Happy Birthday Caliber 101 !!! 1929-2009 !!
80 years old and all his teeth, congrats !!! 
Happy birthday 101!!
but who's this mysterious #101 ???
The 101 is the smallest mecanical caliber in the world, and it's been owning this title since 1929, date of its birth : a master piece of JLC, a mecanical artwork and the cause of many eyes-problems into the watch industry
some historical points :
JLC presented in 1929 his 101 caliber. The duoplan (1925) opened the way with a 2-levels movement to gain space and also to get a bigger balance and thus a bigger precision : the bigger is the balance, the more accurate is the watch : the graal for a manufacture: small parts but precision ... the pace was 21 600A/H, the 1st LC movement LC with a swing superior to the traditionnal 18000 A/H.
Duoplan's movement :
the crown is behind the watch, just like the future...Futurematic
crédit : https://www3.btwebworld.com/anthonygreen/detailofjaegerduo1656.htm
just for fun, JLC communicated on the very easy way for repairing such an elaborate movement : after-sales operation was very easy for AD : they just put off the level that was not operating, a standard change with spare parts and the client can go with his watch without having to wait for his watch for a too long time and sending the complete watch to the manufacture or having too high-ranking watch-makers in workshops (and to avoid loosing time and improve productivity )
Moreover, JLC gave a 2-year warranty for his watches with lloyds against lost, broken or stolen watches.. JLC marketing was a step further than its competitors . just a paper to fill and you have a new watch !
to finish with the duoplan, it was the 1st watch created by JLC : up to 1925, LC produced movements for other brands such as Patek, Vacheron etc.. but didn't make final watches. The 1st step of a bright future we are all pleased to see living nowadays ! the reputation of JLC as "form-movements" maker was also confirmed and proved again..
the 101 caliber evolved just a little bit but it kept all decades long its record of the smallest movement in the world .
98 parts in 2009 (74 in 1929), less than 1 gramm et so tiny dimensions : 14*4,8*3,4mm (resp L*l*H)
the most little part (called the "spin") is less than 0,17 milligrams !!! all JLC' DNA is in this caliber and we can find the superb story of Antoine LeCoultre who created the millionometer to measure the "micron" and touch perfection in producing parts.
always 21 600A/h and 33h of operation.
19 jewels !! can you imagine that ??? in fact, the superior number of parts between the 4 generations is linked to an increase in the number of jewels !
Bridges and platin are made of grey gold
so.. but it's very hard to imagine such a small movement.. just look at that for comparison !
credit : http://www.hautehorlogerie.org/fr/encyclopedie/histoire/20eme-siecle/1929-.html
or
credit : Jaeger92 and his own coins
and with an actual Reverso Grand sunmoon :
credit :Jaeger92
amazing, isn't it ??
101 is one of the rarest movement in spite of his apparent simplicity.. Since 1929, only 2000 movements have been assembled.. 80 years old, so 25 movements per year.
and now, please be sure that your wife is not near the screen and reading this wonderful post, because I fear for your wallet
the most famous whristshot with a 101 : Queen Elisabeth for her crowning in 1953 (sorry, I forgot my camera this day and couldn't take a close picture of the royal whrist: 
I hope that you enjoyed this story and that I didn't write too many silly things. Please do not hesitate to correct and complete my post !! .
again, happy birthday #101.. after such nice stories, how can I stop being a JLC fanatic ?? this Grande Maison is just amazing !
thank you for your patience and for having read my poor English
Jaeger92
Very nice reading, Jaeger 92
Yes, I was wondering who would speak about this caliber this year, and it was you!
I love the perspective pics you took on this caliber, with your own cents ( : ) ), and your Grande Sun Moon.
This caliber is just magic, and you perfetmy wrote and described it.
I would add a nice official pic of it, if you don't mind:
Just to better see the high degree of finish on this movement, and to admire the skill of the watchmakers of this period...
Best, Fabrice.
Nicolas
101 Wow! I wonder why Jaeger gets some stick sometimes
for not being one of the leading higher tier brands along Lange or Patek. Granted, for MOSTof their pieces IMO, the finish is not of the standard of Lange but I do not think they are too far off patek if at all (don;t flame me patek fans, I have one too).
I also keep hearing Jaeger being described as a luxury brand for the masses or the cheapest high end manufacturer (supposedly due to the reason that their watches are the cheapest to manufacture. Again this is what I hear and Jaeger fans, don;t flame me, I just bought one for my wife and am considering a Reverso Grande of sorts to accompany that purchase). Maybe its due to the many models they have introduced after the reverso range which for my novice opinion, is JLC defined.
But this Cal 101. Whether it is manufactured at a low cost, which if is the case, its a credit to JLC management, it should be by any count, seen as an engineering work of art then and now. Even more so, it should also help to perhaps better describe JLC as a manufacture that should be known more for the its movement research, design and expertise? After all the Cal 101 as we have seen is followed by the interesting movement of the Duometre and Triptyque no?
Thank you again for this thread. I may be off base with my comments above and for that I ask pardon for this always learning novice.
Not quite
That's not "remontoir" as we think of it commonly, like those seen on the Lange 31 day or the Journe Tourbillon, but the french word remontoir meaning "winder". Remontoir desous is specifying that the winding is on the back of the watch, rather than the usual position of the side...
A
Thanks for stealing my photo w/o credit
***GREY MARKET DEALER SITE REMOVED PER FORUM RULES***
This message has been edited by DRMW on 2010-07-15 00:04:27
It s indeed better to credit the pics, Greg
And each time I don't remember where I saw the pic, I say it.
But you also know that pics are verywhere on the web, and sometimes I have the surprise to see mine on other fora without any credit...
That's Life.
But I agree with you, it is always better to credit the pics, and I insist on this point.
Best,
Nicolas
Very nice report, Fabrice
Indeed the 101 is in a class by itself! And your pictures comparing size are just unbelievable!
Have a great weekend,
Alex
Great post on a great movement
The 101 is one of tghe several JLC movements that truly inspire my love for the brand. I wish that JLC would make cuff links with this movement for the men...
respo
Where are some pics of the reverso?
The Reverso 101 is perhaps the only diamond watch I've ever really wanted
A