Why I Bought The Jaeger-LeCoultre Geophysic Universal Time

I had to drive from Amsterdam to Brussels in 2015 to see the new Jaeger-LeCoultre Geophysic Universal Time with deadbeat seconds in the metal. It was worth it. Both the three-handed Geophysic True Second and Universal Time impressed me a lot, especially the travel watch with a world-map dial and a practical complication. Upon learning the price, I instantly cooled my desire. Still, the memory of the watch’s sophisticated yet powerful appearance, its interesting movement with a Gyrolab balance wheel, and its solid-gold rotor lingered. Ten years after the watch’s introduction and six years after its discontinuation, I got an offer I couldn’t refuse.

Watches bearing the Geophysic name seem to have been born under an unlucky star. The original Geophysic ref. E168 was only in production for a very short period in 1958 before being replaced by the Geomatic. In 2014, the limited-edition Tribute to Geophysic 1958 reissue debuted. One year later, four new Geophysic references appeared. The collection featuring the three-hand True Second (deadbeat seconds) and Universal Time complications certainly caught my attention, but to call these elegant yet sporty and sturdy watches with fascinating movements inside their steel or rose gold cases commercial successes would be wildly inaccurate. Just four years after the introduction of the “Geophysic Quartet,” they were forced to leave the stage. I guess you could say I found my steel Geophysic Universal Time backstage.

Why I bought the Jaeger-LeCoultre Geophysic Universal Time — Are those seconds true or dead?

Where do you start when you love every little aspect of something? Well, the watch made a huge first impression on me a decade ago. It did so with its great proportions, a vivid dial, a practical travel complication, and the nice, eccentric touch of the “true seconds,” making this mechanical timepiece seem like a quartz watch to the untrained eye. I know the deadbeat-seconds function is a nerdy feature, but it also serves a purpose beyond confusing people; when adjusting the watch, you can set it exactly to the second very easily.

Why Jaeger-LeCoultre chose the term “True Second” over “Deadbeat Second” is quite possibly the result of a discussion in the marketing rather than the watchmaking department. “Deadbeat” might sound a bit morbid or low-class to those unfamiliar with traditional watchmaking and could scare off customers. In any case, the more positive name wasn’t the magic ticket to success.

A balance wheel like a TIE fighter

Since we’re on the topic of ticking seconds, we might as well start with the source of the ticking, the JLC caliber 772. Its most interesting feature is the balance wheel. It’s not your ordinary round balance wheel; instead, it’s shaped like a TIE fighter from Star Wars. The Gyrolab balance wheel first appeared in experimental Extreme Lab watches, but the Geophysic collection marked the balance wheel’s debut in a series of regular-production watches. The idea behind the semicircular balance wheel is that a smaller size and more aerodynamic shape improve energy management and increase accuracy.

As you already know, the Geophysic collection is no longer in production, but JLC continues to produce Gyrolab balance wheels. Today, the Gyrolab is an exclusive feature found only in the complicated Reverso Hybris Artistica Calibre 179 and some exotic Gyrotourbillon references. The True Second feature helps you read time more accurately, while the Gyrolab ensures the watch runs accurately.

The movement’s finishing meets high-horology standards, and the solid-gold rotor looks exclusive. Both technically and aesthetically, the 4Hz caliber 772, with a power reserve of 40 hours, is very pleasing. It’s also easy to operate. This watch displays 24 time zones simultaneously. The 24-hour ring moves in sync with the hour and minute hands when you set them together. However, the hour hand can also be independently adjusted backward or forward to display local time.

Athletic elegance

Another nicely finished part is the 41.6mm-diameter, 50m-water-resistant steel case. It has an 11.84mm profile and a 49.5mm lug-to-lug, making it well proportioned and easy to wear. Its muscular lugs hold a 21mm strap, and while prominent on the wrist, the case isn’t garish art all. It also features a satin finish on the sides and a bright mirror-like polish on the tops of the lugs and the bezel, resulting in very dynamic light play.

The slim bezel allows for a large dial. To keep a world-time watch readable, you need all the space you can get. There are some very clever touches in the Geophysic Universal Time. The luminescent hour-marking dots on the rehaut are a nod to historical JLC travel watches and help readability in darker conditions. On the steel version of the Geophysic Universal Time (JLQ8108420), which I acquired, the continents appear in silver/gray. The Greenwich meridian is shown as a red dotted line. A cool, albeit not functional, little detail is the two screws you can see just above and below the center axis.

Why I bought the Jaeger-LeCoultre Geophysic Universal Time — Full disclosure

The reason I didn’t buy the Geophysic Universal Time when it came out 10 years ago was the price. When it launched, it cost €14,600. That was fair for a beautifully made and finished world-time watch with a high-end movement inside, but I simply couldn’t afford it back then. I kept looking for it online for many years, and my search intensified when I felt the urge to fill a gap in my watch collection. I needed a travel watch. The first and only candidate for a long while was the Grand Seiko Evolution 9 GMT SBGE285 “Mist Flake,” but then, a new-old-stock Geophysic Universal Time crossed my path. It had enchanted me once, so I knew it would do it again, and now it came with a very persuasive price. I pulled the trigger instantly.

Since the watch arrived, it has kept me in its grip. The proportions are perfect. The styling is a modern mix of sportiness and classic elegance, and the function is practical and stunningly presented. It has fantastic finishing, and the ticking seconds hand is such a cool, eye-catching feature. The thin black alligator strap might have to go in time, but for now, I’m happy with it. Surprisingly, I’m also on good terms with the folding clasp. It’s nice and slim, looking understated and elegant.

My watch and I are still honeymooning, but I expect we will continue to do so for a very long time. The Geophysic Universal Time might not have been in production for many years, but I think it’s a timeless classic. I can’t wait to travel with it across different time zones and put this beauty to work.