Jaeger-LeCoultre Introduces the Master Ultra Thin Kingsman Knife Watch
Jaeger-LeCoultre (JLC) teamed up with online menswear purveyor Mr Porter to create a wristwatch for the upcoming retro spy film The King’s Man, where the heroes are mainly sharply-dressed spies with canes and signet rings. Set in the years before the First World War, the film doubtlessly called for a watch that is seemingly period-correct – yet obviously one that would appeal to the today’s consumer. The result is the Master Ultra Thin Kingsman Knife Watch, a razor-thin, 4.25 mm wristwatch that takes inspiration from a vintage ultra-thin pocket watch. Initial thoughts At a glance, the watch might seem like a conventional but handsome dress watch. But the case design is outstanding – and compared to JLC’s recent creations, dramatically different. The case is round with a wide, double-stepped bezel, a feature that gives it an old-school, classic feel. And the stepped bezel also adds presence so that the case doesn’t look too flat. And more unusually, the crown is at 12 o’clock and protected by a triangular bow. And the reason for the crown position is the fact that the watch is essentially a pocket watch with lugs. The origins of the design lie in a 1907 Jaeger-LeCoultre pocket watch, nicknamed “couteau” – French for “knife” – after its thin case with a sharp edge. That said, the “couteau” pocket watch is arguably more widely associated with Cartier, which relied on LeCoultre movements for its watches, which were made by the European Watch & C...
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