Jaeger-LeCoultre has added a fresh twist to one of its most elegant watches. The new Master Control Calendar arrives with a grained dial in two shades of grey, giving a contemporary update to a design that first earned its reputation decades ago.
Limited to 500 pieces, it’s a watch that mixes classic charm with just enough modern edge to stand out…
The Master Control line has always been about balance – smart, round cases, clean design, and plenty of technical know-how under the hood. It first appeared in 1992, named after Jaeger-LeCoultre’s 1000 Hours Control certification, which saw every finished watch tested to higher standards than its rivals.
This new edition keeps that spirit but turns the dial into something more visually striking. Shades of light and dark grey divide the layout into neat sections, with day and month displays at the top, a moon-phase with small seconds at the bottom, and a ring of dates around the edge.
The subtle two-tone colourway helps to separate each function, while the grainy texture catches the light differently depending on the angle. What really makes the dial pop is the red accents on the date hand and markers.
Of course, it’s still a Master Control at heart. The polished Dauphine hands, triangular indexes, and Arabic numerals at 12, 3, and 9 remain, along with the 40mm stainless steel case that’s brushed and polished. It’s slim, too, at just under 11mm.
Inside is Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Calibre 866 movement, an automatic movement with a healthy 70-hour power reserve.
It powers all the usual suspects – hours, minutes, seconds, day, date, month, and moon-phase – but adds a clever little touch. To stop the date hand covering up the moon display, it jumps cleanly between the 15th and 16th every month, leaping across the dial in one smooth movement.
The watch is finished off with a black calfskin strap on Jaeger-LeCoultre’s quick-change system, making it easy to swap out for something more casual or dressy.
The Master Control Calendar is available now, priced at US$15,300 / £13,900.
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