Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Compressor Diving GMT: Deep Diver for High Flyers

Jaeger-LeCoultre is a name that finds itself mentioned with increasing frequency in the same breath as “Audemars Piguet” and “Patek Philippe.” Once primarily a movement supplier known as the “watchmaker’s watchmaker,” JLC has spent the last two decades building a powerhouse reputation for its own brand

And the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Compressor Diving GMT is a powerhouse luxury watch. A premium dive watch in every sense, the MCD GMT was designed to be as refined as it is tough. And it’s one of only 1,500 launch-edition examples ever made.

A 44mm titanium case frames a flat black dial with white calibrations and blue accents. JLC’s finish is impeccable, and so is its logic; blue is the color that endures longest as water depth increases. A unidirectional rotating dive bezel allows users to time the dive, and a two tone “function indicator” provides visible evidence of movement function at 6 o’clock.

The GMT dial at 9 o’clock can be used as an AM/PM indicator for the local time at center, or it can be set to a second time to act as a dual time zone complication.

JLC’s patented “Compressor” crown eliminates the frustration of hard-to-grip screw down crowns with a simple half-turn locking mechanism that affords easy leverage via rotating shoulders. The system is quick, elegant, effortless to operate, and color-coded to avoid an accidental unlocked plunge.

A full titanium bracelet with twin double-trigger releases afford outstanding security on the wrist. The bracelet’s grade five titanium is of the same quality used on the case and bezel, and it offers far more scratch resistance than the lesser grade 3 material common in the watch industry.

Jaeger-LeCoultre placed considerable emphasis on the comfort and ergonomics of the Compressor Diver bracelets, and that expresses itself in the form of a smooth feel and minimum lateral play. The bracelet neither pulls arm hair nor chafes skin. For those who have resisted a bracelet on dive watches in favor of straps, this could be the bracelet that persuades you to reconsider.

Inside the case a Jaeger-LeCoultre manufacture movement, the landmark Cal. 975 “Autotractor,” plies its trade with precision and durability. The Cal. 975 was designed by JLC to be Rolex tough, pack the power to drive complications (like the GMT), and minimize service requirements. It delivers on all counts. Ceramic winding rotor bearing, a shock-mitigating free-spring balance, and a proprietary hairspring design ensure that this is the world’s finest tool-grade movement… or maybe its the world’s toughest fine movement…

In a business world awash in Submariners and Seamaster, this hard-edged Jaeger-LeCoultre is a 30-foot shark; rare, impressive, and one tough customer. See this watch in high-resolution images at The 1916 Company.