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amanico
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SIHH 2010: The Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication: An Ode to Poetry.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE PICTURES OF THE MASTER GRANDE TRADITION WERE TAKEN FROM A PROTOTYPE, AND THAT SOME DETAILS MAY DIFFER ON THE DEFINITIVE WATCH, AS WELL AS THE FINISH.

Till past year, only the Master, the Duometre, and the Squadra had the privilege to include into their line some " Grandes Complications " watches:

The Master Gyrotourbillon I



The Duomètre à Grande Sonnerie



The Squadra Tritpyque.



The 4rth JLC line, the Master Grande Tradition, the younger JLC family, now proudly shares this privilege, with the " à propos " called Grande Complication.

As the Grande Complication is by definition the gathering of 3 major complications, JLC decided to associate, for this Astronomical watch, a Flying Rotating Tourbillon with a Minute Repeater.

The purpose is not only to associate these 3 major complications together, it is mainly to develop them in a sublime and poetic way:

The Minute Repeater has been substantially improved, as it includes some of the solutions coming from the Grande Sonnerie.

The Tourbillon is not only flying, it is also ... Orbital

The Sky Chart includes some informations such as:

- A 24 Hours scale

- Zodiac Signs

- Months

- Location of the Stars, depicting the Sky

- The Sun, which is turning on the 24 hours scale.

Let's see all this in detail.

1/ The Tourbillon:



You certainly recognize the Flying Tourbillon which was used on the Hybris Mechanica à Grande Sonnerie.

This is the same which is now used on the " Grande Complication ".

Only one bridge ( instead of 2 in a classic Tourbillon) holds the Titanium Grade 5 Tourbillon cage, and, of course, it recieves all the modern improvements such as the ceramic ball bearings, and the Silicium Escapement.

But here, instead of " simply " being fixed on one part of the movement or the dial, it is used as a function, on the " Grande Complication ": It gives the Sidereal Time by performing a turn of the dial in 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds, the Sidereal Time being 4 minutes shorter than the Solar Time ( 24 Hours ).

So, it is not only a " sophistication, but also, and most important, a function, on the MGT Grande Complication!

Here, the Flying Tourbillon mounted on the dial side:





2/ The Minute Repeater.

In 2005, when JLC released the Master Minute Repeater, the concept was innovative:

The support of the gong made in a special alloy is welded to the sapphire glass, which is therefore pressed in the case, as shown in the picture below:



On the Master Minute Repeater, the hammers are made in one part.

On the " Grande Complication ", JLC improved the system, by firstly using the Trebuched, created for the Grande Sonnerie.

While the hammer arm is fixed, its head is articulated, mobile.

The goal of this solution is to lose less energy coming from the spring, as 80 % of the force coming from the spring is delivered, instead of approximately 30 % with a conventional system ( it can even sometimes be less ) .

Here, a picture of the famous Trebuchet:



But that is not all: JLC also created a totally new Cathedral Gong for this watch, to ehance the richness of the sound, or should I say, in this case, of the Melody.

I know very well the sound of my titanium MMR, and I can tell you that these technical improvements are really audible, in terms of richness, not in terms of volume.

The notes are longer, the harmonics are more consistant, too, which brings a real difference.

Another last difference is that on the MMR, you have to push the trigger from top to bottom, while on the " Grande Complication, it's exactly the contrary...From bottom, to top, curiously.





3/ The Astronomical dial, " The Cosmos on your wrist ".



As said above, this dial is gives you an exact location of the stars above your head, but also the sidereal time, and the solar time, represented by the flying tourbillon ( sidereal time ) and the small sun ( solar time ).

As the tourbillon gives you the sidereal time ( a sidereal day being 23 h 56 minutes and 4 seconds ), it makes one turn of the dial faster than the sun.

Then, if you have a close look at the dial, you will notice a fine line, a sidereal time moving landmark.

For the record, the sidereal time begins with the Equinox of September, the Solar Time being the same than the Sidereal Time, and there is a difference of 12 hours at the Equinox of March.

I hope I got it all correct...

Zodial Signs, Months and 24 Hours indication are located at the outside part of the dial , as to complete this Celestial " opus ".

Here, a pic of the dial alone:



And there, ready to be put on the watch:



About the cosmetic of the dial, I have to precise that JLC still wants to improve it on the definitive version, as they are not totally happy with this outcome, and the finish, so please keep in mind that what you see through my pics or the official pics may change...

4/ The movement:

I was wondering which movement I will see on this Astronomical watch:

An evolution of the Cal 947, like on my Minute Repeater, therefore provinding a long power reserve, or an all new movement?

This is totally new manually wound movement, providing a " normal " power reserve of 48 hours, with the bridges and plate made in maillechort ( nickel silver, in English ), finished with cotes soleillées, polished and bevelled steel parts, perlage and heated blue screws, which is characteristic too all nice JLC movements.

It is composed of 527 parts and 49 jewels, beats at 28 800 vibrations per hour, a silicium escapement, and its dimensions are quite generous : 34, 70 mm big, and 12, 62 mm high.

It has been submitted to the rigorous 1000 Hours Chronometer Test, whose tolerances are even more severe than the 1000 Hours Test, and announces an accuracy of - 1 / + 6 seconds per day.

Here are some pics taken at the SIHH.

Please note once again, that it is an exhibition movement which isn't already finished:





And here, cased up, with a better, yet not totally finished movement:



Obviously, the show will also be on the Back side, with this new watch!

5/ The case:

It has been said at the beginning of this thread, La Grande Maison already has in the collection Grande Complication watches in the Master, Squadra and Duometre family.

A lack had to be filled in the Master Grande Tradition Line, and JLC decided to choose the case of this last family for its new Grande Complication.

So, here, you are already familiar with these lines which appeared for the very first time last year, more precisely with the MGT Minute Repeater.



As for this former striking watch, the White Gold case ( only metal available for this watch ) is 44 mm big, and 15, 6 mm high.





These numbers have to be compared with the MMR ( 44 mm and 15, 8 ), and with the Duometre à Grande Sonnerie ( 44 mm and 15 ).

Due to slender lugs, the case looks a bit thinner, compared to a MMR, but it remains a thick watch, undisputabily:



You will also see that the crown is more centered than on the MMR or than on the MGT MR, and that the bezel is slimmer, and flatter, too.

The sapphire glass is slightly domed, which gives a nice profile to the watch.

The best profile is a 3/4 face, as shown on the picutre below, to fully appreciate the design of this watch, the thickness being relative, compared to the diameter of the case, evne if I would have preferred even thinner lugs.

It also has to be said that with a movement which is 12, 62 mm thick, the case could not be much slimmer...



Like on the movement, the case receives a special finish, a blend of polished ( side ) and brushed ( top and under ) surfaces, as a Tribute to the " Belle Horlogerie ".

6/ The Buckle:

Here again, things can change, but on the prototype, I saw something very nice, and interesting...

I'm always pesting against the classic double folding buckle, as I personally don't find it very comfortable to wear.

JLC chose a ...Simple White Gold buckle, and it seems that they did what they said they do, if we refer to the special buckles made for the Extrem Lab II, the Grande Sonnerie, and now, this Grande Complication.

There is no Innovation, here, mechanically speaking, at the contrary of the Extrem Lab II or Grande Sonnerie, but there is something nice, the engraved JL Logo, a nice " clin d'oeil to the Past ":



You will not pinch the skin of your wrist anymore by trying to close the double folding buckle with this one.

Some will actually prefer the folding buckle, and I still don't know if something will be available for them, BUT I think it won't be too hard to negociate it with your favourite AD or Boutique.

7/ General Thoughts:

Till the birth of the Grande Complication, I had a Dream Watch, the PP 5102 G so called Celestial ( Credit pic to Bruno, I think... )





To me, it was the summit of Poetry...Till the arrival of the Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication.

The Sky Chart is, alone, a monument of Poetry, but a Flying tourbillon which indicates the sidereal time, and a very nice Minute Repeater displaying such a captivating sound are certainly elements which adds a lot to the Poetry of this Grande Complication.

( Credit pictures: SJX ) :





The Image, the Sound, and the Movement all together in the same watch...What more to ask?

What more to dream about?

A Grande Sonnerie, instead of the Minute Repeater, or better, added to the Minute Repeater, to push a bit further the limits of the Sublime?

I don't know, as I can tell you that the first contact with this watch is makes you loose your mind.

You're immediately captivated by the dial, your attention dives into the sky chart, you're travelling among the stars...



You don't immediately notice the Minute Repeater gasket, and for sure, you don't even try to understand all the subtilities of the watch.



When you just recover, you play with the crown, and you immediately receive another shock when you see that the set of the hours makes the Tourbillon move all around the dial, and you begin to get that the Tourbillon is also a function of this watch.

Then, you notice the presence of the gasket, and you play with it...

Another shock, auditive, this time...

All your senses are in fire, you loose your mind, and the notion of Time...Till you ask for the price ( 290 000 Euros ), and for the numbers of watches produced ( LE of 75 pieces ).



The biggest mistake is to put it on your wrist...

You forget the price, the Limited Edition, and you feel all the Magic of this watch.

It has an extraordinary presence on the wrist, and even if it is an heavy and big watch, you forget all, you're once again captivated by its beauty, its strength, its charm, and its

More than Magic, this is a Witch, in its sublime expression of Poetry, and one of the nicest page of JLC High End Watches.

It certainly pushes the limits of Horology, but will you push YOUR own limits further?





Best to All.

Nicolas