Pre-SIHH 2017 – Introducing the Jaeger-LeCoultre Duometre Collection now with Magnetite Grey Dials

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Duometre is a collection that really stands apart in JLC’s catalogue. The watches boast a unique style, practical complications and exceptionally interesting movement architecture. Ahead of the upcoming Geneva Watch Fair, the SIHH 2017, the brand is previewing 3 new versions from this collection that will be launched next year. Please welcome the Jaeger-LeCoultre Duometre Collection now with magnetite grey dials and pink gold cases, for the Spherotourbillon, the Quantième Lunaire and the Chronograph.

The Dual-Wing Concept behind the Jaeger-LeCoultre Duometre

Behind the Jaeger-LeCoultre Duometre is a lot of interesting research around chronometry and precision. With the Duometre, Jaeger set out to tackle recurring issue, well known in watchmaking: any complication added to a movement (anything that is not displaying the hours, minutes or seconds) naturally uses up some of the power provided by the barrel. This energy consumption disrupts the constant supply that is required by the finely adjusted regulating organ to fulfil its function as precisely as possible. To achieve accuracy, it is thus essential that the power supply delivered by the barrel to the gear trains and escapement should be as steady as possible.

The solution developed by Jaeger-LeCoultre in the Duometre collection is named Dual-Wing. The idea is to separate the energy provided to the complication from that to the movement, which is fed by its own barrel, thus guaranteeing a more constant level of torque supply. Put in simple terms, the Duometre is based on the idea of 2 movements within the same watch, with 2 distinct barrels and 2 distinct gear trains: one is linked to chronometry and the display of the time, the other is linked to the complications and the display of everything else – for instance a calendar or a chronograph. Thus, the gear train of the chronometry is not affected by the energy consumption of the complications.

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Duometre Spherotourbillon Magnetite Grey

The first watch from the collection to receive the new visuals for SIHH 2017 is the Jaeger-LeCoultre Duometre Spherotourbillon. Housed in a 42mm 18k pink gold case and exposing an appealing dark grey dial (with the grainy “paper” style texture characteristic of the collection), this model is a complex piece of watchmaking. Timekeeping is regulated by a masterpiece; the Spherotourbillon, a multi-axis regulating organ, which aims at counteracting the effect of gravity in a more effective way than the traditional mono-axis tourbillon. As well as revolving around the axis in its titanium cage, the tourbillon turns around a second axis, tilted at 20°. The combination of these two distinct and rapid rotations (30 and 15 seconds respectively) creates a better compensation for the effects of gravity. Also of note is the fact that the small seconds can be reset to zero using the flyback principle by pressing the pusher located at 2 o’clock – while the regulating organ is not stopped. This watch has been fully explained here.

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Duometre Spherotourbillon also has an interesting display, based on off-set time dial, encircled by a retrograde date, a small second at 6 and a second time-zone at 12. As a result of the Dual-Wing architecture, 2 separate power reserve indicators can be seen on the dial (each internal sub-movement has 50 hours of power reserve). The movement, with German silver plates and bridges, is finished in the traditional haute horlogerie way, with “côtes soleillées” motifs, clear-cut protruding and recessed angles, and harmonious forms.

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Duometre Spherotourbillon Magnetite Grey Dial will be showed during the SIHH 2017. Price to be confirmed but expect around 265,000 Euros.

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Duometre Chronograph Magnetite Grey

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Duometre Chronograph was the first model in the Duometre collection, introduced with the sole purpose of enhancing the precision of chronograph watches. It is a known issue that when the chronograph of a watch is engaged, it will inevitably affect the steady running of the gear train and the regulating organ. This is why JLC introduced this watch, where the gear train and barrel for the time and the gear and barrel for the chronograph are separated. The  Duometre Chronograph features distinct areas on its dial, with time indicated in a sub-dial at 10, with pink gold hands and a central second in a matching material. The chronograph functions are: a 60-minute and 12-hour sub-dial at 2, a central second (both with silver hands) and a foudroyante second (with 1/6th second display) at 6. Again, two power reserve are indicated on the dial.

For the SIHH 2017, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Duometre Chronograph comes in a 42mm pink gold case with a Magnetite Grey Dial and brown alligator strap. Price not revealed yet, but expect around 45,000 Euros.

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Duometre Quantième Lunaire Magnetite Grey

The last of the 3 new Duometre watches to be introduced at the SIHH 2017 by Jaeger-LeCoultre is the Quantième Lunaire. As the name indicates, this watch is based on the display of the date (quantième) and of the moon (lunaire). Again, this watch makes a clear mechanical distinction between timekeeping and the complications (moon and date), a distinction that can be seen on the dial too, with the time in a sub-dial at 2 and the moon and the date in a second sub-dial at 10. At 6, we find the same foudroyante seconde as in the chronograph and the dual power reserve indication. This watch has been fully explained here.

As with the other two models, it features a 42mm pink gold case with a Magnetite Grey Dial and brown alligator strap. Price not revealed yet, but expect around 40,000 Euros.