Jaeger-LeCoultre Spices Up Its Master Control Calendar With A Grained Two-Tone Sector Dial
Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Master Control collection is certainly not the brand’s dressiest work. However, the impressive watches, many of which are complete calendars, still look fairly formal. Well, that’s about to change because the watchmaker from the Vallée de Joux is launching a sportier new version of its Master Control Calendar. It features a two-tone gray sector dial with a heavily grained surface. This watch is a limited edition of 500 pieces, and its jumping date hand will never obscure your moonphase display again.
I feel that Jaeger-LeCoultre is more focused on its Reverso range than anything else these days. However, that doesn’t mean the brand doesn’t make any other beautiful watches outside of that iconic collection. There’s the Polaris, of course, the Master Ultra Thin, and the Master Control collection. That last line debuted in 1992 with a name that refers to JLC’s rigorous “1000 Hours Control” certification. Let’s take a look at the newest member of the collection, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Calendar Limited Edition.
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Calendar Limited Edition
The new Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Calendar Limited Edition has a 40mm brushed and polished stainless steel case. The beveled bezel, the tops of the lugs, and their bevels are polished, while the case sides are horizontally brushed. We’ve already seen this case design in other watches in the Master Control collection. It’s a nice mix between formal and informal, giving the watches a more modern look.
With the push-pull crown at 3 o’clock, you can operate the in-house caliber 866AA. This automatic movement runs at a 4Hz frequency, features 34 jewels, and holds a comfortable power reserve of 70 hours. The original caliber 866 debuted in 2013 and received an update in 2020. That’s when its power reserve increased from 40 to 70 hours and it got an elegant jumping hand for the date. This function ensures the hand jumps all the way across the sub-dial when switching from day 15 to 16. That way, it will never block the beautiful moonphase indicator. This might seem like a minor detail, but imagine all the work that goes into creating such a thoughtful complication. You can look at some of the movement’s 344 components, like its rose gold rotor, through the exhibition case back.
A sporty, grainy, and gray sector dial
As mentioned, JLC’s Master Control collection looks quite formal. However, the Master Control Calendar Limited Edition spices things up a little with its two-tone gray sector dial. The elongated triangular applied hour markers and numerals are still there. This time, though, they have a more daring, grainy backdrop in light and darker gray instead of the classic silver sunburst.
You can also find the day and month windows below the Jaeger-LeCoultre logo at 12, serving as a visual counterweight for the blue moonphase disc and sub-seconds at 6 o’clock. A 31-date scale encircles it all and includes bright red accents for improved legibility. Sharp dauphine hands indicate the hours and minutes without distracting you too much from the beautiful dial underneath.
Limited to 500 pieces
I like this new version of JLC’s Master Control Calendar quite a bit. The sector layout helps organize the dial while adding a sporty character to the otherwise quite formal watch. The two gray tones help emphasize the layout, while the grainy texture contrasts nicely with the polished bezel and lugs. I know the jumping date hand isn’t new, but honestly, I wasn’t aware of it before I wrote this introduction article. It’s a nifty complication that shows JLC’s attention to detail and thoughtfulness. The new Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Calendar is a limited edition of 500 pieces and costs €16,500 / US$15,300 / £13,900.
What do you think of this refreshing addition to the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control collection? Let me know in the comments below.
