Jaeger-LeCoultre

amanico
[JLC Moderator]
400157

• Show profile
• Show other posts

Let's come back to the Master Compressor Extrem Lab

3 years after its introduction at the 2007 SIHH, I wanted to come back to this piece, and asked the Manufacture to show me it once again.

I won't go in some deep technical explanations, as Jerome made an EXTRAORDINARY post about it, I highly recommend to read, if it's not already done:



The MC Extrem Lab:



These 2 pieces are UFOs in the Horological World, as they certainly are the most advanced watches when we come to speak about the watches major problem, bigger ennemy, Lubrification, by the use of revolutionnary materials to achieve this purpose.

They don't only share the same goal, they also share a special aesthetic, indeed.

They obviously look like Extrem Watches they are!

But when the Innovision has not been delivered yet, as far as I know ( and will it be delivered? ), the delivery of the Extrem Lab has begun, a very few pieces, but it is not programmed to be massively produced, as maybe 3 or 5 watches will be made for a period of 4 or 5 years...

So, 3 years after, let's see this Extrem Lab once again, under 3 angles:

1/ The Technical Interest:

Trying to transform the " Ephemere " in Perpetuity, or, at least, giving the watch and its components a longer life, isn't that the Ultimate Dream shared by Humans and Watches ?



The Technical Defy is easier to understand than to solve:

When at the end of 4 or 5 years, you send your watch to the Service Center, what do they do, basically?

They change the damaged parts, components, they clean the movement ,and change the used oil, which has a short life.

Damaged parts, used oil, there is certainly a cause / effect relation...

This is the " Raison d' Etre " of the Extrem Lab.

Re thinking the movement, by using new materials ( not to say revolutionary, to avoid the emphasis ) like Magnesium, Carbon, Graphite, Silicium, Ticalium, Aluminium, and Easium, which bringgs, with this last material used on some other parts of the movement 4 more Lab Solutions.

So, despite what is written on one of the bridge, the Extrem Lab doesn't include 8, but 12 Lab Solutions.



You will notice the presence of a new oscillating weight featuring redesigned geometrical shape and affording an improvement in winding performances.

Its weight is 28% lower than classic rotors, since it is made in an alloy of platinum and iridium,and its arms are made from carbon fibres so as to make them lighter and more rigid.

Friction is further reduced by mounting the oscillating weight on tiny ceramic ball-bearings.

The original nice blackened parts of the movement, as if JLC wanted to enhance the technicality of its caliber, is the cherry on the cake.

Rethinking the components in their mututal relation for the good work of the watch.

The movement is protected against shocks by a silent block, and as it is oil free, it can work under extrem temperatures, from the coldest to the warmest, without risk to be ruined.

All is here, with the Extrem Lab movement, which offers the following complications and sophistications:

Local and Home Time Hours, Minutes, AM / PM indicator, Jumping date ( like on the Master Tourbillon ) which avoids the 5/ 7 zone where the tourbillon is located, and the Tourbillon, whose cage is made in Magnesium.

The only regret I have is that this watch has a power reserve of only 48 Hours, which seems a bit too conventional for such a special time keeper.

As it is a watch of the Extrems, the case received some improvements, too, as it is made in titanium grade 5, with a carbon fiber ring located on its central part.

The bezel is made of an uncommon material: The Silicium Carbonitride.

And, if this is not enough for you, JLC innovated ALSO with the Cordura Leather strap, with Alcantara at the backside, whose technical originality serves the most important purpose, the comfort when you wear your watch.

The adjustment at the lugs ( or between, but you got the idea ) is notched, which allows you to feel a light resistance when you bend the strap.

It is not only fun or original, it is also really comfortable.

The Technical playground is, IMO, a very important Evolution, which will be a Milestone in the Horological History.

2/ Aesthetically speaking, it won't be everyone's taste.

BUT, isn't this the case for all the watches which have a strong personality?

Therefore, can't we also say that the main purpose of this watch being a Laboratory watch, it can afford such a special, technical and strong look?

Wouldn't a consensual ( or wiser ) style be out of " propos " on such a watch?





The Extrem Lab is big, with a 45 mm ( unusual size, by the way, as the Extrem Line is 46, 3 mm ), and relatively thick, with its 14, 80 mm.

BUT, the excavated main part of the case, letting show the carbon ring all around it, minimizes the size of the watch, giving it a light appearence when you look at the side of the case:



These dimensions suggest strength, obviously, enhanced by this Compressor Crown, at 3, and the dark finish of the whole watch, even of the dial, where the only contrast is represented by the white numbers, and indexes, and some small red touches ( " arrow " of the Date Hand, AM / PM hand, and the stitching on the strap ) .





The link with the Compressor family, hands apart, is the design of the index numbers, which brings a Retro " Touche " to this very modern Extrem Lab, as it had borrowed this element of style from the first Master Compressor Memovox, which was inpsired from the... Polaris.

Obsessed, me?

Nooo!



The big profit, with such a dial, is the extrem ( sorry for the pun ) legibility.

The open dial contributes to the originality of the watch, or better said, it is echoing to its originality:



The backside is in the same vein, dark, intriguant, but powerful, and almost Sculptural.

The sapphire case back let admire the Cal 988 C, which is nicely finished, with this combination of black, grey and white colors.







The form and the function, then?

Personally, I think so, it really looks to be built for Hard Life.

This special, very personal look is made for extrem uses, a watch conceived for Globe Trotters, Adventure Lovers ( but rich ones, because this watch biggest problem is its price... ), or for some Expeditions, like the actual test in the Himalaya, for instance.

It definitely can't be shaped nor conceived like a Calatrava nor a Duo Metre!

Another last point, the incredible light weight of the Extrem Lab.

When you're on to take it in your hands, you're prepared to something quite heavy, due its generous volumes.

I've never tried such a light watch...Really stunning.

The consequence?

When you put it on your wrist, you quite immediately forget it, you feel nothing, really nothing.

Added to the very comfortable strap, it is a pleasant watch to try.

3/ This watch doesn't only belong to History, it will also make the History:

The Extrem Lab has be announced since 2007 as a Laboratory watch, which will announce tomorrow watches.

As previously said, some very happy few will get one ( maybe total of 25 will be produced ), which is an Historical summary of technical Innovations.

In this sense, this still is ,and will be, a watch which belongs to History.

But History with a Future is much better, don't you think?



- The Amvox III ( Cal 988 ) :

Introduced in 2008 for the Rose Gold, and in 2009 for the Platinum, both of these versions were the first to receive something from the Extrem Lab: The carbon fibres rotor and its platinum iridium oscillating weight, mounted on ceramic ball-bearings.

Here, the Ceramic / Rose Gold Case:



And here, the Ceramic / Platinum:



Is there only a technical ressemblance?

We could also say that some aesthetical points are shared by the Extrem Lab and the Amvox III.

The smaller Amvox III case ( 44 mm ) is hardly noticeable, compared to the Extrem Lab 45 mm, the dial is definitely different, in both cases, from what we use to see in the current JLC production, and the location of the complications is the same:





The " air de famille " with the Extrem Lab is even more obvious with the Ceramic Platinum version, don't you think?

To end with the Amvox III, we could also see it as a " Baby Extrem Lab ", less " Extrem ", more " Gentleman Driver "....

Of course, it doesn't have such elaborated and original movement as the Extrem Lab, but they both share some complications:

Local and Home Time, the same jumping date, an AM / PM indicator. and a Tourbillon.

- The Master Grande Tradition Minute Repeater and the Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon ( Cal 947 for the first, Cal 987 for the second ) :

These are the 2 other watches to take benefit of some of the Innovative Solutions from the Extrem Lab, in 2009: The Silicium Escapement.

Please note that if the Master Grande Tradition Minute Repeater is receiving a silicium
escapement, the Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon is using the same escapement, but only in the YG version ( not the platinum ).

The 2 Master Grande Tradition in yellow gold:





To be compared with the Platinum Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon, with a conventional ecapement:





You will notice that there is no magnifier on the platinum version ( at the contrary of the YG model, which is located at 6, on the case back ), because of its traditional escapement:



Not only the lever wheel, but also the lever is made in silicium.

To quote Jerome ( please read his review on the Master Grande Tradition Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon ) :

" The lever is quite different. The " traditional " Extreme Lab lever was fitted with black diamond pallets, while the new lever is made single-block in silicium,

The two silicium parts are covered with a diamond coating ".

So, these YG Master Grande Tradition are to be considered as a development made from the Extrem Lab, a kind of continuation, in a dressier, less " wilde " presentation.

- The Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication, which is the Extrem Lab and the Grande Sonnerie natural " daughter " ( Cal 945 ), launched this year.



It indeed uses the Technology of the Silicium escapement from the Extrem Lab, for the Flying Tourbillon taken from the Hybris Mechanica à Grande Sonnerie.



The most poetic Extrem Lab Heir, for sure!

- The .... Extrem Lab II ( Cal 781 ) :

The name speaks for itself, it is the most direct Heir of the original Extrem Lab.



The look is built for Adventure, as well as the Extrem Lab, with its sandwich case made in Titanium Grade 5 and TiVan 15, its ceramic bezel and crown.

The watch is obviously technical, with its Digital Chrono, its amagnetic construction.

And, like on the Extrem Lab, or better said, borrowed from this last one, the silicium escapement, and the oscillating weight with the platinum segment...



I'm quite sure that the Future will bring us some other extraordinary time pieces which will borrow some other refinements from the Extrem Lab.

History is on the way!

Best,

Nicolas This message has been edited by amanico on 2010-06-14 13:37:11 This message has been edited by amanico on 2010-06-18 22:51:59 This message has been edited by amanico on 2010-06-21 11:34:42