Amidst all of the hoopla round Patek Philippe this week, one other traditional Swiss watchmaker, Jaeger-LeCoultre, launched a sublime timepiece, harking back to a Calatrava.
The Grasp Extremely Skinny Date Blue-Grey measures 39 mm x 7.8 mm which is modern, Swiss, and tasteful identical to a Calatrava.
Benefitting from Geneva stripes on the bridges, blued screws, and a gold skeletonized rotor, the caliber 899.1 isn’t in contrast to a Patek Philippe motion, as each share a standard enticing Swiss aesthetic. The Jaeger-LeCoultre’s bridges have machine-beveled edges, whereas Patek finishes its edges in a preferable method (which makes a distinction when contemplating price and when louping out the motion). Nonetheless, the Jaeger-LeCoultre is considerably lower than half the value of a Calatrava 5196G-001, albeit, in chrome steel versus white gold.
I’m not sure in regards to the present recognition of gown watches contemplating the variety of distant staff has risen vastly in recent times — and the office is extra informal than ever. For many who need a gown watch, although, I’m sure that the Grasp Extremely Skinny Date Blue-Grey is an effective possibility.
Seen by way of the caseback, the 25 mm x 3.3 mm computerized, 219 element, 32-jewel motion matches the case properly and permits for a skinny case. Beating at 4Hz and providing a fairly small 38-hour energy reserve doesn’t stand out — and it might have been good to see some technical upgrades — it does obtain Jaeger-LeCoutlre’s 1,000 hours of testing and leaves the manufacturing unit adjusted to a charge that’s higher chronometer specification of -4/+6 second per day — particularly contemplating an almost ten thousand greenback worth level. Nonetheless, in at present’s market, that is extra compelling than what some opponents priced effectively above them are providing.
The star of the present is the stellar blue-gray sunburst dial that’s accentuated by contrasting rhodium-plated ending of the faceted dauphine-shaped hand-applied indices and matching Dauphine-shaped hour and minute arms, and a hand-applied “JL” emblem at 12. The lengthy heart second hand is baton-shaped with a triangular counterweight and framed date indication at 6 with the identical rhodium-plated end, and silver dots representing the minutes/seconds monitor.
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Grasp Extremely Skinny Date Blue-Grey (Ref. Q1238480) has a water-resistance ranking of fifty meters (considerably higher than the 30 meters provided on comparable Patek Philippe watches), even when it’s a gown watch it’s good to know your funding is much less prone to get moist.
The retail worth is $9,550. Be taught extra at Jaeger-LeCoultre.
Photographs by Jaeger-LeCoultre.
