Of
the hundreds of men's tourbillon watches from dozens of manufacturers,
only a handful can stand lug-to-lug with the greatest tourbillons of
classical tradition. The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Tourbillon is one of the few worthy heirs to that legacy.
Before the 1980s, tourbillons were special.
Delivery times were measured in years, and even as far back as the
1920s, the most complicated examples could cost five to six figures in
US dollars.
Today, a $1,000 Chinese tourbillon watch can be purchased in five minutes on the Internet.
Yet the Master Tourbillon, a 41mm stainless steel model, seems almost austere at first glance.
Men's tourbillon watches tend to be characterized by precious metals,
cosmetic gems, elaborate finishing of the visible movement, and
subsidiary complications. Not this one.
Jaeger-LeCoultre, founded in 1833 in Le Sentier, Canton of Vaud,
Switzerland, is one of the most accomplished movement manufacturers in
haute horlogerie.
With over 1,200 unique calibers in its catalogue, JLC strives to create
the Platonic form of any style or complication that it chooses to
tackle.
JLC does one thing, and does it best: JLC makes time machines.
While the absolute chronometric value of a tourbillon in a wristwatch
is debatable, there is no arguing the accuracy of JLC's caliber 978.
When Swiss timing trials — a form of sanctioned accuracy competition —
resumed in Le Locle after a 32-year hiatus, the Master Tourbillon and
its caliber 978 destroyed the competition by restricting deviation to
.13 seconds per day — less than 48 seconds per year. Forget the mechanical competition; that's quartz accuracy.
Nobody else came close. Losers included several storied manufactures that submitted hot-rodded prototypes assembled specifically for the competition. JLC's watch was a consumer model.
At the time, the Master Tourbillonc retailed for approximately $50,000, but it was a giant-killer. JLC emerged from the competition with total satisfaction…almost.
The Master Tourbillion's rampage of regularity claimed one
unintentional scalp: JLC's $350,000 Reverso Gyrotourbillon 2 finished
second to its little brother.
As a model from JLC's Master line, this is the rare tourbillon that is tough enough to wear daily. It is waterproof down to 50m depth, auto-winds, and features a date; a second time zone; allows forward and backward adjustment of the date; and accepts JLC's rubber straps.
Its steel case makes occasional refinishing more affordable than any
other men's tourbillon watch on the market, new or pre-owned.
Own the watch that owned the competition; own Jaeger-Lecoultre's Master Tourbillon. Bekijk meer horloge en breitling others replica
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