Jaeger LeCoultre Master World Geographic Watches

November 30, 2009 LOS ANGELES, CA - NBA Laker players' Didier Mbenga and Kobe Bryant were amongst the many in attendance Monday night at the Jaeger-LeCoultre Beverly Hills Boutique to help the brand celebrate the Mbenga Foundation. Developed in 2005, the Mbenga Foundation was created to help children in the Democratic Republic of Congo and refuges in Belgium. Jaeger-LeCoultre threw the cocktail to shed light on the charity with a portion of the proceeds from all sales during the event going to the foundation. Source: Jaeger-LeCoultre

This interesting timepiece will arrive in three varieties showing different parts of the world. There is the pictured model showing Asia and the nearby areas, another version focusing on Europe and Africa, and a third version focusing on the Americas. This is another "we can do it" watch by Jaeger-LeCoultre who just recently announced the Hybris Mechanica Grande Sonnerie, which is the most complex watch in the world. While the Tourbillon complication is complex in this Grand Master Tourbillon Continents watch line, the focus is on the artistry on the dial. The dial starts with a machine engraved plate where the continents are outlined, and the vertical texturing is applied within the body of the land masses. The plate is then hand painted with enamel in a champleve technique to apply the various colors in the most delicate of manners. I am almost oversimplifying the process, but you get the idea. The bodies of water are done with a raised wave-like texture that is likely extremely tough to do. Compass symbols line the bezel and double as hour indicators for the hands of the watch. You can see the tourbillon (also the subsidiary seconds dial) through the window at 6 o'clock as part of the Jaeger LeCoultre Calibre 978 manually wound movement. Sapphire crystals cover the top and back of the watch. The Grand Master Tourbillon Continents watch really succeeds in creating a visually stunning map in a technique that few companies can be said to have mastered. Each of the three versions will be limited to 20 pieces in three materials that include 18k white, yellow,or rose gold. Not sure about price but more than likely over $100,000. Via WatchTime. Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.