New for SIHH 2015: Jaeger LeCoultre pays tribute to the astronomy and the celestial movements. Two new watches are announced, both equipped with a meteorite dial so one can catch a piece of the heavens as one glance onto one’s wrist to read the time, or just to admire the handsome watch. One encased in steel and another in rose gold.
The JLC Master Calendar in rose gold with a meteorite dial.
The astronomical indications on the watch is powered by the Caliber 866, which provides day, date, month, moon phases in addition to the hour, minute and seconds.
The Master Calendar was first launched using the JLC Caliber 866 in 2012 with a silvered dial. The new watches will be presented with meteorite dials. The dial is cut from a single block of meteorite discovered and officially registered in Sweden. The meteorite comes from the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. The high iron content of the meteorite makes it a difficult material to work with. Starting from a massive block, several thin plates are cut and prepared such that it preserves the beauty and uniqueness of each piece and able to provide structural strength to be used as a dial.
Detail of the dial, showing the patterns on the dial. Each dial is unique, and sliced from a massive asteroid found and registered in Sweden.
The use of meteorite dials are not new to the watchmaking industry, the most famous examples are perhaps in the dials of a series of Rolex Daytona, and in a special edition of the Omega Speedmaster Soyuz Apollo. But this is still a very interesting method to do a dial, and guaranteeing that each watch is unique as the patterns and inclusions on the asteroid material is natural.
In steel, the watch looks rather different
JLC Meteorite Master Calendar in steel.
The movement is classical JLC automatic with large rotor. And is exactly the same one as found in the earlier Master Calendar with the silvered dial released in 2012.
The JLC Caliber 866 used to power the Master Calendar.
Specifications from Press Release
Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Calendar
Movement
- Mechanical automatic winding movement, Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 866
- 43-hour power-reserve
- 305 parts
- 32 jewels
- 5.65 mm thick
- 26 mm in diameter
Functions
- Hour, Minute
- Seconds
- Day
- Date
- Month
- Moon phases
Case
- Steel or 18-carat pink gold
- Diameter: 39 mm
- Thickness: 10.6 mm
- Polished finish
- Cambered sapphire crystal
- Water-resistance: 5 barDial
- Meteorite
- Applied hour markers
Hands
• Hours and minutes : Dauphine-type
Crown
• One crown to wind and adjust the watch
Strap
- Alligator leather, steel folding clasp
- Alligator leather, 18-carat pink gold pin buckle
References
- Q1552540 (pink gold) … Singapore retail S$33,100, inclusive of 7% GST (a 10% premium over the regular Master Calendar)
- Q1558421 (steel) … Singapore retail S$16,000 , inclusive of 7% GST (a 5% premium over the regular Master Calendar)
