I pulled the trigger, friends, and I think I found a nice match between form, function, and tradition. I bought the Jaeger LeCoultre Master Compressor Extreme World Chronograph – a review is forthcoming – and I think I found the right balance here. I was constantly going back to watches like Glashütte Original and even, dare I say it, Breguet but they just didn’t seem like watches I’d wear on a regular basis, unlike this monster. Even the Panerai I was eying would end up being relegated to the winder.

Sweet merciful watch gods! What is that! That’s a single hand escapement, called the Isometer by JLC. Seriously. This is a very big deal. The standard escapement loses accuracy because the little jeweled hands move back and forth, leading to friction et al. This apparently has one little hand that swings the balance wheel. More as we get it.

The Reverso Grande Complication a Triptyque is the results of tireless effort by many constructeurs and watchmakers under the strong guidance of the Jaeger-LeCoultre management and is truly the result of JLC’s collective effort and aspiration. We made a tour of the Manufacture last month to see the work involved in making of this Grande Complication and we spoke to the management, the product department, the prototype department, the Constructeurs etc to learn as much as possible about this new breakthrough.