Jaeger-LeCoultre, founded in 1833, has been recognized for its superior watchmaking since the nineteenth century. It is one of the most important and innovative actors in the history of watchmaking, with over 400 patents and over 1,200 different calibers invented and designed under one brand, including several classic models.
Jaeger-LeCoultre has been known for its inventive spirit for over 180 years. In its long history, the Swiss watchmaker has created over 1,200 distinct movements and applied for over 400 patents for special advancements. Today, Le Sentier’s premium brand is known for its technically superior watches. With superior in-house expertise, every Jaeger watch approaches perfection.
The house launched the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso, one of the most famous JLC watch collections within the company and one of the most iconic watches in fine watchmaking industry, under the independent leadership of Jaeger-LeCoultre.
Jaeger’s stylish production watches are distinguished by a blend of classic style with extraordinary, one-of-a-kind complexities. Explore the realm of exclusivity and find out which below Jaeger watch is right for you.
Our Pick on Jaeger-LeCoultre
Jaeger-LeCoultre has long been interested with intricate celestial complications. We’ve seen several incredibly beautiful, intricate, and artistic representations of watches displaying sidereal time or star maps throughout the years. In 2022, two new watches showcase the brand’s skill of ornamental crafts by reinterpreting one of its most interesting movements, the Calibre 945, a minute repeater with Cosmotourbillon and cosmic complexities. The two new Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945 timepieces are shown here.
MASTER HYBRIS ARTISTICA CALIBRE 945
The Calibre 945, which was introduced in 2010, is one of the most sophisticated movements in the Maison’s portfolio. This high-end movement combines a sky chart with a celestial vault, a zodiacal calendar, and a minute repeater, and is enhanced further by the cosmotourbillon of Jaeger- LeCoultre. It is a celestial flying tourbillon that not only functions as a regulating organ but also appears on the watch’s display.
While the movement inside the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945 is not a new product, it has previously appeared in some watches such as the 2015 Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication. It returns with a new visual expression focusing on expressing astronomical events on the wrist using the traditional métiers d’art skills – another area of expertise for Jaeger-LeCoultre.
This unique, complicated, uncommon, and (as you might expect) premium watch is available in two extremely limited editions, each featuring either a pink-on-grey combination or the brand’s famous blue heavenly motif.
Dial
The Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945 is housed in a massive 45mm x 16mm case as the movement need some space to be shown. It is available in 18k pink gold or 18k white gold color varients. The case flanks include a blend of polished, brushed, and recessed micro-blasted surfaces, which is typical of the brand’s current high-end watches.
The watches are worn on alligator straps that match the color of the dials. Note that the water-resistance rating is limited to 50 meters, which is a suitable rating for a minute repeater. Nobody would like to wear this kind of watch under the water, but this watch does provide some kind of security.
Display
Let’s talk about the display and movement, because that’s what’s important in this situation. The essence of the watch is how it interprets astronomical timekeeping, with its dial displaying calendar indications in a celestial manner rather than the traditional numerical readings of ordinary calendars. Based on the stars, it represents the passage of sidereal time.
The celestial vault, which is located in the center of the dial, depicts the Northern Hemisphere night sky as viewed from the 46th parallel — the latitude of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s birthplace in the Vallée de Joux – and tracks the constellations’ positions in real time.
The recognizable tourbillon spinning on top of the dial is located high on the dial. However, the Cosmotourbillon is more than just a regulating mechanism that counteracts gravity and improves precision; it also contributes to the display. The flying cage spins once every minute at a rate of 4Hz.
What’s more, it monitors the passage of time as it completes a full, anti-clockwise cycle of the dial in one sidereal day. The rotation of the Earth in reference to more distant fixed stars defines a sidereal day, which lasts exactly 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4.1 seconds. The 24-hour solar day, on the other hand — our civil time – is determined by the Earth’s orbit around the Sun.
The Best Variant
The Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945 will be available in two main variants. But the best one is Galaxia, with a grey/black dial and a pink gold casing. The Galaxia’s dial is made of grisaille enamel, an antique method that creates a chiaroscuro impression and the illusion of a three-dimensional painting. The outside section of the dome and the inner celestial disc are both constructed of gold in this design, with grisaille enamel portraying the planets and the star chart and names of the constellations placed over the enamel.
