A quick view on the Jaeger Lecoultre Master Grande Tradition Minute Repeater Perpetual White Gold White Dial ( 2019 ).
amanico
The Guilloché Blue Enamel version:
To sum up my feelings of the moment, I wrote that I was fearing the combination of a minute repeater and an automatic movement, mainly because, most of the time, an automatic movement is not at the level of such a prestigious complication.
Indeed, Jaeger Lecoultre made some nice minute repeaters housing automatic movements, but the movement was not " digne " it it.
An example, the MasterGrande Tradition Minute Repeater 39 Automatic and its calibre 942.
But the other counter example has to be mentioned, with the Hybris Mechanica 11 and its Cal 362 and its smart hidden rotor under the dial.
The Master Grande Tradition Minute Repeater Perpetual is closer to the Hybris Mechanica 11 to the Cal 942. Here the rotor is located between the movement and the dial. The movement is made of 585 parts, and its power reserve is a bit short, with only 38 hours.
Truth to be told; I much prefer the white dialed version. The Guilloché blue enamel s nice looking, no doubt about that, but we saw it on too many watches from the Master Ultra Thin Line ( Perpetual Calendar, Tourbillon, for example ) and it was also used in the Gyrotourbillon Five, even in a Reverso!
The white dialed version enhances the classic and very elegant look of the Minute Repeater Perpetual, in my opinion. And I am also a big fan of the dial texture.
The other big feature of this watch is its blue gongs which are truly spectacular, and which superbly contrast with the white dial. The blue gongs are in contact with the glass, which is a classic solution from Jaeger Lecoultre since 2005, now, for a better propagation of the sound. They are longer and differently shaped.
I must add that this case is very much to my taste and a big aesthetic improvement compared to the former ones. Did you know that It is made of 80 parts, and receives three different finishes; Satin, Polished and Micro-blasted?
With a diameter of 43 mm and a height of 13, 6 mm, the proportions are harmonious and offer a nice profile. Its water resistance is good for everyday, with 50 meters.
Some words on the perpetual calendar which is identical to the Master Ultra Thin version in the way it works... Which means that you cannot set it backward through the crown, at the risk of breaking it, and you can set all its datas through the " mono " pusher. I would have preferred the system used in the Gyrotourbillon Five, to be honest.... And I would have preferred the integration of the indication of the year in a geometrical way, instead of seeing it between 7 and 8 o' clock.
BUT the main goal of this watch is its acoustics. How does it sound? This is the perpetual question which comes to mind when you are " facing " a minute repeater.
Here, it is absolutely not disappointing. The sound is loud, rich, very elegant, almost refined. Here, I could test a definitive watch, and I must say I was positively impressed.
It is not as loud as a Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication ( Cal 945 ) but it is as rich, and among the best minute repeaters I could listen to from Jaeger Lecoultre and from other brands.
Yes, you understood it, the Master Grande Tradition Minute Repeater Perpetual is, in this dial configuration, one of my belated " coup de coeur ", even if the perpetual calendar is not at the same level as the Minute Repeater, the case and the movement.
Looking forward to reading your comments and thoughts,
Best,
Nicolas
Comments:
TheMadDruid September 2nd, 2023-10:54
That Minute Repeater Perpetual… Now there’s something you could get me for my next birthday. Should you be looking for a unique present.
Sebi September 2nd, 2023-11:04
Much classier than the blue version ! I'd say let's remove the QP and any date and lets have a three hands MR in this fashion. Thinner and uber stealth !
Sebi September 2nd, 2023-13:06
i know... still, who cares about a half-baked QP module !!
andrea~ September 2nd, 2023-11:12
It's a winner. The dial looks fantastic and you can't do better than a minute repeater...
amanico September 2nd, 2023-11:22
I have to agree. For me too, the Minute Repeater is the epitome of high complications.
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