Back in 2007 Jaeger-LeCoultre released this Master Eight Days Perpetual calendar  (ref. 16124SQ) watch – and it still looks beautiful today. With an original price of about $100,000 , there are (relative) deals to be found today. The skeletonized black ‘frosted’ movement is amazing to look at, but you’ll have to forgive the design for making you hunt a bit for all the information that you have available on the dial. The movement color is actually due to ruthenium, and there are transparent discs all over the dial.

Set in a 41mm wide 18k pink gold “Master” collection case, the watch nicely mixes classic Jaeger-LeCoultre aesthetic with the visual interest of a modern style skeletonized movement. Legibility is maintained through use of gold hands and hour markers that contrast with the gray other elements which are great. Jaeger-LeCoultre knows that people wearing the watch will be primarily interested in the time, and rely on the other information less. I do feel that the design of the dial is quite clever.

The manually wound movement is made and designed by Jaeger-LeCoultre. Skeletonization and design are of course top-notch. Features include a perpetual calendar, time (with day/night indicator), power reserve indicator, and moon phase indicator. Look closely on the dial to see where all the information is. The watch features an 8 day power reserve. Don’t you love the “globe style” design of the back of the movement. The movement itself is the Calibre 876QS.

Watches such as this transformed in to those with wild case designs to match the skeletonized movements later on. This watch is almost a not-so-missing link between classic timepieces and the ultra modern. The perfect everyday watch for Mr. well-to-do that enjoys haute horology? Maybe. This watch “speaks” to one’s love of restrained good taste and watch making. While complex and a bit showy, the watch is still useful. A lot of this is thanks to the complications that Jaeger-LeCoultre built in. Perpetual calendars are going to be much more useful than say minute repeaters or tourbillons. I will call this Master Eight Days Perpetual the luxury timepiece for the thinking man. It was part of a limited production series and price for a new one James List right now is just under $60,000.

See this Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Eight Days Perpetual 16124SQ watch available on James List here.