Jaeger-LeCoultre

I also have a strong attraction to sport watches by associating, wrongly, "social watches" with old men that wear a suit all the time and smokes cigars on a man's club, discussing what is the best hospital.

Just to illustrate my previous prejudice, my "social watch" is/was a Zenith El Primero Class.

The magic of watches is that sometimes one particular watch pops up and changes everything.

In this case, the Master Moon ("old" version, ref. 140.2.98.S), was the change agent.

The MM caries a round case with a transparent case back, 37mm without the crown and just 10mm of height.
It comes with an alligator strap locked by a fold over buckle. The overall look is 40's/50's.

It wears almost "under the radar" and, during the first days, i had to check, several times, if I was wearing a watch. Cool!

The white dial shows everything (time - with small seconds, date, day of the week, month and the moon phase).
Depending on the light conditions the overall visibility is not great but this is not a diver or cave dweller watch.

Let's look to some pictures (this watch belongs to the "picture challenge" types because of the polished bezel and sides):

The arrow shaped marker are so 50's but fits well for this watch. The MM "looks" claims for some B&W pics.

The MM fits well on the side of my collection of old lenses.

The movement:

The MM is equipped with a JLC movement 891 (base) /448 (date/moon/etc.) -- (this info about the 448 needs to be confirmed) that is, by my book, a small wonder.

This movement, according to my quick research, is used by other non-JLC watches (IWC Small Portuguese 3531.
It carries the JLC bidirectional switching automatic wind mechanism (notice also the 22C gold portion on the winding rotor).
There are good reviews of this movement over the Web.

As anyone expects the MM is a very precise watch. The next picture shows the movement being time tested. Zero seconds/day on the quick test that I did.

During my day to day routine, the watch did not show, or I could notice, any deviation from my time source.

A world of warning - Be sure to read the instruction manual before doing any settings on this watch. The date/moon phase requires a very particular time of the day to be set. Failing of doing this will damage the date mechanism.

As I "rotate" my few watches, this one will stay on a watch winder just to avoid repetitive settings.

This watch is no longer in production but is possible to source one for a very fair price, for the SS version.

Summary - This one is a real keeper. The bad news is that, after wearing it, all my sport watches looks so big.

Thanks for reading and a great weekend to all.

This is a watch with a lot of charm.

Thanks a lot for your great post.

Fx

.. which do justice to this fine piece , Nilo !
A piece, that is often underrated, your point is well taken .

Happens to be, that also for me this was one of my first JLC's, in fact my first round one from LGM, and I still love it. - One of my frequent choices, when I go to a nice dinner, or a bit 'in style', but not too much.
Also the blue moon, the bright dial & polished bezel, plus the red half-moon date pointer, provide some nice finesse.
(Finally, also mine shows excellent time-keeping with that autotractor bi- directional movement)

-- How true, it is a keeper, with timeless balance..

So thank you for your pleasant review and specifically these lovely b/w shots.

PS:
- I take the liberty to kindly greet yours with a blueishly outfitted sister

Best, hs

The MM movement uses bidirectional winding and the autotractor is unidirectional, based on my sources.

Thanks again to enrich this post with your great pics.

Cheers

.. Nice to look at as well, as you have also pointed out.

Thx again for the review and the splendid pictures,
pleasant to see this MM re-appearing, from time to time.

Continue to enjoy yours !

Best, hs

...looking big compared to the Master Moon. I may not have the Master Moon with me now. But I still have this pic your comment reminded me of.



Ruckdee

Ruckdee,

Thanks for the pic.

It's fun to see how the MM fits over the dial of the Proplof.

I forgot to post a pic that compares the MM with the MCM (your view is much better):

Of course, is not only the face size but also the height of the MCM when compared with the MM.

Cheers

Couldn't afford it when new. And I don't buy used so it will probably be five or six years until the next reincarnation of sporty, non-AMVOX Memovox??

Ruckdee

No message body

No message body

makes for an unconventional comparison

J

Makes me want to go out and get one, but I am gong to be a good boy and hold back.

Best regards,

George

Well done and thanks for sharing your impressions on that lovely watch.  This message has been edited by Davo on 2011-09-18 00:48:04

First class pics and interesting observations.

I agree with you on your observations about this watch.

Like you, I much prefer this version ot the later one, with the power reserve which ruins the dial, in my opinion.

The movement is excellent, reliable, and accurate.

A small reserve, though, or let's say, a doubt, a question: Wouldn't it be a killing piece if it came with a manual movement???

I can't help thinking about the Vintage, when I see this Master Moon, with its awesome manual movement, one of the nicest calibre made by JLC.

And, as we are speaking about the Vintage, the case is another killing detail... One of the most exquisite Vintage JLC in my book.

My wish? To see JLC reissue a top Master Calendar / Moon, with these same exquisite details, or, at least, tghe same spirit, of delicateness.

 

Just for your eyes, Nilo... A pic of the Vintage Triple Calendar, for you to see:



Best, my friend. Nicolas.

Nicolas,

Thanks for sharing another wonder of yours. I love those "tear drop" lugs, even if we consider that they are a little on the fragile side (Here we have a person that can solder a tear drop lug and no one can tell, but this is an almost extinct art).

About manual wind, it would be a killer, in special considering the transparent back case that could offer a better view of the movement.

Of course, and I remember my early watches days, many buyers will not favor this. During the acquisition of my first Omega Speedmaster (my hair was darker at that time) I passed a Moon watch and I got an automatic one (one of my worst watches) by thinking: "Well, I can live with a mechanical watch but not with a hand wound one!!".
It's amazing the number of very bad decisions we do when we are novice on this "disease".

Today I tend to favor manual wind ones, in special when they have a clear case back.

Cheers

He had to repair a teardrop lug which broke during a strap change... !

Yes, so fragile, but so beautiful.

On another side, I am quite pleased to see that JLC is working / re thinking their case, which is obvious when you see the new Master Moon 39.

I'm waiting for this kind of case, elegant, well proportionned, and so appealing.

Promising with an automatic movement, irresistible with a manual winding movement, at least for me.

Best,

Nicolas.

Quiet elegance, 40s vibe, beautiful details...

Almost calls out for a black and white shot...  speaking of which, the black dialed version is also great!

Similar case shape to the Calatrava... 

I too was less than impressed with the more recent Master Calendar - the large power reserve clutters up the dial.  A hand wind version?  Not so sure, although I have toyed with picking up a vintage triple calendar of this type. 

In special the BW one.

I agree about the modern one. I see no point on power reserve indicators.

Cheers

Thank you for a great report!

 

I agree with you that this version is much better then the new one with the oversized PR.

 

Now when you have started with non-sport watches…

 

Time for the original Triple Date Moon?!

 

 

Or maybe the simpler Triple Date?

 

 

 

 

Best

 

Blomman

I didn't forgot my priorities:

1. Snowdrop, like this one: jlc.watchprosite.com
   
2. Another Snowdrop?
   

Cheers

Love those lugs.  Would be great to see a modern interpretation of this, lugs and all!

Hello nilomis!

This post put a smile on my face.  My first JLC is the same watch (but with a black face).  I've always liked triple date watches and to me the Master Moon was the perfect watch.  Clean, functional, and with the clear caseback it's awesome!  Thanks for the post and pictures!

-MW

I also have, here with the PuristS, some watches that put a smile on my face.

Cheers

And wonderful photos, as usual.

What time of the day or which hours must the hour hand be within or at, before you can adjust the moon phase or date?

Best,

Horo

Do all adjustments around 6-8 in the morning because the day/date changes something between 11:30pm-02am and the moon phase around 12-12:30pm.

A more detailed explanation can be located here:

jlc.watchprosite.com

Cheers

Thank you and congratulations for being the happy owner of a classic!

thx for shsring your observations

j