The watchmaker’s watchmaker has had rather strong novelties these past few years, but at times, it was plagued by dedicating an entire year to a single watch, with the Reverso and Polaris getting the majority of the limelight recently. During 2024, though, we saw a diverse range of releases from Jaeger-LeCoultre, and below are our five favourites.Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Monoface mid-sizeThis is my personal favourite of the year, purely because of its democratic nature in dimension and price (for the brand). The new mid-size Monoface introduces near-original proportions for the Reverso back into the collection, bringing it back to the scale of the 1931 model that started it all. Measuring 24.4mm across and 40.1mm lug-to-lug, its smaller size does not exclude a mechanical movement from the picture, housing the hand-wound, in-house 822 with 42 hours of power reserve. The Reverso Tribute Monoface mid-size is a purist’s choice that will suit all wrist sizes. Price: US$8,900Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris GeographicI remember vividly just how happy our audience was when news of the Polaris Geographic hit Instagram, with the watch community leaving a ton of favourable comments on our reel and on other posts from different media outlets. While the inner scale on the rehaut is no longer rotatable, the second crown’s worldtime capabilities are a welcome tradeoff. By rotating the 10 o’clock positioned crown, you move the worldtimer’s city disc which will then correct the second time zone displayed on the sub-dial at 6. The whole look leans into the comfort of blue, but gives it a twist, with JLC opting for 35 layers of blue-grey lacquer to achieve the effect. Measuring 42mm and 11.54mm thick, the stainless steel case has a larger, sporty size befitting of the 100-metre water-resistant adventurer’s watch, and exhibited inside is the 70-hour, in-house automatic movement. This is a lot of watch, even for the price. Price: US$16,100Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Chronograph Q389256JThis is the kind of novelty that makes me wish I had a larger watch budget and a larger wrist. The 49.4mm length of the case is something I have never been able to completely get over as much as I am on the record for thinking the Reverso Tribute Chronograph is a stellar model. But this limited edition, with a solid rose gold dial and movement has me ready to inquire about wrist implants. To be clear, average to larger wrists will have no trouble wearing a Reverso Tribute Chronograph. I, however, am suffering from small-wrist bias here – #tinywristgang. The striations in the dial are so dynamic in person, creating ever-shifting shades as the watch changes angle under light. And if you thought the calibre exhibited on the second retrograde chronograph dial looked great in its standard rhodium plating, in rose gold, it’s even better. Price: US$66,000Jaeger-LeCoultre Duometre Chronograph MoonWho can resist appreciating a platinum watch with a smokin’ salmon dial? The Duometre?Chronograph Moon was one of three new Watches and Wonders models that presented the next generation of the collection, with a refined savonette case that introduced scalloping to the lugs with a frosted inner surface. Duometre watches have always been on the larger side, but the refined case of the Chronograph Moon presents a surprisingly ergonomic 42mm design that is 14.2mm thick. Inside, you have the crazy complex Cal. 391 that adds two new complications not seen on the previous Cal. 380: moonphase and day/night indicators. The longstanding signature of the Duometre is its rapidly jumping, sixth of a second seconde foudroyante sub-dial at 6 o’clock. Flanking it are two apertures, each with a power reserve indicator that displays the 50-hour reserve of its respective barrel. While there is one escapement driving the watch, two gear trains with their own mainsprings allow the time indication to have and independent source of energy that is not chronometrically bogged down by the monopusher chronograph, moonphase, and day/night indications. Price: US$86,000Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Calibre 948I know you were probably expecting to see the Duometre?Heliotourbillon here, but JLC also debuted a new interpretation of the Master Grande Tradition Calibre 948 that I have not been able to get off my mind. Its green enamel dial, which also incorporates guilloche and lacquering, requires 70 hours of work alone to produce. To refresh your memory, it incorporates a laser-cut, 18k pink gold domed grid, with each continent below executed in champleve enamel. Below this is a hand-guilloched dial plate reminiscent of the ocean, finished with blue-green lacquer. Finally, a universal tourbillon aperture cuts into this intricate dial, making a complete revolution around its circumference every 24 hours. In a nutshell – highly complicated watchmaking at its best. Being limited to 20 pieces, it’s probably not surprising that the price is on request.
04.01.25