Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Calendar
With the tagline, “the Watchmaker of Watchmakers,” Jaeger-LeCoultre has been innovating in both technical and aesthetic mastery since its founding in 1833. Among the brand’s iconic collections is the Master Control series, a line defined by high-function mechanical timepieces that marry elegance with purpose. This year, Jaeger-LeCoultre enriches that lineage with the new Master Control Calendar, a limited edition of just 500 pieces.
While the complication pays homage to the mid-20th century triple calendar moon-phase watches, the true star of this reference is its exceptional new dial—crafted in two harmonious shades of grey with a finely grained finish that pays tribute to the 1940s but in a thoroughly modern rendition that is all about texture and contrast.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Calendar with 344-part mechanical movement.
A journey around the sector style dial of the Master Control Calendar shows the use of alternating tones of light and dark grey to separate each function. The center zone is lighter, with crisp day and month windows at the top. On the lower portion of the dial, a moon-phase shines in a starry blue sky, nestled within the small seconds subdial. Surrounding it, a dark grey ring carries the hour markers, while the minute track sits on a pale grey circle beyond. The outermost scale displays the date, accented by a red-tipped hand and small flashes of red numerals—just enough to keep the eye moving.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Calendar is crafted in stainless steel in a 40mm case.
That grained finish is what elevates the watch. Light plays differently on each shade of grey, giving the surface a dynamic depth and enhancing legibility. It’s a dial that feels refined at a glance but reveals subtle layers of craftsmanship as you look closer.
The 40mm stainless steel case frames the composition with understated elegance. Polished bezel and lug tops catch the light, while brushed flanks add balance. Dauphine hands, brushed on one side and polished on the other, work with applied triangular indexes and Arabic numerals at 12, 3, and 9 to keep the look sharp and timeless.
The grainy finish of the multi-tone gray dial of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Calendar is exceptional.
Powering it all is Jaeger-LeCoultre’s in-house Caliber 866. The 344-part automatic caliber offers a 70-hour power reserve and drives the complete calendar and moon-phase with precision. A clever detail: the date hand leaps between the 15th and 16th each month, ensuring the moon-phase display is never obscured. It’s a small touch, but one that shows how much thought the brand puts into both form and function. The Master Control Calendar in stainless steel retails for $15,300.
Housing the caliber 866, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Calendar retails for $15,300.
