Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Compressor Chronograph

Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Compressor Chronograph embarks on epic climb up Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro
Hassan Al Akhras, founder of the Arab Watch Guide, recently embarked on an epic climb up the infamous Mount Kilimanjaro, a dormant volcanic mountain in Tanzania and the highest mountain in Africa.

The climb was in support of UNICEF’s Save the Children program for Syrian children who are refugees, in order to raise donations.

To make the climb more interesting, challenging and also possible, Jaeger-LeCoultre, assisted as one of three sponsors.

To accompany him on his journey, Hasssan took with him a timepiece from Jaeger-LeCoultre – the Master Compressor Chronograph Ceramic, launched at the prestigious Geneva watch fair SIHH in 2014. The watch reached 5,985m in five days and got itself a personal certification from the KIlimanjaro authorities, making it the most unique of its kind and the first to ever reach that high altitude with perfect performance and stability – number 478/500 will always be engraved with its achievement to reach the highest mountain in the Africa and fourth in the world.

Until recently, keen travellers who are also sports lovers had to choose between two additional functions that are equally indispensable: the chronograph and a dual-time display. Today, such issues are a thing of the past, since the Master Compressor Chronograph Ceramic watch not only combines these much sought-after indications on its dials, but also provides intrepid globetrotters with an additional safety feature in the shape of its patented compression key.

The Master Compressor Chronograph Ceramic watch with its 46-millimetre diameter immediately proclaims its vocation as a precision instrument serving sports enthusiasts whose feats take place on several continents. The indications stand out clearly against the semi-matt black dial, ensuring the perfectly readability of each item of information. Two openworked luminescent hour and minute hands point to the markers arranged around the dial. They are accompanied by a bold red chronograph seconds hand, whereas the filigree-style second time-zone hand appears to stay deliberately in the background while maintaining perfect readability in order to ensure graphic respect for the strictly hierarchical order of information. To meet travellers’ requirements, the GMT function inspired by the Home Time/Travel Time concept developed by the Manufacture is complemented by the indispensable day/night indication appearing through a window just below the Jaeger-LeCoultre signature.

The chronograph hour and minute counters are respectively positioned at 9 and 3 o’clock, while the lower part of the dial is reserved for the small seconds hand which spins at 6 o’clock, and for the date hand harmoniously placed between 4 and 5 o’clock. Although the mind might struggle to take in such a quantity of information, they eye intuitively picks up the desired indication thanks to the clear-cut arrangement of a dial embodying un essential principle followed by the designers of the Manufacture: aesthetic stems from functionality.

Issued in a 500-piece limited edition, the Master Compressor Ceramic watch features the signature characteristic of all Master Compressor timepieces: Jaeger-LeCoultre’s patented compression key guaranteeing optimal water resistance. A single half-turn of this key effectively overcompresses one of the crown’s four toric gaskets and locks it in a security position that prevents any inadvertent handling.