For Watches and Wonders 2024, Jaeger-LeCoultre revisits one of its mainstay complications: the Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Calendar. On the surface, the new Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Calendar watches look almost identical to the previous versions we know and love, however, the model has undergone a subtle design refresh and an important mechanical update.
Jaeger-LeCoultre offers the new Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Calendar in three variations, two in 18k pink gold and one in stainless steel. The case measures the same 39mm in diameter and 9.2 mm thick as its predecessors but the lugs have been slimmed down and elongated for an even more elegant fit. While these are certainly not timepieces fit for poolside activities, it’s nice to know that the cases are water-resistant to 50 meters. Among the three new variants, one in pink gold includes a gem-set bezel with 60 diamonds for an approximate total of 0.85 carats.
In addition to the revamped lugs, the dial of the Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Calendar has also been tweaked ever so slightly. For instance, the slim hour markers are now longer and the subdials are executed in a way that makes the calendar indications a touch sharper. Investigating the press pictures, it looks like the inner circles are set a little deeper to achieve that effect but we’ll have to see if that change is noticeable in real life. The moonphase display includes more stars on the disc, which adds a nice touch. Finally, according to Jaeger-LeCoultre, the faceted Dauphine hands retain the same shape but now benefit from a mix of polished and satin finishes.
These small adjustments aside, the layout remains the same, which is to say a date dial at 3 o’clock, a month dial at 6 o’clock, a day dial at 9 o’clock, a year window between 7 and 8 o’clock, a security zone indicator just above the handset (to warn when not to adjust the movement), and the aforementioned moonphase disc at 12 o’clock.
The two dials inside the pink gold models are rendered in a classic eggshell shade with texture to match and the steel variant is home to a sunray-brushed silver dial. The ultra-fine concentric circle engraving of the subdials contrasts beautifully with the sunray-brushed background on the silver, while the eggshell dial’s even texture throughout seems to give a subtler play of the dial’s different levels.
The biggest update that the latest Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Calendar watches offer is found inside. Although it’s the same Caliber 868 that’s responsible for powering the watch, the automatic movement has been redesigned to include a new escapement and pallets for a notable reduction in friction. This minimized friction means less energy consumption; now, wearers can enjoy a boosted power reserve of 70 hours — a significant improvement over the previous 38 hours. And we all recognize that the longer a perpetual calendar runs on its own, the more likely we can avoid the dreaded re-setting of all the indications when the watch runs out of juice! However, it’s worth noting that setting the Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Calendar is fairly easy (for a perpetual calendar) as it’s all done via a single corrector set on the left side of the case.
All the models are paired with black alligator straps with folding buckles matched to the cases. The pink gold Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Calendar watch with the eggshell dial (ref. Q114251) will retail for 40,700 USD. As expected, the pink gold Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Calendar with a diamond-set bezel and eggshell dial (ref. Q1142501) costs more at 47,900 USD. Conversely, the least expensive of the quartet is the stainless steel Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Calendar ref. Q114842J with a price tag of 28,500 USD. For more information, please visit the brand’s website.
