I am very happy to have the opportunity to tell you about my own experience of entering the pit clock in the past,
And this brand is destined to be the knot of my life' time.
Very iconic, SARS raged that year, because of the inconvenience of travel, after-school activities are basically wandering in the community, I know brother H in the same community. This brother was working in a pawn shop at the time, so he couldn't help but come into contact with various watches, and when he talked to me, it was also a flying eyebrow dance. Of course, the watch certainly can't be taken out to show me, but I also got a few product atlases to enjoy. I still treasure the album of one of the brands as above.
In fact, the first Jaeger-LeCoultre album I saw that year has long been returned to Brother H, this 04/05 edition album was found by myself, and what is even more rare is that I also found a hardcover limited edition of 04/05, which was specially printed for the opening of Beijing Junyue Jaeger-LeCoultre Store, including a signature card when Master Chung Yonglin attended the opening ceremony, presumably all the watch fans should be honored as a teacher. In the picture, this watch is the first generation of Jaeger-LeCoultre's spherical tourbillon Gyrotourbillon.
At that time, The Grand Hyatt Jaeger-LeCoultre store in Beijing
How is this atlas different from the rest? In fact, it redefined "fine watchmaking" for me. Before, my understanding of famous watches was only stuck in the "big golden labor" or "full of stars", and Jaeger-LeCoultre, as the most comprehensive and comprehensive swiss watchmaker (probably not one), let me see the richness of Fine Watchmaking and the extraordinary imagination of watchmakers. If you have the opportunity to visit Jaeger-LeCoultre's factory, you will be able to see the whole process from a copper plate to a watch, or a rose full of gemstones blooming, and a miniature enamel painting born.
Of course, what is more important is the mastery of The Co-Company's core technology of watchmaking. It can independently produce the movement of each of its watches, including all the components of the hairspring and escapement system, and even processes such as screw burning blue will not be faked by others. With such comprehensive technical capabilities, Jaeger-LeCoultre's watch works can be said to be really imaginative. For example, it can make a mechanical movement only 1.38 mm thick, or the size of a pencil head, or even an air clock that does not need to be wound and can continue to run by the temperature difference between morning and evening. This made me, a straight man, have no resistance at all.
It's hard to learn about almost all the craftsmanship, techniques and history of Haute Horlogerie through a single brand, but Jaeger-LeCoultre can do it. If I hadn't met Jaeger-LeCoultre for the first time, I might have entered the pit watch later, and I might not have even stepped into the watch industry.
Also because of its comprehensive technology, Jaeger-LeCoultre has always maintained its own unique aesthetic genes. Because designers and watchmakers all work in the same building, the development of watches becomes a systematic and collaborative process. No one has to cater to anyone's situation. Watchmakers can realize the creativity of designers through movement engineering, and in turn, designers can also cleverly create ideas to show the unique functions of the movement.
Around 2004, one of the most iconic works was the Geographer's Watch of the Master Series. At that time, this watch was also the only watch in a Beijing specialty store to be displayed through a large poster. The unique dial layout is chic and coordinated, and its powerful genes allow friends to see the shadow of Jaeger-LeCoultre at a glance when using this movement.
In addition, the other works in the series, whether it is a simple big three-hand hand, an ultra-thin power reserve watch nicknamed "Joker Watch", or a two-place time watch "Hometown Time" with a unique two-hour hand, each has a very distinct design style and functional positioning. The appearance is introverted, and the inner technical skills are deep, which is really a rare daily good watch. Therefore, although Reverso has always been a masterpiece of Jaeger-LeCoultre, because of the traditional aesthetics of most people, from the perspective of domestic sales, most watch fans still recognize the round master series.
The first comprehensive makeover of the Master series came around 2007, with the biggest change being that the case size increased from around 37 to 38 mm to 40 mm and above, and the dial layout and case lines were more stretched and stiff than before. One of the heavyweights is the Master Tourbillon watch.
Of course, for Jaeger-LeCoultre, the focus of this watch is naturally not the tourbillon itself, in earlier 2004, Jaeger-LeCoultre has launched a technically breakthrough spherical tourbillon Gyrotourbillon, which belongs to the collectible level, and the tourbillon of the Master series is a watch designed and manufactured entirely for daily wear.
To this end, Jaeger-LeCoultre has further optimized the structure of the traditional tourbillon. The first is the material, the frame of the master tourbillon is made of titanium alloy as a whole, although the titanium metal processing is difficult, it is lightweight, which can reduce the consumption of weight by the tourbillon, and at the same time, the pendulum frequency can be increased to 28,800 times / hour for higher accuracy.
At the same time, in order to protect the tourbillon part from vibration interference or even damage, Jaeger-LeCoultre has also redesigned the "Spyr" shaped gear, which can also maintain a smooth bite transmission when it is hit or shaken. The three characteristics of complexity, precision and durability are all collected in this table.
Most critically, there is also pricing. I remember that the price of this watch was only about 500,000, and the stainless steel style was about 450,000. Even back then, in the same level of brand you can not find a tourbillon watch with a similar price, so from the pricing, this makes the tourbillon from high complexity, collection level, truly become the daily life of the rich. By the way, the big poster of the Jaeger-Le-Kerner store has been changed from a geographer to this tourbillon.
Today, the Master collection looks different from many years ago, the case lines are soft again, at the same time a little more refined, and the details of the dial and movement are richer and more delicate than before. Although Jaeger-LeCoultre has also created many new series in the past few years, such as the dating series, the wings series, the Beichen series, etc., it is gratifying that those old friends are still there, such as the master tourbillon.
This new ultra-thin Master Series Tourbillon Moon Phase Watch is the first time to combine the tourbillon with the moon, and at the same time, it is also matched with a moon-age hand at the position of the moon phase window, telling the aesthetic connection between the moon phase and time. Corresponding to this is the tourbillon at 6 o'clock.
The tourbillon's frame is still titanium and secured by a delicately polished rose gold plate bridge that echoes the rose gold hands and appears soft and delicate in the cream dial.
The dial bezel is still a date indicator, but it also has a special setting, just like when it was first introduced in 2007, the hands will quickly skip the tourbillon window between the 15th and 16th, so that you can enjoy the full picture of the tourbillon every day without any obstruction.
Similarly, the design of the case is softer and more refined than before (2007), both the lines on the sides and the rich detailing of the back of the watch are pleasing to the eye. It's like you've met a college flower you haven't seen in years, surprised with amazement, and of course, a little restlessness that can't be held back.
This kind of restlessness is the most obvious when I see the latest geographer's watch, "school flower" is not enough, "class flower" is not able to work hard, it is better to set a small goal today, 2022 Tiger Year, for geographers to fight for it. I also borrow this new tourbillon watch to give you an early year, and I wish you all lovers a beautiful return.