The 2020 edition of Watches & Wonders Geneva 2020 has been indelibly defined by prestigious complication for Jaeger-LeCoultre, especially with the latest version of their Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication. In addition to its orbital flying tourbillon, this watch incorporates one of the most demanding complications in the world — the minute repeater. As an example of the technical expertise at Jaeger-LeCoultre, the Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication is unmatched, but it is equally inspiring in the matter of design.
The Technical Side
With the new Master models presented at Watches & Wonders Geneva 2020 (Master Control Date, Master Control Geographic, Master Control Calendar and Master Control Chronograph Calendar), Jaeger-LeCoultre have beautifully augmented their heritage collection. When it comes to haute horlogerie, Jaeger-LeCoultre have proved equally up to the task by releasing the Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication.
The minute repeater was reintroduced to Jaeger-LeCoultre’s repertoire in the 1990s and has been constantly improved and refined since. After much work on improving the tones of the chime, La Grande Maison managed to achieve a chime that was measurably purer and more intense than other repeaters. Using cathedral gongs fixed to the dial sapphire crystal (an innovation called “crystal gongs” by Jaeger-LeCoultre), the Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication is the heir to years of effort in perfecting the chiming complication.
The blue (or black) dial is decorated by an illustration of a sky chart depicting the constellations of the Northern Hemisphere, showcasing Jaeger-LeCoultre’s extensive savoir-faire in astronomical complications. First introduced in the 2010 Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication, the orbital flying tourbillon had a solo appearance in last year’s Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Céleste, but is reunited with its original partner — the minute repeater — in 2020. The tourbillon is fixed to the dial, and they rotate as a unit around the periphery of the watch in an anticlockwise direction. The time taken for the tourbillon to make one complete orbit of the watch is a sidereal day — 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4.1 seconds. While our standard 24-hour day is calculated by how long it takes for the sun to reappear in the same position in the sky, sidereal time uses the stars as a reference, which explains the slight difference in duration.
The Design Side
The Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication is an architectural work of depth and relief, principally on the dial, but equally applicable to the case. Jaeger-LeCoultre debuted the new case aesthetic in 2019 with the Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon Westminster Perpétuel and the Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle. Its codes are now replicated in the Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication (in rose goldor white gold), comprising polished, satin-brushed and micro-blasted finishes. In addition to the visual effect created by this play of light between different textures, these finishes impart a distinctive and inviting tactile experience. The version in white gold takes things a step further with a bezel set with baguette-cut diamonds for an extra dimension of subtle sparkle.
The dial is in a league of its own with its flying tourbillon, completely unhindered and unobscured by an upper tourbillon bridge. Unlike a conventional tourbillon, the flying tourbillon is cantilevered, supported only at its base, allowing the wearer to fully appreciate this fine mechanism, soaring over the dial like a celestial orb roaming the cosmos. The upper dial plate which bears the sky chart is haloed by a metal lattice, individual nuclei connected by straight lines — reflecting the constellation motif whilst simultaneously being reminiscent of an atomic model. This complex element, evoking both macro- and micro-cosmic structures, has been machined from a single block of brass and then put through a galvanic treatment to match the case material. It weighs only 0.6g, and if you can’t imagine what that feels like, it’s about one strand of uncooked spaghetti. Its lightness is a highly important factor, as this element is mounted on the rotating dial plate, and any additional weight puts a mechanical load on the movements and could affect the performance of the watch.
When wearing the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication, the universe seems to fit into a 45mm timepiece, perfectly around the wrist.
