Jaeger-LeCoultre is known for their watch movements (or “calibres”) but it wasn’t until 2004 that they introduced their first in-house automatic chronograph. Calibre 752 was wonderfully up to date, with a vertical clutch and column wheels, and it came in a platinum and titanium Master Compressor Extreme case. It was even a worldtimer!
A chunky tool watch, the Master Compressor Extreme World Chronograph offset the weight of platinum in the limited edition of 200 with titanium inserts. This combines for a surprisingly wearable watch, despite the four protruding crowns. It epitomizes the Jaeger-LeCoultre tool watch style of the 2000’s yet the dial brings symmetry lacking in many of the models of that time. Even the red power gauge isn’t intrusive.
Calibres 751 and 752 were a real advancement for Jaeger-LeCoultre. They brought a column wheel and vertical clutch chronograph to the modern Autotractor base movement and became the company’s go-to chronograph. These double-barreled movements can run for 65 hours and adopt the current trends of uni-directional winding and a free-sprung balance. The mainspring comes from Richemont brother company A. Lange & Söhne rather than the Swatch conglomerate, making it truly in-house.
Though lacking the original box and papers, this Master Compressor Extreme World Chronograph is a platinum LE model, number 096 of 200. The scarcity of the model, combined with the historical importance of Calibre 752, and the platinum case should bring well over the $5,000 starting bid at Auctionata on March 10.
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