REACHING FOR THE STARS
Since its founding in 1833, astronomical functions have played a major role in JAEGER-LECOULTRE’S portfolio of complicated timepieces. The watchmakers of la grande maison have perpetually innovated to create the most advanced and precise mechanisms – as is evident again by two new interpretations of the manufacturer’s Grande Complication Calibre 945
SHINING THE SPOTLIGHT on its exceptional expertise in celestial complications, Jaegerlecoultre has reinterpreted its Grande Complication Calibre 945 with two magnificent new versions for 2022: the Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945 Galaxia in pink gold, and the Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945 Atomium in white gold. Offered in a limited edition of only five pieces each, these new horological masterpieces celebrate a proud legacy of artistic creativity and mastery of the decorative crafts, while reaffirming the maison’s technical ingenuity.
Having fully mastered sidereal time – the measurement used by astronomers to track the apparent movement of the constellations across the night sky – the watchmakers at Jaegerlecoultre are able to create one-of-a-kind calibres that reproduce these astronomical events on the wrist, bringing complications together in fascinating new ways.
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. The new “Atomium” and “Galaxia” dials showcase the skills of the manufacture’s Métiers Rares® atelier, introducing grisaille enamel to Jaeger-lecoultre’s repertoire of rare artistic crafts for the first time. A Cosmotourbillon makes a complete circuit of the dial in one sidereal day, and a Northern Hemisphere sky vault tracks the positions of the constellations in real time, as seen from the Vallée de Joux in Switzerland (home of Jaeger-lecoultre). Meanwhile, the exquisite chimes of a minute repeater complement the extraordinary, celestial timekeeping. Enhancing this celestial display, the Cosmotourbillon is elevated beyond its purely technical function as a regulating mechanism, measuring the passing of time as it makes a complete, anti-clockwise circuit of the dial in one sidereal day. With a duration of precisely 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4.1 seconds, a sidereal day is defined by Earth’s rotation measured in relation to more distant fixed stars, whereas the 24-hour solar day – our civil time – is measured by Earth’s orbit around the Sun.
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 also bring a 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 amplifies the beauty of the celestial theme while also showcasing the Cosmotourbillon.
The grisaille enamel used for the star map – the first time Jaeger-lecoultre is introducing this 16thcentury French painterly technique to its repertoire – creates a unique chiaroscuro effect, with an illusion of three-dimensionality created by half-tones and shading. First, the enameller must perfect the dark background – traditionally blue or black – building the depth and intensity of colour by applying multiple layers, each of which requires firing. Then, using a super-fine brush, the image is added in white enamel, layer by painstaking layer, again with a firing after each stage. Because thicker enamel creates lighter areas, its application must be controlled with the utmost skill to achieve the ethereal beauty and
apparent depth that make grisaille so beguiling. Thanks to this rarefied technique, the dials of the Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945 depict with utmost artistry the sky that we see above us at night.
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, its shape echoing the lines that link the stars to form constellations. Framed within this, on the domed celestial disc, midnight-blue grisaille enamel and a transferred star map amplify the visual connection to the cosmos.
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 Master Grande Tradition case is a perfect complement to the artistic dials and mechanical sophistication of these sumptuous pieces. Comprising more than 80 parts, its convex bezel is complemented by broad bevels on the lugs; the hollowed-out sides of the lugs add dynamic tension, while the repeater slide is tapered to harmonise with the curving case sides. Different surfaces are microblasted, polished and satin-brushed to maximise the play of light and emphasise the details.
This exceptional timepiece also takes Jaegerlecoultre’s expertise in chiming watches to new heights by uniting the astronomical complications with a minute repeater – considered to be the most challenging and rewarding of all horological complications for a watchmaker to master. The technical difficulty of creating one lies in the complexity of the mechanism needed to transcribe the precise time shown by the hands into a series of perfectly programmed strikes, with different sounds for hours, quarters and minutes. The artistic challenge is that, this being a miniaturised musical instrument, the chimes must be pure, harmonious and clearly audible.
In every sense, the new Hybris Artistica interpretations of Calibre 945 are testament to Jaeger- Lecoultre’s enduring expertise in astronomical watches, its dedication to maintaining the fine balance between innovation and tradition, and its devoted quest for a perfect synthesis of art and mechanics.