Jaeger-LeCoultre

ei8htohms
8555

• Show profile
• Show other posts

more tough questions

Hi Dje,

The PP 215 is more properly compared to the JLC 822 or even 849, as manual wind calibers generally have finer finishing than automatics (or at least less/fewer industrially finished components).  We'd have to compare the JLC 889 to the PP 315, 330 or 240 I guess. 

I've only ever worked on one each of the PP 215 and JLC 822 and I'd have to say they were relatively comparable.  The Patek movement surpasses the JLC in most categories, but by a slim margin relative to the price differential.  It's like anything at the top of the market, if the Patek offers 10% - 15% better finishing throughout, you have to pay a 70% - 100% premium for it.  If you want the extra 5% - 10% that Dufour offers, the premium jumps to 200% or 300%, you know?

I've seen a lot more JLC 818 and 839 derivates (in non-JLC watches) but I believe they generally convey the level of execution of the JLC calibers regardless of the company putting it out.  I haven't seen a tremendous amount of variation between a JLC movement in one brand to the same caliber in another brands, the differences mostly being in the level of adjustment and QC in the assembly process as far as I can tell.  I would've call myself an expert on those points however based on my experiences.  Of course, some JLC calibers have been in production for a good long time, so there is a decent amount of variation in different time periods and generations.

I suspect that the same thing holds true for the JLC automatic calibers relative to the Patek calibers.  I haven't worked on any Patek automatics, so I'm really employing some educated guesswork however.  My guess is though that the Pateks probably offer slightly better finishing at arguably incommensurately inflated premiums.  Of course, where the value/craft/functionality sweet spot is for one buyer bears little relation to where it is for the next, and those last few percentage points of anything are as subjective as they come where "value" is concerned. 

You'll notice in the JLC 889 (VC 1126) review, on the dial side there is a weird plate covering a spring for the calendar mechanism that is basically unfinished.  I'm not completely certain that plate is identical in the JLC versions, but I am pretty certain you wouldn't find anything quite that crude in a Patek.  How much money is the non-functional finishing of an invisible component worth?  You tell me.

_john