Jaeger-LeCoultre Duomètre Sphérotourbillon Pocket Watch

Hybris Artistica,  twelve timepieces united in a unique collection

Jaeger-LeCoultre unveils twelve unique and precious timepieces symbolising the horological excellence of the Grande Maison.

The new watch collection builds on the fascination generated by grand complication watches and by the Hybris Mechanica collection that the Manufacture in the Vallée de Joux has been developing over the years. The Hybris Artistica timepieces epitomise the unique spirit of inventiveness brought to life by 180 century-old skills in a ‘calendar’ of wonderment combining as never before watchmaking art and transcendent creativity.

Watchmaking sensations: the quest for balance

Hybris Artistica further enhances the iconic masterpieces of the brand and demonstrates the boundless creativity as well as the rich watchmaking culture of the Manufacture in the Vallée de Joux.

Faithfully perpetuating traditional watchmaking, Jaeger-LeCoultre presents complicated watches with specially crafted cases each more sophisticated than the next. Each of the twelve models in the Hybris Artistica collection represents an unprecedented blend of design, technical construction, watchmaking art and exquisite craftsmanship to achieve the point of equilibrium that dramatically expresses the Manufacture's mastery and style.

Through daring materials and strong aesthetic choices, the Manufacture draws upon the talent of its artisans while eluding technical traps and constraints. It submits its cases and movements to the ultimate demands of beauty and excellence. Such is its singular vision that has been successfully mingling tradition and invention for over 180 years.

180 skills under one roof

What is a fine watchmaking timepiece if not the extraordinary sum of the technical knowledge, experience and expertise shared and cultivated by the more than 1,300 people working at the Manufacture?

The Grande Maison carries on the impetus set in motion by Antoine LeCoultre. Since 1833, this watchmaker was able to instil into his company the principle of making in-house the tools of the trade as well as every watch component emerging from the workshops. This approach that was at once historical and historic, earned the Manufacture a notable reputation for the rare skills required to design and manufacture remarkable timepieces.

The making of a Jaeger-LeCoultre watch is a multi-facetted process involving countless cells of expertise working together to create living tissue. From profile turning to casing-up, through stamping, jewelling, chamfering, decorating the movement, as well as making adjustments, fitting the hands and assembly, all the crafts involved represent a constantly tested foundation of expertise as well as a shared set of human and horological values.

Employees of the Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre master in all respects the most innovative and creative skills inherent in exceptional watches. All have followed a specific Jaeger-LeCoultre apprenticeship process that consists of working together on a daily basis to learn from the talents of others.

It is indeed only through such close collaboration that creative boundaries can be consistently pushed back.

Duomètre Sphérotourbillon Pocket Watch

In this timepiece, the Manufacture boldly joined two universes, that of pocket watches, long considered the epitome of masculine elegance, and the avant-garde style of visible grand complications. Jaeger-LeCoultre did so with the assurance of a Manufacture accustomed to taking its icons out of their familiar landscape.

The Duomètre Sphérotourbillon pocket watch is openly inspired by a masterfully crafted timepiece, a grand complication pocket watch from 1928. It reproduces the graphic codes of the original, as well as the blend of enamel and white gold, heir to a long historical tradition.  
This is a first, and what a first: a Sphérotourbillon included in a pocket watch. The architecture developed by the designers ensures that it is clearly visible through the notched opening at 6 o'clock. It is crowned by the hand-chiselled dial that gives it a unique appearance, both rough- hewn due to the grained effect, and timelessly elegant. The sophistication is enhanced by the presence of three small white enamel dials that beautifully echo the original timepiece. The part composed of the dial and the Sphérotourbillon is set in a golden frame attached to the bezel, creating an ethereal transparency that breathes lightness into this highly elaborate aesthetic. The transparent tourbillon bridge made of sapphire makes the spherotourbillon seem suspended in the air,

The side of the case and the bezel are enamelled, a bold choice given the painstaking steps required by this technique. On these curved and difficult to access surfaces, the enamel must be applied flush, then delicately polished to reveal the gold that adorns the bezel indicating the hours. By his steady hand, the artisan must achieve a perfect fusion between the precious metal and the enamels, until he obtains a flawlessly smooth surface that exudes an innate sense of balance. The wearer can then read the time by glancing at the beautifully graduated bezel of this timepiece that reveals a unique stylistic horizon.