Friday, March 8, 2013

Jaeger-LeCoultre Declares that Thin is In With New Perpetual Watch

Master Ultra Thin Perpetual watch

Swiss luxury watch brand Jaeger-LeCoultre has released an ultra-thin automatic perpetual calendar timepiece. The 39mm watch has a thickness of 9.2 mm. It houses the Caliber 868 movement, the manufacture’s ultra-thin automatic perpetual calendar movement that’s a mere 4.72 mm thick.

In addition to the hour, minute and central seconds hands, the Master Ultra Thin Perpetual watch comprises three counters dedicated to the perpetual calendar displays: the first at 9 o’clock for the day of the week; the second at 3 o’clock for the date; and the third at 6 o’clock for the month. Jaeger-LeCoultre’s distinctive signature appears below the moon phase. A full four-digit display appears through a small aperture at 7 o’clock.

A single crown changes all the indications in a simple procedure: one press moves the perpetual calendar one day forward, while any additional changes required to keep step with the vagaries of the Gregorian calendar take place automatically. The watch mechanism takes account of the unequal length of months with 28, 30 or 31 days. Every four years, it will naturally display the 29th of February associated with leap years. It requires no manual adjustment before March 1, 2100, since century years are an exception to the four-year cycle governing leap years. Meanwhile, the moon-phase display will portray the various states of the Earth’s satellite over the next 122 years. Just above the dial center is a small rectangular window, about the same shade as the background, which turns gradually red as evening falls.

The new model comes in an 18k pink gold case with a white dial, an 18k white gold version comes with a grained silver-toned dial, and a steel model available exclusively at Jaeger-LeCoultre boutiques with a sunburst silver-toned dial.


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