Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Kingsman Knife Limited Edition (and Some Thoughts)
A truly handsome ultra-thin knife watch, specially adapted for movie "The King’s Man".
There’s no denying Jaeger-LeCoultre’s mastery of ultra-thin, elegant watches. With this in mind, the team producing the latest film in the Kingsman agency series, The King’s Man, chose JLC to provide an exclusive, purpose-built timepiece for the movie that captures its neo-retro universe… And as you can see, this new Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Kingsman Knife Limited Edition is very, very handsome indeed.
This new model will be offered as a key part of The King’s Man ‘costume to collection’ (which also includes shirts, suits, shoes and sunglasses), a series of accessories directly inspired or used in the latest film in the Kingsman series. This new episode, The King’s Man, starring Ralph Fiennes and Gemma Arterton, goes back 100 years to trace the origins of the Kingsman agency. Directed by Matthew Vaughn, the movie opens in US theatres on 18 September 2020. As a film that is set in the past, period-correct accessories were a priority for the production team.
To create a vintage-inspired wristwatch that can fit into the elegant attires used in this movie, Jaeger-LeCoultre relies on one of its most celebrated designs, a 1907 pocket watch given the name ‘Couteau’ (the French word for knife) because of the sharp profile of the case.
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Kingsman Knife Limited Edition reinterprets this unique design in a wristwatch model. The broad bezel that slopes gently from the sapphire crystal to the edge of the case creates a fine, sharp profile reminiscent of the blade of a knife. The winding crown, protected by its triangular bow (another cue from the 1907 pocket watch), is placed at 12 o’clock and is integrated into the leather strap.
The case of this Master Ultra Thin Kingsman Knife watch is thin… Very thin indeed. It measures just 4.25mm in height making it one of the leanest watches on the market. The polished 18k rose gold case is 40mm in diameter. The caseback is also solid gold and is engraved with the Kingsman logo and “one of 100”. The watch is worn on a flat, brown alligator strap with a gold pin buckle.
For the dial, Jaeger-LeCoultre pursued simplicity and elegance with an off-white colour and grained texture. The display consists only of hours and minutes but the layout of the indexes and tracks is refined and minimalist. Time is indicated by blued steel hands.
To obtain this level of slenderness the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Kingsman Knife Limited Edition is powered by the brand’s in-house calibre 849, a movement that is also used in other JLC ultra-thin dress watches, such as the Master Ultra Thin 1907. This hand-wound movement measures just 1.85mm in height and is one of the thinnest calibres on the market. As a simple calibre with 19 jewels and a short 35h power reserve, the Grande Maison has certified the movement with its 1000H Master Control status and even decorated the movement that is hidden beneath the caseback.
Thoughts
There’s no denying the beauty of this watch, which is elegant and original at the same time. The case, with its sharp profile and crown at 12 o’clock with a triangular bow combined with a refined dial, works really well. Thin and elegant with a distinct personality. This Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Kingsman Knife Limited Edition is one of the most attractive offers in the Master Ultra Thin collection.
I must admit, however, that a couple of things disturb me – and it isn’t about the product itself. First, this watch is a limited edition of 100 pieces only. It is quite frustrating to see that the brand only dares to create such products in limited editions when the permanent collection is far from being that appealing visually – the Master Ultra Thin 1907, for instance, was nice but lacked personality.
Second, there’s the price – EUR 30,000. A watch like the Master Ultra Thin 1907, which isn’t in collection anymore but was also gold and powered by the same calibre, cost approximately half that amount (about EUR 15,000 in 2014). With this in mind, I find it hard to justify this price for the Master Ultra Thin Kingsman Knife Limited Edition.
Availability
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Kingsman Knife Limited Edition can be pre-ordered exclusively on MR PORTER, from 20 July to 6 September. After that date, the remaining examples of this 100-piece limited edition will also be available directly from Jaeger-LeCoultre online and in selected boutiques.
6 responses
Well-said about the price; was pleasantly surprised to see such criticism. When you can get a Vacheron ultra-thin 1955 in gold (with gold movement) at 4.1mm thick, for less at retail, something isn’t right – limited edition or not.
JLC is usually great with value for money, so I’ll put this down to a temporary blip.
Making it in 35mm with a display back, I can accept a 20k price tag.
@ Chia-Ming
Bear in mind you can get a 36mm Vacheron ultra-thin 1955 with display back for just under £19k pre-owned (1 – 2 years old). There’s one on Watchfinder’s site at the moment.
Of course, that is my preference, not necessarily yours. 😉
@Gav
Thanks for your information. Though I agree it’s a good alternative, generally I don’t consider pre-owned watches.
Totally understand.
Very elegant watch, bravo!