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Jaeger-LeCoultre Applies Retro Style to Master Control Chronograph Calendar 

Jaeger-LeCoultre dresses one of its most impressive Master Control models in mid-twentieth-century style with a sharp-looking pink gold case with a black dial and red accents.

The new Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Chronograph Calendar.

Inspired by its own Memovox and Futurematic collections from the 1950s and 1960s, Jaeger-LeCoultre offers the new Master Control Chronograph Calendar with patterned sub-dials and a dark blue moon-phase indicator, both of which nicely contrast with the black brushed sunray dial.

You might recall that Jaeger-LeCoultre applies the Master Control name to watches that pass its in-house 1,000-Hour Control Certification. The rigorous testing protocol, now standard for all Jaeger-LeCoultre timepieces, involves testing not only the movement but the entire cased-up watch.

The vintage styling on the Master Control Chronograph Calendar is framed by a pulsometric scale marked around the flange. This red-colored display was traditionally used by physicians to measure patients’ heart rates, and, as the watchmaker notes, is still relevant today. The red is repeated on the sub-dials and in the day and month windows.

The full dial is beautifully balanced. The complete calendar and a bi-compax chronograph indications are easy to read while the day and month windows in the upper section of the dial are almost symmetric with the moon-phase and date indicator at 6 o’clock.

Jaeger-LeCoultre’s excellent automatic Caliber 759, an integrated chronograph with a column-wheel chronograph and vertical clutch, powers the watch’s timing indicators and the triple calendar with moon-phase display. The movement, finely decorated and visible through the sapphire crystal case-back, offers a strong sixty-five-hour power reserve. (See below for additional specifications). 

Price: $32,500. 

Specifications: Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Chronograph Calendar 

Case: 40mm by 12.05mm pink gold, 50 meters of water resistance. 

Movement: Automatic Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 759 with a 65-hour power reserve. 

Dial: Black sunray-brushed with indicators for hours, minutes, small seconds, day, date, month, moon phases, chronograph with 30- minute counter and pulsometer. 

Strap: Black alligator.

Price: $32,500.

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The Watches

New Arnold & Son Perpetual Moon Glows in Celestial Blue 

Arnold & Son expands its Perpetual Moon collection (a favorite here at iW) with the new Perpetual Moon 41.5 Platinum Celestial Blue, a stunning platinum-cased watch that glows with a ‘Stellar Rays” engraved dial and a large white mother-of-pearl moon.

The new Arnold & Son the new Perpetual Moon 41.5 Platinum Celestial Blue.

The watchmaker creates the ray-shaped dial decor by applying irregular engraving to various depths and widths to produce a fluctuating sequence that allows light to reflect and refract. Artisans then add a several layers of transparent lacquer to accentuate the effect.

Arnold & Son renders its ultra-large moon in white mother-of-pearl with hand-painted shadows, all liberally coated with Super-LumiNova. This is placed amid a grained sky comprised of midnight-blue PVD. And as with all models in the Perpetual Moon collection, the moon is surrounded by the Big Dipper and Cassiopeia constellations, which are also hand-painted and coated with luminescent material.

This new model measures 41.5mm in diameter, the new size of the recently redesigned Perpetual Moon series. In addition to refining the case size with the revision, Arnold & Son also re-shaped the lugs, creating a more elegant form with beveled ends.

The back of the Perpetual Moon 41.5 Platinum Celestial Blue also provides both information and eye candy. There, Arnold & Son places a secondary, easily adjustable moon phase indicator. Artisans finish the manually wound A&S1512 Caliber with beautiful polished and chamfered bridges and circular satin-finished wheels. All screws are blued, chamfered and polished.

The caliber easily performs up to the high level of its finish. The movement’s two barrels and oscillating frequency of 3 Hz contribute to a whopping 90-hour power reserve. 

With only thirty-eight Perpetual Moon 41.5 Platinum Celestial Blue watches being made, I’d expect Arnold & Son to sell all examples of this model fairly quickly. 

Price: $48,300.

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The Watches

Casio Adds Four Elegant Oceanus Manta Models

Casio America updates its elegant Oceanus Manta collection with four new models, each boasting a solar-powered movement, a blue or black dial and a thin titanium case.

The new Casio Oceanus Manta OCW-S6000SW-2A.

Casio positions the Manta collection as its luxury line. All models are made at Casio’s famed Yamagata factory with limited-production and hand-crafted finishing.

Casio coats the index (at 12 o’clock), second hand and date display with pink gold IP to express the image of a sandy beach under the sunlight. The crown is coated with pink gold IP.

The limited-edition OCWS6000SW2A, is particularly unusual with a spiral-cut sapphire wave-shaped bezel colored by vapor deposition in a vivid blue gradient.

Casio’s new spiral cut technique is used to carefully cut curves on top of the faceted shape to create a smooth, three-dimensional design reminiscent of the whirlpools of waves.

The dial is also specially crafted using a vapor deposition process that is not only eye-catching but disguises a solar charging panel underneath. The index (at 12 o’clock), second hand, and date display are decorated with pink gold IP that Casio says are meant to “express the image of a sandy beach under the sunlight.”

The back of Oceanus Manta OCWS6000SW-2A.

Casio crafts the band, buckle and case from titanium and adds a titanium carbide treatment to harden the material. The new 42mm watch, a limited edition of 300,  is the thinnest yet from Oceanus, measuring 9.2mm from top to back.

Three additional new models (in the S7000 series) also feature smooth sapphire crystal bezels, a titanium case and bracelet and double-sided anti-reflective sapphire glass. This series also features thin-cased models measuring 9.5mm from top to back, wearing just a bit higher on the wrist than premium model.

Casio Oceanus Manta OCW-S7000-1A.Casio also offers a slightly different blue or black color combination with the three 42.8mm S7000 models. 

Two of the debut models, the OCWS7000A, and OCWS7000B, offer a gradated blue to black IP-finished dial, while the OCWS7000 has a solid black dial.

Casio Oceanus Manta OCW-S7000A-2A.

Casio finishes each with its own color finish, all on hardened titanium cases and bracelets. OCWS7000 and OCWS7000A are finished with silver while the OCW-S7000B is dark grey.

Oceanus Manta OCW-S7000B-2A.

All the debuts are equipped with Casio’s latest technologies, including Multi-Band 6, Tough Solar, Tough Movement, 100-meter water resistance, smart access, and Bluetooth connectivity via the Casio Watches app. With the app, wearers can access an auto time adjustment, world time in 300 cities, a status display and a helpful phone locator.

The OCWS6000SW2A is priced at $2,400. Of the S7000 series, the OCWS7000-1A will retail for $1,300, OCWS7000A-2A for $1,400, and the OCWS7000B-2A for $1,550.

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Chronoswiss Sparks an ‘Electric’ Open Gear 

With its CVD-coated blue case and swirling black dial, the new Chronoswiss Open Gear Blue Spark is meant to echo the energy of an electrical charge.

The new Chronoswiss Open Gear Blue Spark.

The watch melds a classical regulator dial layout with a stunning hand-guilloche swirling dial pattern meant to remind its wearer of pure energy.

The Chronoswiss Open Gear series is comprised of  regulator dial watches that feature a prominent, separate central minute hand and secondary hour and seconds hands. The layout was historically placed on reference clocks for use by watchmakers to quickly read the time while setting new or repaired timepieces.

 

The swirled black dial here provides an energetic backdrop for a blue hour ring at the 12 o’clock position. This is paired with the long minute hand and a small seconds display at six o’clock, which provides its own whirlpool of time.

 

The display is presented on two levels with the upper level showcasing skeletonized gear train bridges and the hour and seconds indicators and the lower showcasing the intricate, hand-crafted dial work.

 

The Chronoswiss Open Gear style is present throughout the watch with its 41mm stainless steel case, satin-finished and polished knurled bezel and onion crown. Through the clear sapphire back you’ll see Chronoswiss’s Caliber C. 299, an automatic movement with a skeletonized rotor.

Price: $11,600. Limited edition of 50. 

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Hublot Celebrates Bucherer Partnership with New Duo 

Hublot and watch retailer Bucherer 1888 celebrate their partnership with the launch of two new limited edition Big Bang Unico watches. The duo is the third exclusive Bucherer model made by Hublot since the partnership commenced in 2008.

The New Hublot Big Bang Unico Bucherer Exclusive Titanium.

One model, the Big Bang Unico Bucherer Exclusive Titanium, shines with a polished 42mm titanium case that Hublot contrasts with a clear sapphire bezel, and the collection’s familiar skeletonized dial. A white rubber strap adds a sporty touch.

The second debut, the Big Bang Unico Bucherer Exclusive Ceramic, combines a 42mm micro-blasted black ceramic case with a polished black sapphire bezel and skeletonized dial. Here, a darker rubber strap matches the case.

The new Hublot Big Bang Unico Bucherer Exclusive Ceramic.

Hublot powers both watches with its excellent in-house, almost fully exposed Unico HUB1280 movement endowed with a seventy-two hour power reserve.

Each watch is a limited edition of thirty pieces to be offered in selected Bucherer boutiques and online in the United Kingdom, Germany, France and the United States. Prices: $43,900 (black ceramic) and $42,000 (titanium). 

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