Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control 1833 Ultra Thin watch

Commemorating its 175th anniversary, the Swiss Manufacture has created a series of limited edition Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control 1833 Ultra Thin watches.

Consisting of truly marvelous Master Minute Repeater, Eight Days Perpetual SQ, Grand Turbillon and Ultra Thin, the series easily demonstrates JLC’s excellence in all specialties of haute horlogerie.

With their cases made of rose gold, all four timepieces look absolutely stunning and deserve their share of attention.

Nevertheless, I was particularly interested in the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control 1833 Ultra Thin hand-wound watch.

Featuring a 38mm in diameter and 3.31mm thick 18K rose gold case and laconic dial with gold cabochon minute track and dauphine hands, this timekeeper looks very simple. Indeed, there is no date window, no minute repeater, no chronograph sub-dials.

In fact, there isn’t even a small second hand to animate its chocolate brown (or sunburst-finished silver for the version in white gold) face.

However, this masterpiece stays on par with the overcomplicated JLC Grand Tourbillon model.

For example, its Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 849 manual wind movement is made up of 123 parts and 19 jewels somehow fitted in a tiny space of just 20.2 mm in diameter and 1.85 millimeters thick!

Being a more technologically advanced version of the well-known JLC Caliber 839 that stayed in production from 1975, the new movement also beats at a rather slow frequency of 21,600 vibrations per hour, but uses an extra jewel and two more parts to do the job.

Naturally, the shape of the bridges is also slightly different.

And all this beauty is completely hand-made!

What is even more important is that this caliber is not only very thin, it is also very reliable as well as accurate.

And, trust me, making an accurate ultra-thin movement with its tinfoil bridges and gear trains, is not a small feat, since the metal parts tend to contract and expand as they are cooled and warmed during the day. In this sense, the JLC 849 is one of the best ultra-thin movements that I know of.

Its case is not that simple either comprising of four major parts: bezel, band, caseback and a sapphire crystal. When fully assembled, the thin case is watertight up to 30 meters!

Alas, this top class Ultra Thin is limited to only 575 pieces.

Photos: Jaeger-LeCoultre

Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control 1833 Ultra Thin watch’s specification

Price range: $12,000
Movement: Caliber 849, hand-wound, 21,600 vph, 19 jewels, 123 components, Swiss Made
Complications: Ultra-thin
Power reserve: 48 hours
Case material: Rose gold
Case size: 38 mm
Case height: 3.31 mm
Dial: Chocolate brown
Water resistance: 30 m
Strap: Leather
Crystal: Sapphire