Introducing Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945

wgclients01
Oct 15
4 min read

Jaeger-LeCoultre highlights its expertise in celestial complications with an artistic reinterpretation of the Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945, in a limited edition of five pieces. With a midnight-blue enamel dial set in an 18K Pink Gold (750/1000) case, this new opus celebrates La Grande Maison’s artistic creativity and mastery of haute horlogerie decorative crafts while reaffirming its technical ingenuity.

Originally created in 2010, Calibre 945 unites a star chart indicating the constellations in the Northern Hemisphere moving in real time, a minute repeater and Jaeger-LeCoultre’s unique flying Cosmotourbillon, which displays sidereal time.

REINTERPRETED IN DARK BLUE ENAMEL AND PINK GOLD

KEY FACTS:

Artistic reinterpretation: offering a dark blue lacquer, midnight-blue champlevé enamel dome and a golden-coloured filigree structure creating a 3-level dial
Celestial mastery: a Cosmotourbillon comprising 73 components orbits of the dial in one sidereal day, complemented by a Northern Hemisphere sky chart
An exclusive masterpiece: offered in a limited edition of 5 pieces

ARTISTIC CREATIVITY: A DRAMATIC CELESTIAL AESTHETIC THANKS TO MÉTIERS RARES™

The new edition of the Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945 demonstrates innovative aesthetic language showcasing the skills of the Manufacture’s Métiers Rares™ atelier. Hand-decorated by the skilled artisans working in this internal department, its triple-level dome-shaped dial amplifies the celestial theme’s beauty – in particular that of the Cosmotourbillon – by adding a filigreed ‘Atomium’ structure that alludes to the lines connecting the constellations on the sky chart. The enamelled sky chart is slightly smaller than on previous iterations as it takes up only the centre of the dome rather than the entire dial, leaving more room for the intricate golden-coloured lattice structure. In both its name and its shape, the ‘Atomium’ evokes a structure of 117 interconnected spheres, reminiscent of constellations.

In a subtle allusion to the way the night sky seems to form a dome above us when we look at the stars, the ethereal ‘Atomium’, wraps around the Cosmotourbillon and holds the central dome of the dial, decorated with dark blue Grand Feu enamel with transferred constellations in white. The tourbillon seconds scale resembles rays of light emanating from the tourbillon, the seconds being indicated by a small pointer on the tourbillon.

INTERPRETING THE HEAVENS: THE COSMOTOURBILLON AND CELESTIAL TIME

Evolving the tourbillon far beyond its purely technical function as a regulating mechanism designed to defy gravity, Jaeger-LeCoultre has created the Cosmotourbillon. A celestial flying 60-second tourbillon, it also measures the passing of time by making a complete, anti-clockwise circuit of the dial in one sidereal day. It does so in tandem with the Northern Hemisphere sky chart that tracks the positions of the constellations in real time as seen from Switzerland’s Vallée de Joux, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s home since its founding in 1833. Lasting 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds, a sidereal day is defined by Earth’s rotation measured in relation to fixed stars, whereas the 24-hour solar day (used for civil time) is measured by Earth's orbit around the Sun.

The flying Cosmotourbillon is secured only on the movement side, allowing for a full view of its kinetic beauty. The entire mechanism consisting of 73 components is held by a lightweight titanium carriage to provide an unobstructed view of the regulating system. Mounted on lubricant-free ceramic ball bearings, its 10-millimetre monometallic balance wheel beats at a 4 Hz frequency.

Since precise functionality is a key tenet of Jaeger-LeCoultre, the celestial display is based on a calendar complication that enables the precise setting of the constellation position, as they really appear in the sky. Indicated by the golden-coloured sun-shaped pointer at the edge of the rotating dial, it also performs a full revolution around the dial in 24 hours, to indicate 24-hour time.

THE SOUND OF THE HEAVENS: A MINUTE REPEATER MARKS TIME

The exquisite chimes of a minute repeater complement the romance of celestial timekeeping, and so this exceptional timepiece also takes Jaeger-LeCoultre’s expertise in chiming watches – one of the most challenging and rewarding of all horological complications for a watchmaker to master – to new heights by uniting the astronomical complications with it. The technical difficulty of creating a minute repeater 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 the chimes must be pure, harmonious and clearly audible.

At Jaeger-LeCoultre, this continuing quest for the ideal sound has produced several patented innovations, including cathedral crystal gongs – fixed on the rear sapphire crystal for maximum resonance – trébuchet hammers that vastly improve the acoustic qualities of the striking mechanism, and a silent governor so there is no distraction from the crystal-clear sound of the magical mechanism. In the minute repeater mechanism of Calibre 945, these inventions contribute a special magic that complements the romance of celestial timekeeping.

THE COMPLEXITY OF SIMPLICITY: AN EXCEPTIONAL CASE FOR A REMARKABLE WATCH

The case is a perfect complement to the artistic dial and mechanical sophistication of the Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945. Measuring 45 mm x 16.05 mm and comprising more than 80 parts, its convex bezel is complemented by broad bevels on the lugs, while micro-blasted finishes inside the lugs add dynamic tension; the repeater slide is tapered to harmonise with the curving case sides. Different surfaces are micro-blasted, polished, and satin-brushed to maximise the play of light and emphasise the details.

Enhancing both aesthetics and ease of use, the watch has no recessed buttons in the side of the case for setting: all functions and displays are set via the crown. The minute repeater is activated by a slide on the left side of the case.

The essence of the Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945 is the way in which it artistically and visually interprets astronomical timekeeping for the wrist, using the dial to display our link to the cosmos on both literal and philosophical levels – combining mechanical creativity with intricate decorative crafts.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

MASTER HYBRIS ARTISTICA CALIBRE 945

Case: 18K pink gold (750/1000) with sapphire crystal case-back

Dimensions: 45 mm diameter x 16.05 mm thickness

Calibre: manually wound Manufacture movement, Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 945

Functions: hours/minutes, 24-hour indication; Cosmotourbillon indicating sidereal time; celestial disc with star chart indicating the constellations in the northern hemisphere in real time; minute repeater

Power reserve: 40 hours

Reference: Q5262480

Dial: a midnight-blue Grand Feu enamel dome with a golden-coloured filigree structure

Water resistance: 5 bar

Strap: Blue alligator leather with small-scale alligator lining and pink gold adjustable folding clasp