The highly respected brand has proven their expertise in this latest release, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition a Quantieme Perpetuel 8 Jours SQ watch. This model drew inspiration from a 1928 pocket watch, and in a limited edition collection of only 200 timepieces, the brand demonstrates all the skilled mastery of skeletonizing, enameling, and engraving. A remarkable piece whose skeleton movement is embellished entirely by hand, and the dial features guilloché work, and a translucent blue enamel.
The only perpetual calendar timepiece with an 8-day power reserve, it is mechanically programmed through the year 2100 and activated by a single date-corrector. The crafting on this masterpiece utilizes some of the highest artistic talents. Skeletonising a movement requires the utmost in precision, understanding the design of the Calibre 876, and then determining which components can be safely pierced and which can be cut away. Once the plan was developed the master designer and his team carefully began the process, each and every piece of the movement are then polished, beveled, and engraved, all by hand, one at a time.
The enameling allows the timepiece to be decorated, a white gold ring surrounding the dial, and another for the case back. Chiseled by hand, and then covered with the blue enamel, the grand feu “champleve” method was used on the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition a Quantieme Perpetuel 8 Jours SQ watch. A master craftsman, Miklos Merczel and his team did the enameling process, applying the enamel, firing in a kiln, and delicately polishing the piece with a diamond powder. The most intricate of this process is patience, as it takes about 2 days of work to complete the two enamel rings that surround the dial and the movement.
Crafting the miraculous timepiece doesn't end with the artistry of design, the inner working, the springs, program wheels, gears, pinions and levers coupled with the work from Dominique Vuez and Miklos Merczel are what complete the exquisite collection. The quality control that goes into the final product is what makes the highest of quality and utmost of precision in this timepiece. The in-house made Caliber 876SQ provides the long power reserve sitting between two mainspring barrels and an amazing 260 parts.
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition a Quantieme Perpetuel 8 Jours SQ watch is truly an elegant artistic example of the brands talents. Because of the hand crafting in this collection, each piece is unique, all 200 in the collection feature the tiniest of details each with their own identity. Hand wound, with 6.6 mm tall, the manufacturing of each of these timepieces will be be done at the Vallée de Joux, and collectors will be waiting in line to own this stunning and spectacular piece.