Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Minute Repeater Titanium

amanico · 2014-06-30T03:28:44Z

Amanico celebrates 7 years with his Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Minute Repeater in Titanium. Explore its unique acoustics, durable titanium case, and personal journey with this high complication.

amanico

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Amanico celebrates the seventh anniversary of his Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Minute Repeater in Titanium, reflecting on its enduring presence in his life and travels. His post delves into the personal connection and memorable experiences shared with this significant timepiece, offering a unique long-term ownership perspective on a high complication watch. This reflection underscores the emotional value watches hold beyond their mechanical prowess.

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Last day of June 2007... I still remember, like it was yesterday, when I pick this monster, which is one of the watches I most often wore, everywhere in the world.

In Africa, Europe, USA...In every country I visited, it was in my luggage, and most often on my wrist.

And to avoid any confusion, it still is!

It was packed in my luggage, during my trip in Asia.

Here, in Sentosa, Singapore:

And in Hong Kong:

I still remember the first endless nights playing with it, and my wife's reaction " Hey, will you please stop playing with your Swiss " Coucou " or shall I have to throw it through the window "? ( Which differenciate a wife from a mistress who would have said: " What a delicious melody, Darling"!

)

I well remember one of the most poetic moments, shared with this Watch, in a morrocan desert, looking at the stars, and playing with the melody of the minute repeater.

I also perfectly remember a big fear, when I stuck the Watch on the front grill of my car, to take a silly picture, and that I recalled, after a few kilometers, that it was still stuck on my front grill.

But the most important is not the past- although a common past shared with a Watch makes it even greater, as we together wrote many common pages of our common book of life- but the Present, as past loves are great when they are still alive and kicking.

So, yes, the MMR is still giving me a lot of pleasure.

One big pleasure I had was when I took it with me at the Manufacture to ask them to reduce the décibels ( which are slightly over 70! ) to gain in richness.

They set the sound of my Watch to 10 Db, and it really sounds in a richer tonality.

I appreciate, a lot, the fact that JLC gave a lot of youth to this traditional and so noble complication. I still Wonder when the first minute repeaters were born. 19th century?

Don't get me wrong, I am a big admirer of the Minute Repeater skeleton made by Vacheron, or of the simple look of the Audeamrs Piguet Grande Sonnerie, but the Master Minute Repeater has such a conceptual look which pleases me a lot. Pure rapture.

I am also very keen on the combination of a long power reserve ( 15 days, which, to be honest, are more around 13 days and a half ) and the Torquemeter, which is quite useful to check if the work of the movement is not too weak during such a long autonomy.

The use of titanium grade 5 is also something very pleasant. Don't forget that the Watch is big ( 44 mm ) and thick ( 15 mm ), and that the same case in gold ( white or red ) or even worse, in platinum, is very ( too ? ) heavy.

Here, with the titanium grade 5 case, you almost forget you wear it.

And the fact that it is a polished titanium case is another plus, definitely. Who would guess it is made of titanium?

Two last points, two more reasons to fall in love with this Watch, the sculptural beauty of its open worked dial, and the soleillé finish of its movement. The modenity of this Watch owes a lot to these two détails.

In a perfect world, the only thing I would have preferred is a more sensual case. À la Master Grande Tradition. These lugs lack sensuality, obviously.

And a pin buckle in the matching metal, rather than a fodling buckle in stainless steel...

Not a detail which spoils my pleasure, though.

To celebrate its 7th anniversary, a fresh picture, which, as per a coincidence, is the best picture I took of my MMR.

Here you can admire the depth of the dial, its superb complexity... A work of Art! Of Modern Art.

Long life to the Master Minute Repeater!

Best,

Nicolas

This message has been edited by amanico on 2014-06-30 03:30:13

Key Points from the Discussion

The JLC Master Minute Repeater (MMR) is considered one of the best modern JLCs and a landmark model due to its combination of high complication, avant-garde machine age style, and innovative acoustics.
The MMR's movement is made of maillechort (German silver nickel) and finished with ruthenium, and the Grade 5 Titanium case has proven to be very durable against scratches over time.
The author had the watch's decibels reduced at the Manufacture, indicating a desire to enhance the richness of the chime over sheer volume, which was originally over 70 decibels.
The classic Reverso repeater from 1994/1995 is suggested as a more attainable alternative for those seeking a JLC minute repeater, offering significant engineering and pedigree at a potentially lower market value.
The unique and poetic nature of the minute repeater complication, combined with the skeletonized dial, finish, and lightweight titanium case, makes the MMR a highly desirable watch.
The JLC Extreme Lab 2 is mentioned as another example of JLC's mastery, featuring extensive ruthenium finish and offering an awe-inspiring engineering statement, though it wears differently than the MMR.
The personal history and shared experiences with a watch, such as playing its melody in a Moroccan desert, significantly enhance its value and meaning to the owner.

The Discussion

4Js

Jun 30, 2014

A true love

Your passion for this watch comes through each time you post about it. It still looks in great shape for all it's travels and everyone touching it! And, you just got to die for the edition number. What a catch! I feel of all the releases, this one looks the best. I never got the chance to see this version in person. You caught me off guard on the deployant in SS. That is a detail jlc should have solved at that price point. It's the only detail though. And yes polished Ti is the way to go on a wa

amanico

Jun 30, 2014

One of the best releases, among the Minute Repeaters or...

All modern JLC watches inlcuded? If you were thinking about Minute Repeaters, yes, I agree. This is my favourite. If not, well, I would include some others in the " magic basket ", such as the Duometres, which are just fantastic, and the Gyrotourbillon One, as well. The Déployant in ss, while the case is in titanium, is a big flaw. I would love to get a pin buckle in titanium, polished, please. Best! Nicolas.

4Js

Jun 30, 2014

I meant MR variants by JLC, yours is the best [nt]

amanico

Jun 30, 2014

Here I agree.

I was really amazed when I discovered the platinum MR... And totally, unconditionally seduced with the titanium version. I knkew I had to find a way to get it! Best, Nicolas

Bobbe

Jun 30, 2014

Great story....

Just removing the coffee of my screen after reading your MMR on the grill of your car for a few kilometers...... Would have seen your face when you took a look at your wrist and.....................OMG......................it is/was on the grill.............................

amanico

Jun 30, 2014

That was one of my two worst horological moments, yes. [nt]

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