The Master Réserve de Marche is a watch model from Jaeger-LeCoultre featuring a prominent power reserve indicator.

Jaeger-LeCoultre first included a power reserve indicator or “réserve de marche” on the Powerwind in 1948, becoming the first company to put this signature complication into production. The power meter was placed on the dial, often in the 9-12 quadrant or at 12 00. When the Master Control series was introduced in the 1990's, Jaeger-LeCoultre included a model named for this complication, the Réserve de Marche. The original model featured Cal. 928/2 but later models switched to the autotractor-based Cal. 938. All feature date by pointer at 2 00, small seconds at 6 00, and retrograde power reserve at 10 00. Over the years, a display back was added and, in 2012, the case was enlarged from 37 mm to 39 mm with a cleaner dial.

The Réserve de Marche remains a favorite model in the Jaeger-LeCoultre lineup, lauded for its go-anywhere look, clean styling, and useful complications.

• Main Article Jaeger-LeCoultre Powerwind

Jaeger-LeCoultre introduced this complication with Cal. 481 in the 1948 Powerwind or Powermatic Ref. E 163. This watch used a simple aperture from about 11 30 to 12 30 on the dial to show a numbered wheel indicating power remaining. As power approached zero, the wheel background turns red. This watch was known as both “Powerwind” and “Powermatic”, the latter name reflecting the increasing popularity of the term “automatic” for a self-winding watch movement.

• Main Article Jaeger-LeCoultre Futurematic

The Futurematic Ref. E 501 used a novel back-crown Cal. 497 movement and case and reinvented the réserve de marche. Introduced in 1951, the Futurematic had a power reserve subdial on the face at 9 00. The power reserve hand pointed at 9 00 when fully wound and proceeded counter-clockwise to 12 00 when empty. Like later models, the final “hour” segment was darkened.

The later Futurematic Ref. E 502 with Cal. 817 featured an aperture at 9 00 with a colored indicator behind a “porthole”, more like the original Cal. 481 than the innovative Cal. 497. The Futurematic line ended by 1958.

• Main Article Jaeger-LeCoultre Gentilhomme Réserve de Marche

Before “Réserve de Marche” became a model name, Jaeger-LeCoultre introduced a Cal. 928-based 35.5 mm model with very similar dial layout in their Gentilhomme line around 1985 and produced until about 1993. This dial featured Roman numerals for every hour but the one obscured by the small seconds subdial at 6 00. A date subdial with a pointer is at 2 00 and a retrograde power reserve indicator pointer is centered just after 10 00 on the dial.

Models included

• 155.1.93
• 155.140.930

• Main Article Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Réserve de Marche

The original Master Réserve de Marche featured Cal. 928/2 with 43 or 45 jewels, which was introduced in 1993 and based on Cal. 889.

All 37 mm Réserve de Marche models feature Arabic numerals at 12 and 9 and blued steel subdial hands. The original model was Ref. 140, with watches produced after 2002 being noted as Ref. 148. Later in the production run, the model switched from a single-fold clasp to a more modern split butterfly clasp. A solid caseback gave way to a display back later in the model run, with some featuring a hinged back cover.

Models included

• 140.2.93 Pink gold with black dial
• 140.6.93 Platinum with dark blue dial (“Master Réserve de Marche Platine” limited edition of 250 pieces)
• 140.8.38 Steel and diamonds
• 140.8.93 Steel with silver dial
• 148.84.02 Steel with diamond bezel, black dial
• 148.84.03 Steel with diamond bezel, gold dial
• 148.84.04 Steel with silver dial
• 148.84.06 Steel with gray dial
• 148.84.70 Steel with black dial
• 148.24.01 Pink gold and silver dial

• Main Article Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Réserve de Marche

In 2006, Jaeger-LeCoultre introduced an updated version of the Master Réserve de Marche with the new Cal. 938. This movement features a free-sprung balance, uni-directional winding with ceramic ball bearings and 41 jewels. The 37 mm case is 9.3 mm thick and has a sapphire glass display back.

All 37 mm Réserve de Marche models feature Arabic numerals at 12 and 9 and blued steel subdial hands.

The 37 mm Master Réserve de Marche was retired in 2012 and replaced by the 39 mm Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Réserve de Marche, which is actually thicker.

Models included

• 148.84.02 Steel with diamond bezel, black dial
• 148.84.03 Steel with diamond bezel, gold dial
• 148.84.04 Steel with silver dial
• 148.84.06 Steel with gray dial
• 148.84.70 Steel with black dial
• 148.24.01 Pink gold and silver dial

• Main Article Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Réserve de Marche

For 2012, Jaeger-LeCoultre introduced a new Réserve de Marche model at SIHH. It was renamed to fit into the Master Ultra Thin range, though the new model is actually slightly thicker than the old at 9.85 mm. This is balanced by a new 39 mm case with a narrower bezel and smaller crown and blue painted subdial hands. The Arabic 9 and 12 dial markers were also replaced by triangular markers all around. Like its predecessors, the Ultra Thin uses the automatic Cal. 938 with 43 hour power reserve, though the blue dial model uses the similar Cal. 938/1 with identical specifications.

Models include

• 137.84.20 Steel with silver dial
• 137.84.80 Steel with blue dial
• 137.25.01 Pink gold and diamonds with eggshell beige dial
• 137.25.20 Pink gold with eggshell beige dial

• Main Article Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Calendar Réserve de Marche

The Master Calendar Réserve de Marche, introduced in 2006, is 40.5 mm and has a different dial layout. A symmetrical retrograde Réserve de Marche is placed at 12 00 and a moon phase indicator is found at 6 00. Day and month apertures are placed at 9 00 and 3 00, respectively, with date by central pointer hand. It was produced at least since 2006. The Master Calendar Réserve de Marche proved unpopular and was retired in 2012 in favor of the non-RdM Master Calendar

Models

• 151.84.2A Steel with silver dial
• 151.24.2A Pink gold with silver dial
• 147.24.1A Pink gold with white dial (40 mm)

• Main Article Jaeger-LeCoultre Master 8 Days

The Master 8 Days is often referred to as a Réserve de Marche due to its similar dial layout. It uses Cal. 877 and features a power reserve indicator closer to 11 00, shifts the small seconds to 5 00, adds a day/night indicator at 1 30, and a 2-digit date aperture at 7 00. The case is larger at 41.5 mm. The Master 8 Days was introduced in 2006 and discontinued around 2012.

The related Master 8 Days Perpetual was introduced in 2004 and updated at SIHH in 2011.

• 146.8.17 Steel with silver dial
• 146.2.17 Pink gold with silver dial
• 160.84.20 Steel with silver dial
• 160.24.20 Pink gold with silver dial
• 160.8.47 Steel with black dial

• Power reserve indicator (“réserve de marche”)