MAJOR ACCORD
This watch unveiled at the recent SIHH in Geneva sums up all the skills of the manufacture. It includes a perpetual date, a minute repeater and a multi-axial tourbillon.
The hour and minute hands on the Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon Westminster Perpétuel move around an off-centred dial at 12 o’clock. Three counters signal the presence of a perpetual date. The day, the date and the month, which can be reset in both directions, will not need to be corrected until 2100. This limited edition of just 18 pieces also has a new-generation, multi-axial tourbillon that you can see at 6 o’clock. The gyrotourbillon with a titanium cage has been designed on a small scale and with a low weight (just 0.4 grams). It plays the role of a chronometric amplifier, while correcting any errors in the balance wheel and balance spring pairing. It is aided by a constant-force mechanism, which acts as a second source of energy.
This exceptional timepiece also achieves the feat of playing the chimes of Big Ben with the help of a minute-repeater mechanism. Featuring four pairs of gongs and hammers, it chimes out clearly and powerfully on the hour, the quarter hour and each minute when set. To achieve such excellent sound quality, Jaeger-LeCoultre opted to weld the gongs to the dial crystal of the watch. And to optimise the tempo of each chime, a special system is used to reduce the gap between notes.
This complication is perfectly integrated into the calibre 184. The same is true of the 1,050 components that went into making this hand-wound movement (50 hours of power reserve). Many can be seen at work through the back of the 43mm-wide and 14.08mm-thick grey-gold case.
Price: 800,000 EUR www.jaeger-lecoultre.com
By Dan Diaconu