Posted by By many collectors the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Taille is overlooked or considered a less interesting watch.
In perspective of spectacular complications or looks, the Master Grande Taille might not be the most forthcoming, but from a development and historical point I think it earned its place in the Jaeger-LeCoultre history!
Sunburst silver dial, 37 mm stainless steel or gold case with closed back. Hour, minute, seconds and date. Powered by a very accurate automatic movement.
It all sounds quite familiar right? The design and the combination of complications brings a strong 1960’s feeling to the watch. I think most of us could name at least one similar watch from any major brand during the 1960’s.
So why do I think this is a important watch?
Introduced in 1992 the Master Grande Taille with the new quality control – Master Control 1000 hours, sets a new quality standard for automatic watches.
At this point in time, as far as I am aware, no other brand had this level of quality control for their base watches. I think Jaeger-LeCoultre did the right thing here and applied the new standard from the most basic watch, the Master Grande Taille and up. Building the new standard from the bottom up!
The new Master Grande Taille were equipped with the Calibre 889. A ultrathin movement that had been in production already almost a decade.
You thought about a similar watch from Jaeger-LeCoultre during the 1960’s? For me that watch is the E 399 Geomatic!
The inspiration from the Geomatic doesn’t stop at the front side, look at the back – the gold medallion of the Geomatic clearly been an inspiration here!
The Master Control 1000 hours gold medallion.
Yes, a new quality standard was born with the Master Grande Taille!
The Blomman Watch Report 