A QUARTER OF A CENTURY
To provide a fitting celebration for the 25th anniversary of the Master Control collection, the watchmaker from the Joux Valley is presenting three new timepieces with a similar appearance, but very different functions.
Created in 1992, the family of round Master Control watches by Jaeger-LeCoultre has not had as much success as the Reverso collection, it’s true, but have nonetheless attracted a fair number of clients who love classic timepieces and who want something more accessible in terms of case shape. For the 25th anniversary, celebrated this year, three new Master Control models have been released, ranging from the most simple to the most complex: the Master Control Date, the Master Chronograph and the Master Geographic.
The steel cases with fixed bezels, between 39 and 40mm in diameter, according to the model, and the dials, blending circular brushed silver and sanded opaline, features in all three watches. The Master Control trio also share the same automatic mechanical movement, although they have three different calibres.
The Master Control model has the JLC 899/1 calibre to power the hour, minute and second displays at the centre, plus the date at 3 o’clock, while providing a power reserve of 38 hours. On the dial, the indices and Arabic numerals for the hours are linked by a circle, forming a discreet sun, across which the openwork, blued hands move.
On the Master Chronograph model, the dial is decorated by two guilloché discs with circular grooves, one to count the minutes of the chronograph (at 3 o’clock) and the other for the hours (at 9 o’clock), while the seconds tick away in the centre, as do the running hours and minutes. The calibre JLC 751G, running at 28,800 vibrations per hour, drives these functions and provides a power reserve of 65 hours.
Last but not least, the Master Geographic is a particularly useful watch for anyone who travels a good deal, since it features a second time zone, displayed in a counter at 6 o’clock on the dial, and which is adjusted using a pusher at 10 o’clock. A long counter running from 7.30 to 4.30 displays the names of 24 cities in 24 different time zones. A 24-hour indicator at 7 o’clock rounds off the functions for globe trotters with the calibre JLC 939B/1 providing the power.
Price: 5,900 CHF (Master Control Date) – 8,400 CHF (Master Chronograph) – 9,800 CHF (Master Geographic)
By Sharmila Bertin