2024 has marked a huge focus on haute horology from Jaeger-LeCoultre with launches like the Master Ultra Thin Tourbillon, the Duometre Heliotourbillon, the Master Grande Tradition and now the new Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 184. The Hybris Artistica is dedicated to the hybrid arts, or to put that differently, the fusion between haute horology and metiers d’art combining watchmaking and decoration on equal levels.
Starting with the watchmaking side of things, the Calibre 184 is truly insane in its scope (with 1,052 components). First released in 2019, it’s a grand complication movement that features a bi-axial gyrotourbillon, a perpetual calendar, a minute repeater with Westminster chime, a one-minute constant force mechanism, a dead-beat minute hand and a leaping date display. You could write an entire essay about each of these functions but as I respect your time, let’s do a whistlestop tour.
The gyrotourbillon, visible at 6 o’clock, is an advanced take on the classic tourbillon that makes use of an additional axis of rotation in order to offset the effects of gravity on the regulating organ even further. The Calibre 185 is JLC’s fifth take on this style of tourbillon and the smallest to date, with the gyrotourbillon’s 94 components weighing just 0.4g and taking up less room. This allows for the addition of extra functions without greatly increasing the size of the watch, which at 43mm x 14.1mm is already large.
In order to ensure a high level of precision, the tourbillon is equipped with a constant force mechanism, which ensures a consistent flow of power to the regulator regardless of how much power is in the system as the power reserve depletes. Interestingly, a side-effect of the one-minute constant force mechanism is the minute hand only moves once every 60-seconds, which is what is known as a dead-beat minute hand. Instead of being an issue, this is actually beneficial to the movement.
Normally with a minute repeater when you activate it and it begins to chime the minutes, the minute hand won’t be pointing directly at a minute marker. This means the audio time and visual time will be off set as the chimes will be a few seconds fast or slow depending on if they denote the minute just past or the one approaching. Due to the Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 184’s dead-beat minutes, the chimes and minute hand will always be perfectly aligned.
The minute repeater itself has what is called a Westminster chime, which is prestigious even among minute repeaters. It means that the tune, or carillon, that it plays is the iconic and very complex tune of the Elizabeth clock tower in Westminster, aka Big Ben. The complexity of the tune means the minute repeater has to be equipped with four hammers as opposed to the normal two.
We haven’t even touched on the perpetual calendar yet. You can see it on the main dial, which is off-centre towards 12 o’clock. The dial is made from translucent black sapphire revealing the mechanisms beneath and is held within a black grand feu enamel display with gold geometric patterns. Around the edge is a pointer date function, at 9 o’clock is the days of the week, at 3 o’clock is the month and below 12 is the year. At the centre are the hour and minute hands.
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 184 is presented in a pink gold case in a limited edition of 5 pieces available in September. JLC has also announced a white gold version is in the pipeline in the near future. As you might guess, it’s price on request and incredibly exclusive.
Price and Specs:
More details at Jaeger-LeCoultre.
