For every true connoisseur of watchmaking art, the Swiss brand Jaeger-LeCoultre is well known, highly valued and desirable. Since its creation in 1833, the brand has managed to establish its name among the greatest in this field, and today JLC watches and movements are considered among the very best. Jaeger-LeCoultre have managed to set a very high standard with regard to the movements in their watches and to maintain these standards for many years, offering not only unique in-house movements, but also wonderful watch designs.
The next step for the brand was to win the hearts of as many lovers of luxury watches as possible – and, as you can imagine, the brand handled this task more than well. JLC gained great popularity with its more formal models such as the Reverso and the classic Master Control. This, however, was not enough for them, and for this reason, around 15 years ago, Jaeger-LeCoultre decided to broaden the reach of its admirers by entering the increasingly popular sector of sportier watches for people practising extreme sports and those leading an active lifestyle. This is how the idea for the Master Compressor Diving series was born.
A few years later, in 2009, the brand decided to mark its long-standing cooperation with the United States Navy SEALs by launching several models from the most popular representatives of the Master Compressor line – all in limited numbers and each bearing the insignia of the elite forces on its back. Thus, a few years later, the watch presented today appeared – the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Compressor Diving Chronograph GMT Navy SEALs Q1782470 Rose Gold.
With its 46.3 mm diameter and 17.9 mm height, the watch is by no means small. But thanks to the ratio between the dial and the bezel, as well as the skilfully proportioned 22 mm lugs, the Master Compressor sits very well on almost any wrist size. The case is made of 18-carat rose gold, as is the 60-click bezel, which also features a brushed ceramic insert and moves with exceptional precision and definition. Rotating it requires exactly 3 newtons of force – how many brands measure this parameter in their watches?! – while the well-defined edges of the bezel provide excellent grip in all conditions.
The black dial offers a 30-minute register at “3 o’clock”, a seconds register at “6 o’clock” and a 12-hour register at “9 o’clock”. Something less traditional is the seconds subdial, which is replaced by a rotating black-and-white disc that JLC call the “movement indicator”. The date sector is positioned at “4:30”, with white numerals placed on a black background. JLC call the hands “trapeze” – they, as well as the raised polished indexes, are generously treated with luminescence, which in turn glows in a pleasant greenish colour – long-lasting and quite bright.
Inside the watch beats the “heart” of the JLC Calibre 757 – based on the Calibre 751 with a GMT upgrade. The 751 was first presented in 2004 in the Master Compressor Chronograph and has the honour of being Jaeger-LeCoultre’s first automatic chronograph. The movement consists of 285 parts and 41 jewels and operates at 28,800 VpH, while thanks to the two barrels in the movement, the watch provides an exceptional 65-hour power reserve. Like every movement of the brand, this one has also passed the “Jaeger-LeCoultre 1000 Hour Master Control” test before being certified and approved for use.
Of course, any review including the words “Master” and “Compressor” would not be complete without explaining exactly what these terms mean. Instead of using a traditional screw-down crown, Jaeger-LeCoultre chose what they call compression keys. To ensure the water resistance of the watch after using the crown, the wearer simply has to turn the key half a turn – in this way, the toroidal seals close, or “compress”.
In conclusion, the Master Compressor Diving Chronograph is everything one would expect from a brand such as Jaeger-LeCoultre. Beautifully finished and precise, the watch is a joy to the eye, while the fact that it carries in its heart the brand’s first automatic chronograph undoubtedly makes it a worthy representative of any collection. Last but not least, the fact that this particular piece is part of a limited series of only 500 pieces!!!, dedicated to one of the most elite military formations in the world, makes it even more attractive to every admirer of the brand.
