Jaeger-LeCoultre

JC2
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RE: Introduction and Master Ultra Thin SS (A little long...)

Dear all,

I have been lurking for a while and have been learning a great deal from the enthusiasts here. I am a true beginner interested in the beauty and craftsmanship of fine horology and this board has certainly fostered that interest tremendously.

I have also been noticing JLC as a watch making house that has struck a rapport with her fans. My experience of JLC is fairly limited. My mom once owned a Citroen Xantia--a beautifully designed French car but fraught with many technical problems, which was 'my' first car by the way so I had fond memories of driving it everywhere--that had a JLC speedometer. I have always been more of a IWC fan, and so I also had a IWC GST Alarm in titanium that used a modified JLC calibre alarm movement. But since IWC has gone on a "high" marketing route, and given my several chanced interactions with management of that company that has convinced me that they have gone off track from their core mission, I have decided to turn away from their offerings these days and look at what others have to offer.

Currently, I would like to add a dress watch to my collection. I have always been more or less a watch enthusiast focusing on 'versatility' and 'design' (i.e. literally design), so my nicer pieces which I wear are mainly the 80s porsche IWCs, and among them I love the Ocean 2000 most. It is like wearing a tank yet it is crafted with the low-key in mind. But perhaps of late--mainly due to age I believe--I have been looking at dress watches which I begin to feel a need for both social reasons (e.g. attending certain events that would make a diving/sports watch, no matter how low key, inappropriate), and as a launch pad to know more about the horological craft.

My watchmaker friend in Singapore would advise me to aim for more complications. However since I love the minimalism of 80s porsche design, the classic lines of very puristic minimally designed watches with good sense of proportion, balance, technical significance and a certain historical pedigree attracts me most. And this brings me to the JLC Master Ultra Thin I am considering.

I managed to find one up for sale in SS in like new condition, preowned but with a non-JLC strap and a new deployant buckle (the ref number hinted at tag buckle so I knew it was changed sometime during the ownership). Though the watch is preowned, it looks very new and assurance from a reputable dealership over a fairly in-depth conversation convinced me that the watch is not fraught with problems as it has been inspected and checked already.

I have some questions for owners and enthusiasts alike on this watch hoping to know more about it before I commit myself to a real JLC!

1. Would you choose white gold over SS? Why?----For me, I very much prefer white gold given that the precious metal adds to the luster of the watch. But it is also a bit more than I would like to commit for a watch I would only wear from time to time. Besides, the dealership I have access to do not carry the white gold version and I don't want to buy blind over the internet.

2. Would it be difficult to change the strap back to an original JLC strap with the tag buckle? I live in both San Francisco and Singapore, and I know that JLC has some presence in Singapore but my experience with IWC on getting accessories has been nothing but trouble. They seemed to have decided against that aspect of supporting collectors and owners.

3. I have done my homework checking out this watch on many boards. The consensus I have gathered is that this is a dependent watch despite its thinness; and performs reliably and accurately. But there were also some problems. If you are facing new problems with this watch, could you share with me?

4. What other suggestions would you have?

All my mechanical watches so far have been far more dependent than I am willing to believe--since I heard so much of various forms of failures. But I pamper what I own so they are not subjected to undue stress and abuse. I certainly hope to purchase this Ultra Thin but my eyes are on several other pieces as well, particularly a Vacheron Patrimony 'ranked' higher in the world of horology but without the flair of the JLC. I think the JLC fits my social habitus a little better too.

Thanks ahead for all comments and recommendations!

JC