Jaeger-LeCoultre Revamps A Masterful Collection
It was 1992 when Jaeger-LeCoultre introduced a collection that would grow on to become one of the pillars of the brand. The watches of the Master Control collection all featured a restrained design, giving them an understated appearance. This was the way that Jaeger-LeCoultre demonstrated its excellence, as everybody familiar with them, knew that these watches where fitted with some of the best movements in the industry. Almost three decades later, little has changed, as the new Master Control collection is once again prone to become a benchmark.
One of the elements that set these watches apart from its peers was the fact that Jaeger-LeCoultre tested each of them for 1.000 hours when it was fully cased-up. This remarkable testing process underscored the precision and reliability that have made Jaeger-LeCoultre ‘the watchmakers’ watchmaker.’ The new watches also have to pass this very stringent testing protocol, after which they receive an 8-year long warranty. Jaeger-LeCoultre also focussed on the movements itself, completely revising them and fitting them with silicon escapements and giving them extended power reserves of 70-hours, thanks to a longer mainspring as well as the use of new lubricants.
While the design of the watches all looks pleasantly familiar, these are also fine-tuned. They are slightly larger than their predecessors, now measuring 40mm in diameters. This gives them the advantage of still being able to offer that classic style, yet in a more contemporary size as many people now prefer a larger watch on the wrist. All the four watches currently in the collection, with the exception of the Master Control Date, are available in both stainless steel as well as ‘Le Grand Rose Gold.’ This is a proprietary alloy of pink gold, with palladium added to it. This ensures that oxidation has less effect on the gold, ensuring that it maintains its rose hue over an extended period of time.
While the Master Control Date, Calendar, and Geographic are familiar faces, the Master Control Chronograph Calendar is not. It is actually the first time that Jaeger-LeCoultre is combining these two complications in a single watch. With its clean design, it has a sense of functional elegance and is likely to become a favorite of the new Master Control collection.
