I have found it to be a very nice companion to my Rolex Seadweller which seems to be mentioned in many conversations involving the JLC NSD.
I was also questioned by someone when I was feeling out the purchase, whether it would be duplicative to the Seadweller in my collection.
This watch debuted at SIHH 2010 and is a limited edition of 1500.
At 42mm by 13mm tall it is a good size (It has been advertised as 13.5 and 14mm but I have checked it several times and come up with 12.8 to 13mm).
The NSD borders on having enough wrist presence for casual wear and can serve dutifully on bracelet or leather strap in more formal wear occasions.
At that size shirt cuffs are no problem, especially when our daily missions have us diving all around conference rooms and desks.
For those that are stuck on 44mm, the Alarm versions (NSA) are calling your name.
I have read that according to JLC, the diameter was reduced at the request of Navy Seals themselves.
As opposed to the flowing, classic lines of the Seadweller the NSD has more contemporary die-cut lines.
Sharper edges with a mix of a brushed finish and subtle polished surfaces on the lugs and bezel differentiate the case.
The case is rated to 300M of water resistance. The case lug to lug length measures in at 50mm.
Case edge to the end of the crown is 47.8mm.
I haven’t read a lot about the case back but it appears to have four screws that fasten it to the case and provide the Seal.
(Oddly the center disk on my case back has accumulated more fine scratches that I would have expected,
especially since the bracelet clasp does not touch it if placed flat.)
The case back - The micro scratches are not visible in this picture.
The dial is matte black with applied markers. The dial measures in at 34mm and looks much larger than the Seadweller dial when placed side by side.
The dial has nice depth to it with the applied marker and beveled chapter ring.
The chapter ring has full minute / second markers, as well as additional (quarter /minute second?) graduations.
The chapter ring also displays numerical minute/seconds, these are a bit small and difficult to see unless you are viewing them at the right angle.
This chapter ring design with these graduated hash marks is not on any other Navy Seals model. The Alarm versions do have the numerals which seem easier to see.
(On the Incursion they are yellow or orange which makes them stand out more) The dial (and Bezel) have very utilitarian stenciled numerals.
It gives the watch a more casual look and much more “business” like for a watch bearing the Navy Seals tag, certainly giving it a military look.
There is an inner ring of minute markings on the dial.
The date window is surrounded by a trapezoid shaped frame; inside the frame the area right outside the window has a light gray color.
This gray is slightly lighter than the gray date wheel, which are white numerals on a gray disc.
This coloring, which first struck me as odd because it did not match any other color on the watch,
adds to the depth of the date window and ultimately the entire dial and keeps a nice symmetrical look to the dial.
I feel that things like the touches on this dial set apart companies like JLC from many other brands.
The crystal is sapphire and said to have Anti-Reflective coating. The crystal is very clear and unobtrusive.
If there is outer A/R it is very well done with no smudging , color hues or any other ailments that outer A/R sometimes has.
The bezel has a matte ceramic insert. The bezel measures 42mm wide.
It has the same stencil styled die-cut numbers for timing markers which match the dial indices.
The insert seems to take a good beating though mine has developed a small scratch or mark just after the 40 minute mark.
(It is more noticeable at certain angles and pictures).
The bezel is a 60 click bezel, and consistent with some of the criticism my bezel is very easy to turn.
I can see anybody that relies on the timing bezel as having a problem with this.
The bezel has also been criticized as not being conducive to turning while wearing dive gloves.
With as loose as mine is, that would not be a problem. The bezel pip has been described as too small. I don’t mind the size.
The hands of this watch have also been debated many times as far as size and legibility.
The hands are black outlinesd and skeleton-ized near the pivot, with the inner part near the indices are filled white.
The hands have a floating appearance to them.
I tend to like the fact that they are different than even the hands on the NSA which some people tend to prefer.
I have not found telling what time it is a problem, but then again I don’t find reading the date on many watches a problem either.
I have to guess that the Navy Seals did not mind this either.
The hour hand appears to be the same size as the non-numerical markers and possibly a touch smaller.
The hour hand ends at the inner minute track. The minute hand ends just short of the chapter ring and extends past the applied markers.
The second hand is all white with a lumed trapezoid near the end. This ends at the chapter ring.
I might have preferred a slightly larger lumed marker on the second hand, but it is not terrible.
Here is a view of the dial and it’s details
The hands and indices have a bluish lume to them.
Though it is not nuclear by any means it seems to last for hours. My bezel pip appears to match the hands and dial.
I had looked for a good lume shot and found this one which appears to have a green pip.
I assume that this was a prototype.
Here is the lume shot courtesy of The Watch Observer
The Master Compressor crown has always intrigued me. A half-turn opens it, and a half turn closes it.
No threading, pushing or pulling. The crown is DLC. For somebody that is used to screw in crowns,
I suppose I will be tentative the first time I get it wet, just as I was the first time my Panerai got wet.
Not that I don’t trust the engineering but hopeful that mine is working properly.
To explain the master compressor system,
I will quote a review of a JLC MCDC from 10/2009 by our very own watch review author Adam:
“Of course, any review of a watch with the words "Master" and "Compressor" wouldn't be complete
without an explanation of what this term means. Rather than utilize a screw-down crown or screw-locked pushers,
the MCDC employs what JLC refers to as compression keys. To ensure water-resistance,
one merely needs to give the key a quarter turn (half turn for the crown),
and the toric gasket is sealed, or "compressed", if you will”.
Here is the only diagram I have found courtesy of the Purists from the original release of this system on the Master Compressor Memovox circa 2002.
The crown is a nice size with a diameter of 6.9mm. The compressor crown lock at its widest point (near the case) measures at 10.5mm.
The watch houses the in-house JLC automatic caliber 899 movement.
It is made of 219 parts, has 32 jewels and runs at 28,800 vph. It has a power reserve of 43 hours.
Like all of the Master movements it undergoes the “1000 Hours Control” testing. As described by JLC:
Before being admitted to the outside world, Jaeger-LeCoultre watches have to pass the 1000 Hours Control with flying colours.
This series of extremely rigorous tests is much stricter than the standards imposed by the Bureaux du Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres,
the COSC, which check the movements without their cases and without complications.
Whereas the Manufacture tests and certifies finished watches, reproducing the conditions of real life wear.
For 1000 hours - nearly 6 weeks - all the watches have to undergo a series of tough trials.
The 1000 Hours Control has established a new standard of watch quality.
The buyer of a Jaeger-LeCoultre watch can thus rest assured that he owns a very high quality product
of a centuries-old tradition and a long and meticulous process, in which no detail has been overlooked,
and tested to the most exacting standards
Here is a picture of the movement courtesy of JLC’s website.
I had read that it has a gold weighted rotor.
I’m not as accuracy crazed as I once was but do check my watches from time to time.
This one appears to be running approximately +2 seconds in the last 24 hours. Zack had it at +3 on his timer (yes, you read that correctly)
naturally my results could be due to how I placed it overnight, my activity etc.
I have the JLC articulated rubber bracelet, which has a steel frame clad in rubber.
This bracelet is simply the most comfortable I have ever worn. It is probably due to its light weight and “soft, warm” feel to it.
It has a butterfly clasp which is often frowned upon for dive watches; JLC handles the micro adjustment perfectly on this watch.
Without the use of any tools by just flipping around the position of the last link at the clasp you can adjust the size of the bracelet 4mm on each side.
Some highly critical people might have an issue with the “notch” which shows when you have it on the longer position but it does not bother me.
Here is the clasp with the longer adjustment
Here is the shorter adjustment
Another bracelet picture
I also have the JLC NATO which is not your traditional NATO and acts more like a GasGasbones strap with the lug holders fastened to a one piece strap.
So, it offers the same security of a NATO but cannot be adjusted down to small wrist sizes as the holes do not go far enough on the strap.
I have borrowed Jay’s rubber strap from his Incursion.
That is also a well-made strap that is very comfortable and has a very nice looking signed buckle.
I considered buying a rubber strap as well but at approximately $265 for the rubber bits alone,
I might just opt for buying just the signed buckle and putting it on some custom straps I want to have made for it.
The JLC buckle
The rubber strap
In conclusion I have enjoyed the ownership experience if this watch.
Though it does not have the complications of the Alarm models and is quite simple in that sense.
It still exudes the JLC quality and workmanship. The size is right in my sweet spot to make it very versatile.
It leans toward the casual side, though I think leather straps can help it lean the other way but it will never
be the dress watch that my Reverso is and would also lose that battle with my Seadweller on Oyster bracelet.
Other than that this watch has a lot of pros going for it and has been a welcome addition to my collection.
Here more specifications
Brand :Jaeger-LeCoultre
Model:Master Compressor Diving Navy Seals
Manufacturer reference : 2018670
Case (material): Steel
Case diameter (without crown):42 mm
Diameter casing (with crown): 47 mm advertised (My measurement 47.8mm)
Movement: Automatic
Base Caliber: JLC 899
Functions: Date, Hour, Minute, Seconds
Glass: Sapphire anti-glare face
Capacity of the power reserve: 43h
Between lugs :22 mm
Horn to horn length: 49 mm advertised (my measurement 50mm)
Height: 13.5 mm advertised (my measurement 13mm)
Water Resistance: 300 m
Total weight: 123 grams
Additional pictures:
