JLC Master Grande Tradition 8 Days Perpetual Skeleton Green Enamel

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Amanico delivers an in-depth review of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition 8 Days Perpetual Skeleton Green Enamel, tracing its lineage from the 2004 Antoine LeCoultre model. This article explores the evolution of JLC's perpetual calendar skeleton watches, culminating in this distinctive green enamel version, offering a comprehensive look at its design and technical merits.

The green enameled Master Grande Tradition 8 Days Perpetual Skeleton is probably the last version to see the light.

It has been a long way between the First Master 8 Days Perpetual and this one.

All started in 2004, with the Antoine Lecoultre, a plain dial hiding a 8 days manual winding movement, with a modular construction for the perpetual calendar.

Then, in 2007, Jaeger unveiled a skeleton version, in platinum, first, then, the year after, in rose gold for the Jubilé year ( 100 pieces in platinum, 175 pieces in rose gold ).

In 2011, we had a new Master Days Perpetual, in steel or in rose gold, plain dial. 40 mm case.

In 2014, a surprise... Jaeger Lecoultre gives birth to another 8 Days Perpetual Skeleton, with a delicious champlevé blue enamel " ring " surrounding the dial.

The skeleton movement is finely engraved, which was not the case on the 2007 version.

Engraved on both sides, as you can see here.

The case is 42 mm big, in white gold, this time, and 11, 55 mm high. Strangely, the whole watch looks much slimmer, more balanced than the Master 8 Days Perpetual Skeleton from 2007, which is 41, 5 mm big and 11, 8 mm high.

The explanation? The Master Grande Tradition has a more elegant case and refined lugs. The chunky look of the Master Case is over, now. That is the major flaw of the Master 8 Days Perpetual. Especially the Skeleton version from 2007.

The best evidence of what I just wrote is that it is because of that ( case ) that I traded my Master 8 Days Perpetual Skeleton. If it had the case of the Master Grande Tradition, I would have kept it.

Some words on the movement and the dial, which are naturally interlocked since you see the movement, front and backside.

The movement is the same for all the 8 Days Perpetual Calendar versions, the Cal 876, but here, as it is a skeleton, the complete reference is 876 SQ. It beats at the pace of 28, 800 alternances and is made of 262 parts.

The movement is not only skeletonised, it is also chiseled by a Master engraver who uses a burin for that purpose.

Did you know that it takes two months to skeletonise and decorate this movement?

You will also notice the shape of the bridges, which represents a planisphere, a symbol dear to Jaeger Lecoultre since the famous Geophysic, born in 1958.

Skeleton, engraving and... Enameling. This is the third stage and not the simplest one.

First, you have to decorate the white gold rings which are chiseled, surrounding the movement front side and backside. Then you delicately cover the rings with enamel, and put them in the kiln, several times.

The final operation consists in polishing the surface of the enameled rings with diamond powder.

The enameling process requires 2 days to be successfully achieved.

All this is made under the expertise of the Complications Horlogères Workshop.

On the movement, you have the sub dials dedicated to the day, the date, the month, the power reserve and the moon phase. And a window which shows the year, stuck to the month disc.

So to say, this is a full perpetual calendar. More legible than the 2007 version which had transparent discs.

A last detail, the leaf shaped hands. Which I like a lot.

In 2016, the green version of the Master Grande Tradition 8 Days Perpetual Skeleton Enamel has been introduced in the catalog.

Like the blue version born 2 years before, this is a limited edition of 200 pieces. Like its younger brother, it is a white gold watch.

The sub dials have been darkened, the moon is in gold, and there is one question about the color of the hands. On the press file pictures, I've seen darkened hands, while the watch I photographed had heated blue hands.

A last point about the number of pieces, for the blue or the green version. 200 pieces, I always found it was too much for this kind of watch at this level. Even more if you consider that 100 skeletonised movements were made for the 2007 version in platinum, and 175 more for the rose gold, in 2008. Even if they are not treated / decorated the same way, it threatens a bit the notion of exclusivity which should be strictly linked to this kind of watches.

I never had the opportunity to see this version, in green, before past week. It was time to make a review on it, and, as an extra bonus, to post a link to a video about this watch:

Looking forward reading your comments and thoughts,

Best.

Nicolas

Key Points from the Discussion

The watch's size is well-suited for displaying its intricate skeletonized movement and artistic enamel ring, making it an 'artistic watch' that still wears comfortably on the wrist.
The green enamel dial with blued hands elicits mixed opinions; some find the combination visually dissonant, while others appreciate its unique charm and the overall artistic touch.
The use of a standard case design, rather than overly complicated lugs or engravings, makes the watch versatile enough for various scenarios, despite its artistic and complicated nature.
A question arises regarding the perpetual calendar mechanism: whether it activates precisely at midnight or transitions step-by-step, completing the calendar switch later.
The practice of Jaeger-LeCoultre releasing numerous limited editions, even with quantities like 200 pieces, raises concerns among collectors about exclusivity and potential impact on secondary market value.

The Discussion

Tyo

Sep 23, 2017

I was really focus on the steel one, but the others are really cool too. it does suit me well

Luis6

Sep 23, 2017

After a few more looks back and forth, I began to appreciate the seemingly complicated dials of others.

Joepny

Sep 23, 2017

and the blued hands work perfectly in complement. The green enamel seems dissonant with the blued hands; it does not work as well visually but perhaps live it is different. I absolutely agree about the lack of modesty when JLC typically do these 200 quantity LE with so many references. It is not exclusive enough and collectors suffer in the secondary market. Of course JLC must answer to the Richemont overlords and they will make more if there is demand. It is a little shame.

ik2000

Sep 24, 2017

Not a great picture, but I felt the size was very good for this piece - it needs to be big enough to show off all the insides, but being more of an 'artistic watch' (i.e. enamel ring, beautifully decorated skeleton movement. It sat really really well on the wrist, and the work on the movement was stunning. I like the grey subdials in the green enamel version, and would love to see it in person. On a separate note, I noticed your felt 200 was not limited enough. Do you feel there is a big differe

ik2000

Sep 25, 2017

What I really liked is that, even with a very artistic touch, you could wear this watch in many scenarios. They used a normal case for this piece, which I really like. No complicated lugs, engravings, etc, that usually make a watch only suitable for special evenings etc. I'm very fussy about cases, and I think this combo works really really well indeed. Ha, the more I write about it, it brings back a lot of memories of just how much I really really like this piece!

nilomis

Sep 25, 2017

But the green has its own charm. Because of cultural preferences, I don't think that I will ever wear the green one. Beautiful pictures and a nice education on this line. Question: Do the perpetual engine activates by midnight or it goes step by step, finishing the calendar switch later? Cheers, Nilo

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JLC Master Grande Tradition 8 Days Perpetual Skeleton Green Enamel

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