A New Grained-Copper Dial for the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Collection

Designing a classic dress watch is probably the most challenging assignment for any designer, as it requires striking a balance between top-quality materials and finishes, an elegant yet understated dial and a slim profile. Ticking all the boxes is Jaeger-LeCoultre’s classic Master Ultra Thin collection, a classy lineup of dress watches for men and women with a variety of complications and an understated style that can weather changing trends. The latest news from La Grande Maison is the release of the Master Ultra Thin Date and Master Ultra Thin Moon, featuring attractive and more contemporary salmon-like, grained copper-coloured dials.

With nearly 200 years of history, Jaeger-LeCoultre has a rich archive to turn to. The case of the Master Ultra Thin, with its pure lines, lean profile and subtly curved lugs, draws inspiration from an ultra-thin pocket watch of 1907. While we associate ultra-thin calibres with brands like Piaget and Bulgari, Jaeger-LeCoultre was a precursor in the genre. Rewind to 1903, when French watchmaker Edmond Jaeger, who later became the ‘Jaeger’ part of the brand’s name, was supplying chronometers for the French Navy. Interested in producing an ultra-thin calibre, Jaeger sent out a challenge to Swiss watchmakers, which was answered by Jacques-David LeCoultre, who cycled to the nearest phone booth to accept the challenge. The result was the world’s thinnest pocket watch calibre 145 of 1907. Just 1.38mm thick, the calibre 145 was nicknamed the “knife”. In its honour, the brand was inspired to create the Master Ultra Thin collection in 1993 and the 4.05mm Master Ultra Thin 1907 wristwatch in 2014.

Both references come in slim 39mm stainless steel cases, but with slightly different heights depending on the movement. The Date has a slender profile of 7.89mm, while the Moon Phase is 9.3mm. The pure lines of the case and subtly curved lugs are polished for a more elegant feel, contrasting nicely with the matte, grained texture of the copper-coloured dial.

Marking a departure from the classic eggshell beige, silver, blue, and black sunray-finished dials of the Master Ultra Thin family, the new dial colour adds warmth to the cool, polished surfaces of the case and appliques, introducing a contemporary texture. The distinctive shape of the slim, elongated trapezoid indices, paired with the elegant, faceted Dauphine hands (one facet is satin-brushed, the other polished), are hallmark features of the collection and stand out noticeably against the warm, coppery background. The dots on the minute track are black, matching the discreet inscriptions on the dial.

Featured in a rectangular aperture at 6 o’clock, the date window has a black printed frame, and the numerals are set on a white disc. The reference with a moon phase complication and date places these functions inside a round, recessed sub-dial at 6 o’clock with a smooth copper-coloured date ring indicated by a steel hand. Set against a deep blue starry sky, the silver moon performs its cycle of waxing and waning.

Equipped with slim in-house automatic movements with an improved power reserve of 70 hours, the Date is powered by calibre 899 and the Moon by calibre 925. Both calibres have an openworked 18k pink gold rotor and are decorated with Côtes de Genève, bevelled bridges and blued screws. Moreover, they have undergone JLC’s stringent 1000-hour control.

In keeping with its elegant dress watch spirit, the two models are paired with brown alligator straps featuring a steel folding buckle. The Master Ultra Thin Date and Master Ultra Thin Moon with Grained-Copper dials are limited editions of 800 pieces, retailing for EUR 10,400 and EUR 12,600, respectively. More information at jaeger-lecoultre.com.