sports watch is yet another limited edition Extreme World Chronograph, 500 in steel and 200 in rose gold. The dial is Texalium, the trade name of a fabric laminated with plastic that resembles carbon fibre but which unlike carbon fibre is available in numerous bright colours.

The Master Compressor chronograph has also been updated with a slightly different dial that is cleaner and more serious looking than the original.

The Navy Seals Master Compressor now has an entry level automatic model. It’s a limited edition of 1500 pieces and 42 mm in diameter, though somehow it feels like a smaller watch.

Finally we have a handful of watches from the Reverso collection. The first is the Squadra Chronograph GMT Palermo Open, named after a polo tournament. Though it looks like ceramic the case is actually rubber coated. In steel or rose gold with the latter being limited to 500 pieces.

 And receiving a facelift is the Reverso Grande Classique which now has a round, as opposed to square, sub-seconds dial.