Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Tourbillon

About This Watch

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Tourbillon defies expectations of what a tourbillon watch should look like — and cost. At just 8.6mm thick, it is one of the slimmest tourbillon watches in production, housed in a 40mm white gold case that maintains the Master collection's understated elegance. The caliber 978 features a peripheral winding rotor visible through the sapphire caseback, which eliminates the need for a traditional central rotor and allows the movement to be significantly thinner. The tourbillon cage at six o'clock makes one complete rotation per minute, its hypnotic motion visible through an aperture in the silver dial. JLC's approach to the tourbillon is characteristically restrained: rather than creating a skeletonized showcase, they have integrated the complication into a classically proportioned dress watch that happens to contain one of horology's most challenging mechanisms. The hand-finishing is exceptional — bridges are hand-beveled and polished, the tourbillon cage is blackened, and every surface receives meticulous attention. At its price point, the Master Ultra Thin Tourbillon represents extraordinary value in the world of tourbillon watches, where six-figure prices are the norm. JLC's nearly two centuries of experience in movement making — including the invention of over 1,200 calibers — is concentrated in this remarkable timepiece.