Jaeger-LeCoultre presents the Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945 Galaxia Q5262 and Atomium. Prices: €550,000 and €575,000. JLC Watches&Wonders 2022
In 2022 Jaeger-LeCoultre pays homage to the astronomical phenomena that lie at the origins of time measurement with a special exhibition - The Stellar Odyssey - that makes its debut at Watches & Wonders (Geneva, 30 March - 5 April) before embarking on a world tour.
This exhibition is an invitation to discover how the mysteries of the cosmos are translated into micro-mechanical wonders for the wrist.
Since the earliest days of the Manufacture, astronomical functions have played a major role in Jaeger-LeCoultre’s portfolio of complicated timepieces and this tradition continues with two new astronomical timepieces that reinterpret the Grande Complication Calibre 945: the Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945 Galaxia in pink gold and the Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945 Atomium in white gold, each offered in a limited edition of just 5 pieces.
Originally created in 2010, Calibre 945 unites a sky chart with a celestial vault, a zodiacal calendar and a minute repeater, and is further elevated by Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Cosmotourbillon – a celestial flying tourbillon.
Highlighting the astronomical aspect of time measurement, the watchmakers of La grande Maison developed a mechanism able to display the passing of sidereal time, based on the stars.
Set at the centre of the dial, the celestial vault maps the Northern Hemisphere night sky as seen from the 46th parallel – the latitude of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s home in the Vallée de Joux – tracking the position of the constellations in real time.
Elevated beyond its purely technical function as a regulating mechanism, the Cosmotourbillon measures the passing of time as it makes a complete, anti-clockwise circuit of the dial in one sidereal day.
Differently from our 24-hour solar day (civil time) that is measured by Earth's orbit around the Sun, a sidereal day - whose duration is 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4.1 seconds - is defined by Earth’s rotation measured in relation to more distant fixed stars.
A golden sun-shaped pointer set at the edge of the dial indicates the month of the zodiacal calendar and solar time on a 24-hour scale, which is necessary for setting the watch. The Dauphine-shaped hands indicate the minutes and 12-hour cycles of civil time, which are displayed on two concentric rings on the flange of the dial.
The new Master Hybris Artistica Galaxia and Master Hybris Artistica Atomium bring fresh artistic expression to this marriage of complications. Hand-decorated by the artisans in the Métiers Rares atelier of the Manufacture, the multiple-level dial beautifully emphasises the celestial theme.
For the star map, Jaeger-LeCoultre introduces grisaille enamel to its repertoire for the first time. Originated in 16th-century France, this technique creates a chiaroscuro effect, with an illusion of three-dimensionality created by half-tones and shading.
The dials are constructed on multiple levels, dominated by a domed structure that also wraps around the Cosmotourbillon. Visible around the edge of the dome and beneath the tourbillon, the deepest level of the dial is a midnight blue disc for the white gold model or black one for the pink gold and decorated with translucent lacquer over opaline, with transferred white inscriptions for the names of the months, and the tourbillon seconds.
The dome is formed of two sections. On the black dial of the “Galaxia”, both the outer section of the dome and the inner celestial disc are made of gold, with grisaille enamel depicting the planets, and the star map and names of the constellations transferred over the enamel.
The “Atomium” takes its name from the delicate filigree of silvered metal that forms the outer section of the dome which frames the domed celestial disc with midnight-blue grisaille enamel and a transferred star map.
The dials of the “Galaxia” and “Atomium” are encircled by three concentric rings that carry the indices for solar time. The inner ring, for 24 hours, and outer ring, displaying minutes, are finished in opaline; between them, the hour ring is decorated with enamel over a hand-guilloché base, with applied indexes.
The 45 mm x 16.05 mm Master Grande Tradition case is comprised of more than 80 parts and characterised by a convex bezel and lugs with broad bevels and hollowed-out sides. of the lugs add dynamic tension, while the repeater slide is tapered To better harmonise with the curving case sides, the minute repeater slide is tapered. The overall design is highlighted by the alternation of microblasted, polished and satin-brushed finishes.
The minute repeater chimes with different sounds for hours, quarters and minutes. At Jaeger-LeCoultre, this continuing quest for the ideal sound has produced several patented innovations, including crystal gongs, trebuchet hammers and a silent governor. In the minute repeater mechanism of Calibre 945, these inventions contribute to achieve sounds of exceptional clarity.
Crafted, assembled and decorated by hand, this movement beats at the frequency of 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour) with an autonomy of 40 hours.
Price of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945 Galaxia ref. Q5262470 and the Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945 Atomium ref. Q5263481 are Euro 550,000 and Euro 575.000, respectively. jaeger-lecoultre.com
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