At Watches & Wonders 2024 Jaeger-LeCoultre has chosen to highlight the Duomètre, with models given a gentle revamp. This collection family may not be the most high profile, but since its introduction in 2007, it has been where Jaeger-LeCoultre have shown off their technical chops and a certain design sensibility – they have uniformly been very handsome watches, and there is a distinctive design code to them.
Each of the new models deserves their own ‘air time’, and we are going to start off with the Duomètre Quantième Lunaire because I was most drawn to it on a visual level because of the dial colour (I’m a sucker for a good deep blue dial), although it is conveniently also probably the one that has the most ‘daily wearer’ feel to it.
Just to recap for those who may be unfamiliar with it, Duomètres are characterised by twin gear trains, featuring two barrels and two seperate gear trains linked to a single regulating organ – one gear train powers the time, and the other one is responsible for powering any additional functions/ complications.
At 42.5mm (thickness of 13.05mm), this new Duomètre Quantième Lunaire features the new more rounded Duomètre case. It has softer lines, longer lugs, a domed dial, and different finishing. The basic case changes apply for all the new Duomètres, but the biggest deal with this case is the metal – stainless steel. With the lugs screwed into the new case, it is a mixture of polished, brushed and micro-blasted surfaces.
The Quantième Lunaire also has a new gradient blue dial. The new dial is domed, and as as is the case for Duomètres, the time is read via a sub dial at 2 o’clock, additional complications are at 10 o’clock (moon phase and date in this instance), a foudroyant seconds at 6 o’clock, and the visual representation of the ‘Duo’ – two power reserve indicators on either side of the fodroyant (1/6th of a second). The dial features a variety of finishing types – opaline, satin, and sunray finishing. The numerals are applied.
Powering it is the manually-wound twin-barrelled Cal. 381, which is the same movement found in the previous Quantième Lunaire. Beating at 21,600 VPH, it has a power reserve of 50 hours (for each barrel).
Coming on a dial-matched blue Alligator strap with a double-fold buckle, the new Jaeger-LeColtre Duomètre Quantième Lunaire has an Australian RRP of $71,500.
Categories: Hands-on, Jaeger-LeCoultre, watches, Watches & Wonders Geneva 2024
HOROLOGIUM 
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