Jaeger-LeCoultre has just introduced the Master Control Calendar Limited Edition, the latest addition to a long line of triple calendar watches going back decades. Packaged in the 40 mm Master Control case we’ve become familiar with, this new 500-piece stainless steel limited edition is all about the dial, which features a richly textured silver and grey livery on a “sector” layout.
Despite the classical aesthetic, the Master Control Date is thoroughly modern on the inside with the cal. 866 featuring a silicon escapement that supports a 70-hour power reserve.
Initial thoughts
The triple calendar moon phase has long been a staple of the Jaeger-LeCoultre line-up; Pablo Picasso famously wore one. Add to this lineage the brand’s unique jumping date pointer, which jumps in a wide arc from the 15th to the 16th of the month to avoid confounding the moon phase display, and the result is a watch that manages to be both charming and technically distinctive.
It’s also easily wearable in a 40 mm case, that, while larger than the vintage originals, gives the indicators on the dial plenty of space to breathe.
Of course, the movement is the cal. 866, effectively a cal. 899 with a triple calendar module, which helps keeps the overall package quite sleek at 10.95 mm – on par with many simple time-and-date watches in this category. Upgraded a few years ago with a silicon escapement, the movement now runs for 70 hours when fully wound, adding convenience to wearability.
Naturally the signature detail of this limited edition is the textured dial, which calls to mind the successful trio of sector dial Master Control watches rolled out eight years ago. The Master Control Calendar never got the sector dial treatment, and while this is a new design with an entirely different texture, it would look right at home next to these counterparts.
The limited edition status of the Master Control Calendar results is a lofty price of US$15,300, leaving it vulnerable to criticism on the grounds of value. That said, the triple calendar format is not widely produced, and will have a special appeal with collectors who appreciate the mid-century aesthetic.
A textured dial
Jaeger-LeCoultre is a brand with a great deal of skill when it comes to dial making and has produced an array of richly textured dials in the past. The new Master Control Calendar is a fine addition to to this tradition, featuring concentric rings of grey and silver. The contrasting colours make it feel like a sector dial at arm’s length, but up close it bears the hallmarks of mid-century dress watches from the Vallée de Joux with faceted markers and no-nonsense arabic numerals.
The brand has also given the triple calendar format its own twist with a date jumper, tipped with a red-painted ‘JL” logo, that jumps past the moon phase at midnight on the 15th. This asymmetrical gearing teases at the technical heritage of Jaeger-LeCoultre and ensures that the moon phase and running seconds at six o’clock at never covered up by the date pointer. This clever date mechanism was developed about two decades ago, originally for the Master Tourbillon, to ensure the date pointer never obstructed the view of the then-novel tourbillon cage. In 2020, the Master Control Calendar was updated with this functionality as well.
Inside, the Master Control Calendar features the cal. 866 AA, which represents the latest generation of movements built on the well-known and widely used cal. 899.
A relatively slim 4 Hz platform, this series of movements was endowed with a silicon escapement a few years ago, a change that helped up the power reserve to 70 hours.
The Master Control Calendar’s cal. 866 AA is based on the cal. 899, pictured above
Silicon components come with their own strengths and weaknesses, but here it makes sense. The calendar mechanism of the cal. 866 AA is traditional in its construction, meaning it requires a bit of care to avoid adjustment during the late-night hours.
It’s a modular calibre so the calendar indications are updated by means of pushers in the case, which require a stylus. In this context, the extra power reserve is welcome, since it will reduce the frequency of date-setting.
Key facts and price
Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Calendar Limited Edition
Ref. Q4148450
Diameter: 40 mm
Height: 10.95 mm
Material: Stainless steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 50 m
Movement: cal. 866 AA
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, day, month, and moon phase
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 70 hours
Strap: Calfskin with folding clasp
Limited edition: 500 pieces
Availability: At Jaeger-LeCoultre boutiques
Price: US$15,300 excluding taxes
For more, visit Jaeger-lecoultre.com.
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