Jaeger Lecoultre Duometre Quantieme Lunaire Ref. Q6042422

ABOUT THE BRAND 

The watch company LeCoultre was founded in 1833 by the brothers Charles Antoine LeCoultre and François Ulysse LeCoultre in Le Sentier in the Vallée de Joux. The former was a brilliant craftsman who invested all of his energy into developing new manufacturing processes and production methods. His Millionometer of 1844 made it possible for the first time to measure mechanical components to the thousandth of a millimeter. His crown winding mechanism, developed in 1847, dispenses with the winding key then required by all other watches. At the 1st World Exhibition in London, LeCoultre won his first gold medal with a pocket chronograph, thanks to this new invention.

The company grew steadily, bringing all functions of watchmaking in-house for the first time. By 1860, LeCoultre already had 100 employees and came to become a dominant manufacturer of movements and watches. The company, now led by the sons of the founder, began building repeater watches, chronographs and calendar watches and provided complicated watch movements to other companies. About 1890 the number of different LeCoultre watch movements had already reached 125

By the turn of the century, LeCoultre was the leading manufacture of the Vallée de Joux. The company's leading position was due to the following masterpieces of watchmaking

- 1903: The flattest watch movements in the world mechanical movement with height 1.38 mm, chronograph movement with height 2.8 mm, repeater with height 3.2 mm

- 1929: The smallest watch in the world with 74 parts and a weight of only 0.9 grams

In the year 1903 Jacques-David LeCoultre, grandson of founder Antoine, in Paris meet the Alsatian Edmond Jaeger. This partnership brought LeCoultre to the luxury watch market. After decades of friendly relations with the manufacture, the company name was officially changed to Jaeger-LeCoultre in 1937. Fearing anti-German sentiment due to World War II, the LeCoultre name was retained in the U.S. market.

Jaeger-LeCoultre became and remains a leader in the development of so-called form movements, in which the form of the movement, if necessary, takes advantage of the entire form of the case. For instance, rectangular watches can have wheels and gears pushed to the corners. Another noteworthy development was the 1925 launch of the Duoplan watch, which boasted sensational accuracy and the possibility to exchange the entire movement in minutes. The term, “Duoplan”, refers to the fact that the movement is constructed on two levels. Thereby the balance wheel at the lower level can be made ​​larger and thus ensures greater accuracy. Another milestone was the 1928 launch of Atmos, a desk clock fitted into a glass globe, which derives its winding energy solely from changes in atmospheric pressure and temperature

ABOUT THE DUOMETRE

Refined and inventive, the entire collection is equipped with the ingenious Dual Wing concept, bringing together historic expertise in fine watchmaking with innovation and exquisite finishes. Two independent mechanisms are united by a single regulating organ, resulting in highly precise watches. More than just a calibre, this concept lies at the heart of the Duomètre’s identity. 

Bringing together technical complexity and aesthetics, the Duomètre collection is a subtle balance between finesse and tradition. From the dial to the movement, the timepieces represent all the savoir-faire of Jaeger-LeCoultre in embellishing mechanical marvels.

Highlighting its complications, the symmetrical design of the dial accentuates every detail while dictating the aesthetics of the collection. All the details of the dial and the display of the functions highlight the complexity of the movement and its concept: one mechanism is dedicated to the proper functioning of the complications, the second ensures the precise measurement of passing time. At 5 o’clock and at 7 o’clock, each barrel has its own power reserve indicator which testifies to the intricacy of the calibre.

The dial of the collection’s timepieces is exceptionally elegant. The different counters displaying the functions have subtly unique aesthetic codes, reflecting the Duomètre movement powering the timepiece. The silvered dial with its grained finish highlights the hour markers in Arabic numerals or in applique, as well as the watch’s polished hands. On certain models, the dial has been cut away at 5 o’clock and at 7 o’clock allowing a glimpse of the decorated watch’s movement and its intricacies.

Decorated with mastery and infinite patience, the Duomètre collection exudes refinement in every detail. Like another stage in its discovery, the sapphire crystal case back reveals all the secrets of the movement. Adorned by hand by the artisans in our Manufacture, the movement is fully decorated with traditional techniques: the patented “Côtes soleillées” imitating the rays of the sun, blued screws and circular graining, all beautifully playing with light.

SPECIFICATIONS