Introducing: The Jaw-Dropping Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Hybris Artistica Calibre 179
Whevener Jaeger-LeCoultre dusts off the Hybris name, you know you are in for something special. Whether it is Hybris Mechanica or Hybris Artistica, you can rest assured your jaw will drop. Well, this new effort does not disappoint in that respect. It does not disappoint in any respect, really. Well…maybe price, but hey, what do you expect? This is the new Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Hybris Artistica Calibre 179. Let’s have a closer look!
Priced at US$565,000 and limited to 10 pieces, this is a true unicorn watch. This is possibly the first and likely the last time you will ever see it. Still, that doesn’t stop us from enjoying (and salivating) from afar, right?
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Hybris Artistica Calibre 179
Let me start with the basics: this is a Reverso Duoface, meaning you get a time zone on each dial and a 24-hour indicator on the rear. So far, nothing special; any Fratello writer named Daan de Groot can own and wear that. For this latest version, however, JLC pulled out all the stops.
For starters, you will now find a fast-paced gyro tourbillon at 6 o’clock, making a full rotation once every 16 seconds. The outer cage takes a full minute to complete a lap. Combined with the semi-spherical balance spring, this makes for a stunning sight through the sapphire windows on either side.
The white gold case measures 31mm wide by 51.1mm long and 13.63mm thick. That makes this a fairly chunky Reverso, but there is a lot to behold. The hand-wound caliber 179 offers 40 hours of autonomy, but winding it should be a pleasure you would just as well experience twice daily. The watch comes on a blue alligator strap, matching the blue lacquer dial.
Putting the “Artistica” in “Hybris Artistica”
Although the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Hybris Artistica is plenty complicated, it isn’t labeled as Hybris Artistica for nothing. It is the craftspeople at the Metiers Rares who make this watch come alive. You will instantly notice the extensive skeletonization, offering a view into the watch’s workings. The minimized plates are beautifully beveled, which can take up to eight hours for a single plate.
The most striking feature is arguably the blue lacquered dial. This is achieved by lacquer-filling small basins in a three-dimensional geometric dial. The resulting dial glistens like a gemstone in the light. The reverse dial shows much more skeletonization but still features the characteristic blue as well, thematically marrying front and back.
The detail of the finishing makes my jaw drop to the floor. The tourbillon cage alone features 14 hours’ worth of beveling. The result looks like a shiny, miniature cityscape on the wrist. Yes, it is pure decadence, but what a sight to behold. Interestingly, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Hybris Artistica never turns brazen or over the top. Its beauty somehow resides in subtlety.
My impressions
Watches like the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Hybris Artistica are why the Watches and Wonders fair is so fun to visit. These unicorn watches don’t typically cross paths with mere mortals like me. Going hands-on with them feels like a privilege.
That privilege comes from the very real experience and dedicated work that went into the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Hybris Artistica. Even if you aren’t familiar with all the Metiers d’Art, you can sense that countless hours went into this. The sense of artfulness oozes from the watch, making it perceivable by even the untrained eye. This gives the Hybris Artistica an elevated feel. Like when viewing a Renaissance master’s painting, the occasion is deeply impressive.
If I can make one little request of JLC, please give us more of these geometric, lacquer-filled dials!
What do you think of the new Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Hybris Artistica Calibre 179? Let us know in the comments section below!
