JLC Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Cylindrique QP Jubilé

At first glance, I was thinking that the MGT T QP Jubilé was a slight evolution of the former version which saw the light in 2009.

The 2009 Edition:



I was totally wrong...

The Jubilé edition of the MGT TC QP ( God, what a long name for a watch! ) has been deeply revisited, as I will tell you.

This Jubilé piece is another demonstration of JLC skill, or should I write, madness in horology.

Why madness?

As the name of this watch allows you to guess, you have a:

- Flying Tourbillon.

- With a cylinder-shaped spiral.

How many manufactures do have several flying tourbillons?

JLC made several, as you know... One for the Hybris Mechanica Grande Sonnerie, one for the Spherotourbillon, and one for the MGT Grande Complication.

The Hybris:



The Spherotourbillon:



The MGT Grande Complication:



So, the MGT TC QP Jubilé is the fourth watch to receive a flying tourbillon, nothing less.

If it was not enough,the Tourbillon is also equipped with a cylinder-shaped spiral.

Here again, do you know many manufactures which " gave " such a spiral to SEVERAL of their watches?

You have one in the Sphertourbillon ( again !) and in the Gyrotourbillon II.

The Gyrotourbillon II:



We are far from the previous MGT T QP released in 2009, undisputably.

As we are speaking of the Tourbillon, let's say a few words on the movement, the Cal 985.

This calibre is made of 431 pieces, is automatic, offers a power reserve of 48 hours, and beats at the pace of 28800 alternances per hour.

It is 30, 7 mm big and 8, 15 mm high.

It is hand assembled and decorated.

The cage of the Tourbillon is made of Titanium Grade 5, and the balance wheel in 14 Ct Gold.

Another detail has to be mentionned: The rotor, made in 22 Ct Rose Gold, bearing the Gold Medal of the Paris 1889 Universal Exhibition, where and when the Manufacture was awarded for its horological mastery and sense of Innovation. A good symbol to reproduce for the celebration of an anniversary....

The Cal 985:



A closer look:



The dial has its own personality, and changes a lot from the one of the previous model.

Exit the inferior part which was finished with hobnails, exit the long slim applied gold indexes, welcome to the silver grained dial which is common to the " Jubilé Collection ", the new minute indexes, the new dauphine hands, and the heated blue perpetual calendar hands.



For the blue sky of the moonphase, JLC used a varnish , and the moon is made of silver powder.

As any other JLC perpetual calendar, the moonphase will have an interval of one day each 122 years, and the perpetual calendar datas can be set with the use of the single pusher located at 8 o' clock.



The case takes the benefit of some major evolutions, not to say a revolution, too.

The diameter is still 42mm, the height is a bit more important than on the previous model ( 13, 1 mm instead of 12, 4 mm ), and here you have no choice between platinum and colored gold, as the new MGT TC QP Jubilé is available in platinum extra white ( a blend of platinum 950 and Ruthenium 50 ) only, and in a limited edition of 180 pieces.

More interesting, there are some important details which change, in this new case:

The bezel, which is concave.

The lugs are welded, now.

The profile and the volumes of the case are more convincing, in my opinion, than on the former version.





So is the MGT TC QP Jubilé: A blend of Tradition in its elements of Design, and of Modernity.

One regret? A manual winding movement would have been the top. But this is just my personal opinion.

Looking forward to reading your comments and thoughts,

Best.

Nicolas. This message has been edited by amanico on 2013-05-27 00:16:15 This message has been edited by amanico on 2013-05-31 13:43:37