{"lien_WSTV":"","tax_name":"deprecated","tax_rate":20,"id_manufacturer":"0","id_supplier":"0","id_category_default":"485","id_shop_default":"1","manufacturer_name":false,"supplier_name":false,"name":"Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon \u00e0 Quanti\u00e8me Perp\u00e9tuel","description":"<p><strong>In 2009, the Grande Maison in the Vall\u00e9e de Joux is unveiling some extraordinary timepieces embodying an original symbiosis between the technological breakthroughs of the 21st century and a tribute paid to the finest watchmaking traditions. <br \/><br \/><\/strong>The design and creation of such a masterpiece naturally depends on the authentic mastery of the intricacies of fine watchmaking, a mastery that Jaeger-LeCoultre has been cultivating for 176 years. The new line is distinguished by distinctive aesthetics and the joint presence on each model of two complications interpreted in a manner that is at once historical and innovative. The two first watch creations in the Master Grande Tradition collection feature combinations of functions that are new to the Manufacture: on the one hand, the first tourbillon associated with a perpetual calendar; and on the other, the first minute repeater with a two-week power reserve allied with a regulator display. Moreover, this new line will welcome the first ever silicon escapement from the Grande Maison, stemming from the research undertaken in the Jaeger-LeCoultre laboratories and aiming to further enhance the performances of this complicated timepiece. This major innovation will initially enrich the yellow gold limited editions only. The undeniable gain in precision will be certified by a new \u201c1000 Hours Chrono\u201d label developed by Jaeger-LeCoultre. <br \/><br \/>Two limited series in yellow gold equipped with a silicon escapement, testifying to the ongoing quest for absolute precision.<br \/>The materials in which the two models in the Master Grande Tradition line will be issued include yellow gold. The specific feature of these two yellow gold models is that they house an innovative silicon escapement and that they are presented in limited series (300 for the tourbillon perpetual calendar model; and 100 for the minute repeater regulator model).<br \/><br \/>Silicon is not in itself entirely new to Jaeger-LeCoultre, since this material was already used in the revolutionary Master Compressor Extreme LAB, the first ever totally lubricant-free watch. After this landmark event, and in pursuing its constant quest for ultimate precision, Jaeger-LeCoultre has developed a new silicon escapement for the Master Grande Tradition, featuring a lever wheel and lever made from this high-tech material. Silicon boasts several key assets. First of all, it is an extremely hard material that is very resistant to wear and can thus be used without oil. Its excellent friction coefficient also considerably reduces rubbing within the movement. Its ultra-light weight translates into enhanced inertia, which in turn has a favourable effect on efficiency. Moreover, silicon manufacturing technologies enable the production of complex parts with shapes that are incomparably accurate compared with those in steel. This newfound flexibility in determining the geometry of the components makes it possible to produce openworked or hollowed structures with a lower moment of inertia in order to increase the energy transmitted to the balance. Silicon also offers the possibility of making single-block parts such as a lever with integrated pallets, which are more accurate by their very construction. <br \/><br \/>After considerable experimentation, Jaeger-LeCoultre has decided to cover the silicon parts with a diamond coating. Silicon is usually protected by a layer of silicon oxide (SiO2) to prevent the formation of fissures when the parts are handled. Nonetheless, friction and the wear of SiO2 against SiO2,, such as the lever against the escape-wheel, do not yield particularly remarkable results in tribological terms, since they are lower than those achieved by classic lubricated materials. This means a large proportion of what is gained by using silicon, such as a reduction in weight and a higher production precision, is in fact wasted because of an unfavourable friction coefficient. <br \/><br \/>Applying a diamond coating \u2013 the solution chosen by Jaeger-LeCoultre \u2013 affords enhanced protection against fissures than SiO2, but most of all offers vastly improved tribological results. Once plasma polished, the diamond nanocrystals are extremely smooth and hard. This process serves to achieve peerless resistance to wear and a friction coefficient equivalent to half that of SiO2. In this respect, a comparison of the friction coefficients is sufficiently eloquent: 0.08 between diamond and diamond, 0.16 between SiO2 and SiO2 and 0.13 between steel and ruby. The use of diamond-coated silicon for the escapement thereby increases the movement efficiency by 15%, a net 5.5-point gain. The inertia of the components is in fact divided by three, the manufacturing accuracy reduces backlash, while the losses due to friction are also considerably reduced.<br \/><br \/><strong>A new \u201c1000 Hours Chrono\u201d label <\/strong><br \/><br \/>In order to guarantee the precision that their avant-garde escapement contributes to these exceptional models, Jaeger-LeCoultre has chosen to reinforce its famous \u201c1000 Hours\u201d test. This extremely stringent set of tests currently serves to guarantee watches from the Grande Maison in terms of their water resistance, their shock resistance, their power reserve, their smooth operation in real wearing conditions, and of course their precision. Especially for the Master Grande Tradition watches equipped with a silicon escapement, this protocol is now complemented by a battery of tests, modelled on those performed by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC), with a view to granting a certificate testifying to an extremely high degree of precision. The difference between these tests and those conducted by the COSC lies in the fact that Jaeger-LeCoultre will test the precision not only of the movements without their complications, but \u2013 in keeping with the brand philosophy \u2013 that of the finished watches. Based on this procedure, the Master Grande Tradition watches equipped with a silicon escapement will thus be awarded the \u201c1000 Hours Chrono\u201d quality label. A final important detail: to encourage the fortunate owner of a Master Grande Tradition watch to attempt to grasp the secrets of silicon escapement, the sapphire crystal of the two yellow gold models features an integrated magnifying glass providing an enlarged view of this high-tech marvel. <br \/><br \/><strong>A new line: two new movements <\/strong><br \/><br \/>The new design of these models is distinguished by a blend of purity and refinement, featuring a style that stands out from the current collections in order to underscore the exceptional association of complications embodying major horological feats. The cases are crafted in precious materials only, while the watch dial is surrounded by a finely curved bezel and the finishing testifies to the care lavished on even the smallest details. The extraordinary diversity of the skills mastered within the Manufacture is essential to ensuring that each part, even if it is made from a high-tech material, features remarkable decoration in keeping with the highest standards of fine watchmaking. The hand-crafted adornment of each component, from the exterior to the movement, is part of the rare crafts lovingly preserved by Jaeger-LeCoultre. <br \/><br \/>Original complications with further enhanced performances Entirely dedicated to watches with a double complication, the Master Grande Tradition line fully reflects the inventiveness and excellence of the Grande Maison in the Vall\u00e9e de Joux. The appearance of a new star in the Jaeger-LeCoultre watchmaking firmament deserved to be underscored by a selection of unusual and emblematic complications. The first model in the collection thus associates a tourbillon and a perpetual calendar, while the minute repeater model is the only one to have a two-week power reserve combined with a regulator display. <br \/><br \/>Beneath their classic horological appearance, the two timepieces boast a fabulous set of assets in terms of reliability and precision, expressing a level that is the exclusive preserve of technologically avant-garde creations. These watches are the result of years of research conducted in the field of sound, the choice of materials and manufacturing methods, and they are living proof that one can attain an even higher level of precision without compromising the level of finish of the individual parts. It is therefore hardly surprising that the production of each of these exceptional timepieces represents a constant challenge, since each movement comprises over 400 parts. Due to the sheer complexity of the task, a single watchmaker handles the assembly, adjustment and casing up of each watch. Governed by the quest for ultimate precision, this modus operandi makes each movement truly one of a kind. <br \/><br \/><strong>A superlative new movement: Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 987 <\/strong><br \/><br \/>The first Jaeger-LeCoultre calibre to associate a tourbillon with a perpetual calendar comprises exactly 401 parts. Its fascinatingly original conception is based on a split-level structure. The dial is divided between an upper part displaying the hours and minutes as well as the perpetual calendar indications, and a lower part on which a slight difference of level enables the proeminent tourbillon to sparkle as if in a jewel case of light.\u00a0 <br \/><br \/>Nonetheless, elegance must also take account of performance and the entire construction meets stringent demands in terms of sturdiness, exactitude and lightness. The large 11.5 mg.cm2 variable-inertia balance is equipped with adjustment screws around its rim in order to ensure the long-term constancy of a rating that remains unaltered even in case of impacts. As one would expect from a high-precision movement, it oscillates at a rate of 28,800 vibrations per hour. The lever features a more compact shape that results in significant energy saving, since it brings the escape-wheel closer to the centre of the tourbillon. Moreover, the Jaeger-LeCoultre watchmakers and engineers have set the finishing touch to this accomplishment by using a grade 5 titanium carriage which is so light that it enables them to create a 78-part tourbillon escapement weighing a mere 0.28 grams! <br \/><br \/>A genuine masterpiece of innovation, the perpetual calendar displays the date, day of the week and month, while automatically taking account of the length of the months and the leap-year cycle. To achieve this feat, the movement must be endowed with a mechanical memory of 1,461 days, meaning exactly four years. Its complexity is such that it requires several hundred parts composing the various gear trains and levers. Finally, the movement is equipped with a ubricant-free unidirectional rotor, since tests conducted within the Manufacture have shown that winding in a single direction is in fact more efficient than bidirectional winding.<br \/><br \/><strong>A tribute to the grand horological tradition <\/strong><br \/><br \/>The peerlessly refined characteristics of the models in the Master Grande Tradition collection are, as their name implies, a tribute to the grand watchmaking tradition. A new case, meticulously crafted exclusively from precious materials, symbolises the art of decoration inherent to exceptional creations: the designers of the Manufacture have managed to create a play on contrasts between polished and smoothed surfaces to further enliven the face of the watch. The flanks are smoothed, while the upper part of the lugs and the case-back are polished. The rounded polished bezel accentuates the technical appearance of the line and the finely fluted crown is distinguished by a face adorned with a polished JL logo. This concern for detail is echoed in the proportions of the case and the design of the new dials accentuated by the alliance between originality and respect for traditional values. The new dial style will be a key signature feature of the creations in the Master Grande Tradition line, thanks to the systematic alternation of surfaces graced with a velvet-finish or Clous de Paris hobnail guilloch\u00e9 motif. The dauphine hands underscore the classical style of the watches featuring a chapter ring bearing hand-applied hour-markers rather than numerals. <br \/><br \/>An expert in traditional skills, the Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre has kept alive for the past 175 years a range of time-honoured decorative techniques, some of which had at one point appeared doomed to extinction. Nonetheless, the constant innovations developed in the laboratories of the Manufacture require the decoration specialists to display constantly renewed inventiveness in the application of these methods, which quite obviously existed well before the use of high-tech materials came into play. This makes the exercise of these arts a perpetual challenge, vividly embodied in the titanium models. While the extreme lightness of this material is a favourable factor in enhancing their precision, its structure nonetheless makes it extremely hard to work with. <br \/><br \/><strong>Refined ornamentation for exceptional models <\/strong><br \/><br \/>Each component is designed and decorated so as to form an horological work of art illustrating the dexterity, the know-how and the virtuosity of the decorative workshops within the Manufacture. The surfaces are decorated with Clous de Paris, double \u201cc\u00f4tes soleill\u00e9es\u201d, circular graining, double snailing, or simply satin-brushed to accentuate the graphic strength of these splendid models. The balance-cock of the Master Grande Tradition \u00e0 R\u00e9p\u00e9tition Minutes is hand-engraved, while the 22-carat gold oscillating weight is graced with a three-dimensional Clous de Paris motif and the unique tourbillon bridge is entirely hand decorated. All the steel parts are smoothed and bevelled, while the bridges and mainplate, made from non-treated nickel silver for the R\u00e9p\u00e9tition Minutes version, feature hand-drawn edges as well as raised and polished angles. The adjustment screws are blued and the chaton screws are rhodium-plated, in harmony with the traditions of the array of otherwise rare crafts still practiced at Jaeger-LeCoultre.<br \/><br \/>Representing an authentic coalition between an extraordinary horological heritage and an irresistibly innovative spirit, the two inaugural creations of the Master Grande Tradition line prefigure the destiny of this collection that is writing a new chapter in the history of the Manufacture. They shape the contours of an unprecedented reality in which beauty sculpts time, imbued with the harmony between noble materials and ornamental refinements, between technical sophistication and artistic creativity, in order to celebrate through timekeepers the eternal elegance of the passing hours and days.<\/p>","description_short":"","quantity":0,"minimal_quantity":"1","available_now":"","available_later":"","price":107500,"specificPrice":false,"additional_shipping_cost":"0.00","wholesale_price":"0.000000","on_sale":"0","online_only":"0","unity":"","unit_price":0,"unit_price_ratio":"0.000000","ecotax":"0.000000","reference":"Q500142A","supplier_reference":"","location":"","width":"0.000000","height":"0.000000","depth":"0.000000","weight":"0.000000","ean13":"","upc":"","link_rewrite":"master-grande-tradition-tourbillon-a-quantieme-perpetuel","meta_description":"In 2009, the Grande Maison in the Vall\u00e9e de Joux is unveiling some extraordinary timepieces embodying an original symbiosis between the technological breakth...","meta_keywords":"","meta_title":"Watch Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon \u00e0 Quanti\u00e8me Perp\u00e9tuel | Master Grande Tradition Q500142A  Yellow gold","quantity_discount":"0","customizable":"0","new":false,"uploadable_files":"0","text_fields":"0","active":"1","redirect_type":"404","id_product_redirected":"0","available_for_order":"0","available_date":"0000-00-00","condition":"new","show_price":"1","indexed":"1","visibility":"both","date_add":"2015-08-03 22:47:21","date_upd":"2018-07-25 14:15:09","tags":false,"base_price":"107500.000000","id_tax_rules_group":"1","id_color_default":0,"advanced_stock_management":"0","out_of_stock":0,"depends_on_stock":false,"isFullyLoaded":true,"cache_is_pack":"0","cache_has_attachments":"1","is_virtual":"0","id_pack_product_attribute":null,"cache_default_attribute":"0","category":"master-grande-tradition","pack_stock_type":"3","id":900,"id_shop_list":null,"force_id":false,"customization_required":false}

{"Compl\u00e9ment":"Yellow gold","Statut de vente":"N est plus commercialis\u00e9","Date":"2009","Pi\u00e8ce unique":"No","S\u00e9rie limit\u00e9e":"Oui","Nombre d exemplaire":"300","Sexe":"Homme","Gaucher":"No","Diam\u00e8tre":"42","Types":"Self-winding","Styles":"High Horology","Calibre_autre":"Jaeger-LeCoultre 987","Calibre distinction":"Hand decorated, Circular Graining, Hand engraved","Affichage_autre":"Dauphine-shaped hands","Complication":"Tourbillon, Perpetual Calendar , Small Seconds, Moon Phases","Mati\u00e8re du bo\u00eetier":"Yellow gold","Particularit\u00e9 du boitier":"Sapphire caseback","Particularit\u00e9 du boitier_autre":"With lens","Etanch\u00e9it\u00e9":"50 meters","Forme":"Round","Cadran":"'Clou de Paris' engraved, Velvety, Hand engraved","Couleur du cadran":"Beige","Index":"Dots, Triangles","Index_autre":"Gilded","Verre":"Sapphire","Mati\u00e8re du bracelet":"Alligator leather","Fermeture du bracelet":"Triple folding buckle","Couleur du bracelet":"Black","Plus de caract\u00e9ristiques":"Movement<br \/>Crafted. assembled and decorated by hand<br \/>401 parts<br \/>47 jewels<br \/>8.15 mm high<br \/> Frequency : <br \/>28.800 vibrations per hour<br \/>48-hour power reserve<br \/>Silicon escapement<br \/>Grade 5 titanium tourbillon carriage<br \/>Lubricant-free unidirectional rotor<br \/><br \/>Case and buckle in 18 K yellow gold <br \/>Applied 18 carat gilded hour-markers and logo "}

Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon à Quantième Perpétuel

Reference: Q500142A

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Brand  :	Jaeger-LeCoultre
Collection  :	Master Grande Tradition
Model  :	Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon à Quantième Perpétuel
Reference  :	Q500142A
Nber of pieces :	300
Complement :	Yellow gold
Year :	2009
Is not commercialised any more

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• Brand  :	Jaeger-LeCoultre
  Collection  :	Master Grande Tradition
  Model  :	Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon à Quantième Perpétuel
  Reference  :	Q500142A
  Nber of pieces :	300
  Complement :	Yellow gold
  Year :	2009
  Is not commercialised any more
  List Price :	129 000 €
  Diameter :	42 mm
  Styles :	High Horology
  Types :	Self-winding
  Calibre :	Jaeger-LeCoultre 987
  Calibre distinction :	Hand decorated Circular Graining Hand engraved
  Complication :	Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar Small Seconds Moon Phases
  Case material :	Yellow gold
  Case peculiarity :	Sapphire caseback With lens
  Shape :	Round
  Water-resistance :	50 meters
  Dial :	'Clou de Paris' engraved Velvety Hand engraved
  Dial color :	Beige
  Display :	Dauphine-shaped hands
  Indexes :	Dots Triangles Gilded
  Glass :	Sapphire
  Strap material :	Alligator leather
  Strap color :	Black
  Strap clasp :	Triple folding buckle
  + More characteristics :	Movement Crafted. assembled and decorated by hand 401 parts 47 jewels 8.15 mm high Frequency : 28.800 vibrations per hour 48-hour power reserve Silicon escapement Grade 5 titanium tourbillon carriage Lubricant-free unidirectional rotor Case and buckle in 18 K yellow gold Applied 18 carat gilded hour-markers and logo

DESCRIPTION

• In 2009, the Grande Maison in the Vallée de Joux is unveiling some extraordinary timepieces embodying an original symbiosis between the technological breakthroughs of the 21st century and a tribute paid to the finest watchmaking traditions.
  
  The design and creation of such a masterpiece naturally depends on the authentic mastery of the intricacies of fine watchmaking, a mastery that Jaeger-LeCoultre has been cultivating for 176 years. The new line is distinguished by distinctive aesthetics and the joint presence on each model of two complications interpreted in a manner that is at once historical and innovative. The two first watch creations in the Master Grande Tradition collection feature combinations of functions that are new to the Manufacture: on the one hand, the first tourbillon associated with a perpetual calendar; and on the other, the first minute repeater with a two-week power reserve allied with a regulator display. Moreover, this new line will welcome the first ever silicon escapement from the Grande Maison, stemming from the research undertaken in the Jaeger-LeCoultre laboratories and aiming to further enhance the performances of this complicated timepiece. This major innovation will initially enrich the yellow gold limited editions only. The undeniable gain in precision will be certified by a new “1000 Hours Chrono” label developed by Jaeger-LeCoultre.
  
  Two limited series in yellow gold equipped with a silicon escapement, testifying to the ongoing quest for absolute precision.
  The materials in which the two models in the Master Grande Tradition line will be issued include yellow gold. The specific feature of these two yellow gold models is that they house an innovative silicon escapement and that they are presented in limited series (300 for the tourbillon perpetual calendar model; and 100 for the minute repeater regulator model).
  
  Silicon is not in itself entirely new to Jaeger-LeCoultre, since this material was already used in the revolutionary Master Compressor Extreme LAB, the first ever totally lubricant-free watch. After this landmark event, and in pursuing its constant quest for ultimate precision, Jaeger-LeCoultre has developed a new silicon escapement for the Master Grande Tradition, featuring a lever wheel and lever made from this high-tech material. Silicon boasts several key assets. First of all, it is an extremely hard material that is very resistant to wear and can thus be used without oil. Its excellent friction coefficient also considerably reduces rubbing within the movement. Its ultra-light weight translates into enhanced inertia, which in turn has a favourable effect on efficiency. Moreover, silicon manufacturing technologies enable the production of complex parts with shapes that are incomparably accurate compared with those in steel. This newfound flexibility in determining the geometry of the components makes it possible to produce openworked or hollowed structures with a lower moment of inertia in order to increase the energy transmitted to the balance. Silicon also offers the possibility of making single-block parts such as a lever with integrated pallets, which are more accurate by their very construction.
  
  After considerable experimentation, Jaeger-LeCoultre has decided to cover the silicon parts with a diamond coating. Silicon is usually protected by a layer of silicon oxide (SiO2) to prevent the formation of fissures when the parts are handled. Nonetheless, friction and the wear of SiO2 against SiO2,, such as the lever against the escape-wheel, do not yield particularly remarkable results in tribological terms, since they are lower than those achieved by classic lubricated materials. This means a large proportion of what is gained by using silicon, such as a reduction in weight and a higher production precision, is in fact wasted because of an unfavourable friction coefficient.
  
  Applying a diamond coating – the solution chosen by Jaeger-LeCoultre – affords enhanced protection against fissures than SiO2, but most of all offers vastly improved tribological results. Once plasma polished, the diamond nanocrystals are extremely smooth and hard. This process serves to achieve peerless resistance to wear and a friction coefficient equivalent to half that of SiO2. In this respect, a comparison of the friction coefficients is sufficiently eloquent: 0.08 between diamond and diamond, 0.16 between SiO2 and SiO2 and 0.13 between steel and ruby. The use of diamond-coated silicon for the escapement thereby increases the movement efficiency by 15%, a net 5.5-point gain. The inertia of the components is in fact divided by three, the manufacturing accuracy reduces backlash, while the losses due to friction are also considerably reduced.
  
  A new “1000 Hours Chrono” label
  
  In order to guarantee the precision that their avant-garde escapement contributes to these exceptional models, Jaeger-LeCoultre has chosen to reinforce its famous “1000 Hours” test. This extremely stringent set of tests currently serves to guarantee watches from the Grande Maison in terms of their water resistance, their shock resistance, their power reserve, their smooth operation in real wearing conditions, and of course their precision. Especially for the Master Grande Tradition watches equipped with a silicon escapement, this protocol is now complemented by a battery of tests, modelled on those performed by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC), with a view to granting a certificate testifying to an extremely high degree of precision. The difference between these tests and those conducted by the COSC lies in the fact that Jaeger-LeCoultre will test the precision not only of the movements without their complications, but – in keeping with the brand philosophy – that of the finished watches. Based on this procedure, the Master Grande Tradition watches equipped with a silicon escapement will thus be awarded the “1000 Hours Chrono” quality label. A final important detail: to encourage the fortunate owner of a Master Grande Tradition watch to attempt to grasp the secrets of silicon escapement, the sapphire crystal of the two yellow gold models features an integrated magnifying glass providing an enlarged view of this high-tech marvel.
  
  A new line: two new movements
  
  The new design of these models is distinguished by a blend of purity and refinement, featuring a style that stands out from the current collections in order to underscore the exceptional association of complications embodying major horological feats. The cases are crafted in precious materials only, while the watch dial is surrounded by a finely curved bezel and the finishing testifies to the care lavished on even the smallest details. The extraordinary diversity of the skills mastered within the Manufacture is essential to ensuring that each part, even if it is made from a high-tech material, features remarkable decoration in keeping with the highest standards of fine watchmaking. The hand-crafted adornment of each component, from the exterior to the movement, is part of the rare crafts lovingly preserved by Jaeger-LeCoultre.
  
  Original complications with further enhanced performances Entirely dedicated to watches with a double complication, the Master Grande Tradition line fully reflects the inventiveness and excellence of the Grande Maison in the Vallée de Joux. The appearance of a new star in the Jaeger-LeCoultre watchmaking firmament deserved to be underscored by a selection of unusual and emblematic complications. The first model in the collection thus associates a tourbillon and a perpetual calendar, while the minute repeater model is the only one to have a two-week power reserve combined with a regulator display.
  
  Beneath their classic horological appearance, the two timepieces boast a fabulous set of assets in terms of reliability and precision, expressing a level that is the exclusive preserve of technologically avant-garde creations. These watches are the result of years of research conducted in the field of sound, the choice of materials and manufacturing methods, and they are living proof that one can attain an even higher level of precision without compromising the level of finish of the individual parts. It is therefore hardly surprising that the production of each of these exceptional timepieces represents a constant challenge, since each movement comprises over 400 parts. Due to the sheer complexity of the task, a single watchmaker handles the assembly, adjustment and casing up of each watch. Governed by the quest for ultimate precision, this modus operandi makes each movement truly one of a kind.
  
  A superlative new movement: Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 987
  
  The first Jaeger-LeCoultre calibre to associate a tourbillon with a perpetual calendar comprises exactly 401 parts. Its fascinatingly original conception is based on a split-level structure. The dial is divided between an upper part displaying the hours and minutes as well as the perpetual calendar indications, and a lower part on which a slight difference of level enables the proeminent tourbillon to sparkle as if in a jewel case of light. 
  
  Nonetheless, elegance must also take account of performance and the entire construction meets stringent demands in terms of sturdiness, exactitude and lightness. The large 11.5 mg.cm2 variable-inertia balance is equipped with adjustment screws around its rim in order to ensure the long-term constancy of a rating that remains unaltered even in case of impacts. As one would expect from a high-precision movement, it oscillates at a rate of 28,800 vibrations per hour. The lever features a more compact shape that results in significant energy saving, since it brings the escape-wheel closer to the centre of the tourbillon. Moreover, the Jaeger-LeCoultre watchmakers and engineers have set the finishing touch to this accomplishment by using a grade 5 titanium carriage which is so light that it enables them to create a 78-part tourbillon escapement weighing a mere 0.28 grams!
  
  A genuine masterpiece of innovation, the perpetual calendar displays the date, day of the week and month, while automatically taking account of the length of the months and the leap-year cycle. To achieve this feat, the movement must be endowed with a mechanical memory of 1,461 days, meaning exactly four years. Its complexity is such that it requires several hundred parts composing the various gear trains and levers. Finally, the movement is equipped with a ubricant-free unidirectional rotor, since tests conducted within the Manufacture have shown that winding in a single direction is in fact more efficient than bidirectional winding.
  
  A tribute to the grand horological tradition
  
  The peerlessly refined characteristics of the models in the Master Grande Tradition collection are, as their name implies, a tribute to the grand watchmaking tradition. A new case, meticulously crafted exclusively from precious materials, symbolises the art of decoration inherent to exceptional creations: the designers of the Manufacture have managed to create a play on contrasts between polished and smoothed surfaces to further enliven the face of the watch. The flanks are smoothed, while the upper part of the lugs and the case-back are polished. The rounded polished bezel accentuates the technical appearance of the line and the finely fluted crown is distinguished by a face adorned with a polished JL logo. This concern for detail is echoed in the proportions of the case and the design of the new dials accentuated by the alliance between originality and respect for traditional values. The new dial style will be a key signature feature of the creations in the Master Grande Tradition line, thanks to the systematic alternation of surfaces graced with a velvet-finish or Clous de Paris hobnail guilloché motif. The dauphine hands underscore the classical style of the watches featuring a chapter ring bearing hand-applied hour-markers rather than numerals.
  
  An expert in traditional skills, the Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre has kept alive for the past 175 years a range of time-honoured decorative techniques, some of which had at one point appeared doomed to extinction. Nonetheless, the constant innovations developed in the laboratories of the Manufacture require the decoration specialists to display constantly renewed inventiveness in the application of these methods, which quite obviously existed well before the use of high-tech materials came into play. This makes the exercise of these arts a perpetual challenge, vividly embodied in the titanium models. While the extreme lightness of this material is a favourable factor in enhancing their precision, its structure nonetheless makes it extremely hard to work with.
  
  Refined ornamentation for exceptional models
  
  Each component is designed and decorated so as to form an horological work of art illustrating the dexterity, the know-how and the virtuosity of the decorative workshops within the Manufacture. The surfaces are decorated with Clous de Paris, double “côtes soleillées”, circular graining, double snailing, or simply satin-brushed to accentuate the graphic strength of these splendid models. The balance-cock of the Master Grande Tradition à Répétition Minutes is hand-engraved, while the 22-carat gold oscillating weight is graced with a three-dimensional Clous de Paris motif and the unique tourbillon bridge is entirely hand decorated. All the steel parts are smoothed and bevelled, while the bridges and mainplate, made from non-treated nickel silver for the Répétition Minutes version, feature hand-drawn edges as well as raised and polished angles. The adjustment screws are blued and the chaton screws are rhodium-plated, in harmony with the traditions of the array of otherwise rare crafts still practiced at Jaeger-LeCoultre.
  
  Representing an authentic coalition between an extraordinary horological heritage and an irresistibly innovative spirit, the two inaugural creations of the Master Grande Tradition line prefigure the destiny of this collection that is writing a new chapter in the history of the Manufacture. They shape the contours of an unprecedented reality in which beauty sculpts time, imbued with the harmony between noble materials and ornamental refinements, between technical sophistication and artistic creativity, in order to celebrate through timekeepers the eternal elegance of the passing hours and days.