Since the 1930s, Jaeger-LeCoultre has been creating timepieces to display several time zones simultaneously. La Grande Maison makes time truly universal from dual-time watches to the Géographique and the remarkable Caliber 948 world timer.
For 2022, Jaeger-LeCoultre presents a magnificent new artistic interpretation of the Universal Time: Master Grande Tradition Caliber 948, embellished with great finesse by the artisans of the Manufacturer’s Métiers Rares® atelier.
When Jaeger-LeCoultre created the Caliber 948, it was the first time a world-time complication had ever been united with a flying tourbillon. The Universal Tourbillon makes a complete circuit of the dial every 24 hours, the length of a mean solar day.
A true expression of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s technical expertise, the automatic calibre was conceived, developed and entirely produced within the Manufacture. The splendid new aesthetic expression of the world-time complication showcases La Grande Maison’s artistic creativity and mastery of the decorative crafts alongside its technical prowess.
In a subtle allusion to the depth and complexity of time measurement, the dial is made of several parts. At its centre, is a map of the world as seen from the North Pole. However, unlike the traditional flattened image, this map floats above the dial bed on a domed skeleton formed by the longitudes and latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere.
On the completed enamel surfaces, miniature-painted details of the continents’ major landscape features have been painstakingly added, enhancing the work with even greater intrigue and refinement.
For the new Master Grande Tradition Caliber 948, the enamelling of a single dome requires 55 hours of work. Measuring just 25.5mm in diameter, each dial is a remarkable work of art in miniature, requiring almost 70 hours of meticulous work altogether.
Beneath the dome, representing the oceans, the dial bed is a disc of vivid blue translucent lacquer applied over a wavy guilloché pattern that suggests the movement of the sea and the lunar influence on its tides. In the circular aperture to one side of the map, the flying tourbillon floats weightlessly above the blue oceans, spinning in 60 seconds.
As on all classical world timers, each time zone is represented by the name of a city, arranged in a ring around the central dial. Mimicking the rotation of Earth on its axis, the domed Earth map makes a complete 360-degree revolution in 24 hours, always indicating the right time in each city.
The Master Grande Tradition case is a perfect complement to the dial. Comprising more than 80 parts, its convex bezel contrasts with broad bevels on the lugs, and the hollowed-out lug sides add dynamic tension. Different surfaces are micro blasted, polished and satin-brushed to maximize the play of light.
Blending art and mechanics, the new Master Grande Tradition Caliber 948 is a testament to Jaeger-LeCoultre’s dedication to maintaining the fine balance between a passionate drive to innovate and profound respect for tradition.
What do you think about the Master Grande Tradition new model? Are you interested in having one? Visit the nearest The Time Place boutique for more information about the Jaeger-LeCoultre collection.
