Jaeger-LeCoultre

Ruckdee
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Double Christmas Joys

It turned out that there is a little something for myself this Christmas as well.



Contained in the subdued box is...



A resolutely simple Jaeger-LeCoultre Grande Reverso 976 in black



It would have been great if the subdial were rectangular like on the silver model.



The small crown provides little gripping surface for my clumsy digits.



The lustrously polished case sides are nice but prone to light scratches.



The backside of the carriage features pertinent information about the watch in an orderly fashion.



Fine brushed finish before the scratches from the swilveling take permanent residence.



Caliber 976's three-quarter plate design hides almost everything from view. For all superior performance advantages this may afford, being the shallow and superficial person that I am, I am more interested in seeing all those bridges instead.



But all complaints can be dismissed entirely once the watch is on the wrist. I think it makes for a perfect dress watch of a modern proportion. I don't have the numbers but the 976 seems longer but thinner than my XGT-size Reverso Grande Sun Moon.



The watch comes with a stiff but shaped 22/20 mm (I believe) strap. That is the largest of all JLC watches I have or had.



If Bruce Wayne is going to wear a Reverso again in the next Batman movie, I think the black dial of this 976 is more suited to the Dark Knight's shadowy character than the Reverso Grande Date he is wearing.



It was a long and winding road before I arrived at this watch. First I made a mistake of selling my JLC Master Moon in late 2009. Then a couple of months later the JLC Master Compressor Diving Navy Seals Automatic was introduced. The size appeared more wearable than the Navy Seals Alarm and I was immediately intrigued. Eventually I decided not to take the watch but the idea of owning a black JLC kind of sticks.

Later I found out that the Grande Reverso 976 was then available in black. But I had yet to warm up to the well-finished but otherwise unexciting movement so I shifted my target to and decided on the Reverso Squadra Hometime Black instead. Unfortunately, the watch arrived with a minor defect. Its replacement also had a minor defect although of a different nature. Most of you must have read about my little ordeal earlier. As you can tell, my confidence was shaken and I reverted to the Reverso 976. The dealer was kind enough to accommodate that, ordered me a fresh 976 in black and I am a happy camper once again.

And, hey, it wouldn't be "Double Christmas Joys" if there is only one watch, right?


For some reasons the red Omega bag is most appropriate for the Christmas time.



Inside is the usual white outer box.



And the not so usual wooden inner box. You can probably tell now that the content of the box is something quite feminine.



Well, it is! The new Speedmaster Ladies with grey dial for my financee!



I don't know about you but I like this sunburst effect very much, how it plays with the light and how it lends elegance to an otherwise technical chronograph.



Read somewhere that the white version has a ceramic bezel. Not sure if the same is true for this black one. Any information will be appreciated.



Butterfly deployant clasp has this instead of the Omega logo.



Too bad they didn't offer a display back so we can see the Caliber 3304 in the works inside.



So it's time for the obligatory wrist shots.



The 38 mm case is almost too large for her petite wrist. Certainly, the watch is not meant for office/formal business days. But it should provide a refreshing change from her everyday watch the Constellation '09.



We ordered this watch right after Basel 2010 for her birthday in September. But the watch did not arrive until a few days ago, just in time for Christmas. She likes the look of the watch quite enough. Let's see if she will like wearing it in the long run. I hope she will.

All right. That is all I have to share today. Hope you enjoyed the watches.

Ruckdee

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