•  A magnificent new dial featuring three-dimensional hand-engraved dragons
•  A Cosmotourbillon orbits the dial in one sidereal day and a Northern Hemisphere sky vault displays the positions of the constellations in real time
• The chimes of a minute repeater amplify the romance of celestial timekeeping

Jaeger-LeCoultre is delighted to present a new expression of its celebrated Calibre 945 with a magnificent new dial and bezel that capture the mythical power of the dragon. Set in a pink gold case (750/1000 (18 karats)) and offered in a limited edition of five pieces, the Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945 ‘Dragon’ showcases La Grande Maison’s artistic creativity, its mastery of the decorative crafts and its technical ingenuity.

Inspired by the Movements of the Planets and the Mythical Power of the Dragon

Originally created in 2010, Calibre 945 is testament to the depth of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s expertise in celestial complications, uniting a sky chart with a celestial vault, a zodiacal calendar and Jaeger-LeCoultre’s patented Cosmotourbillon – a celestial flying tourbillon that orbits the dial. The calibre is further elevated by the integration of an innovative minute repeater.

The essence of Calibre 945 is the way in which it interprets astronomical timekeeping for the wrist, using the dial to display mankind’s link to the cosmos on both a literal and philosophical level. Having fully mastered sidereal time – the measurement used by astronomers to track the apparent movement of the constellations across the night sky – Jaeger-LeCoultre’s watchmakers have created this one-of-a-kind calibre that brings celestial complications together in a fascinating new way.

An extraordinary calibre merits an exceptional habillage and the new Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945 ‘Dragon’ brings fresh artistic expression to this marriage of complications – the mythical power of the dragon suggesting a parallel with the immeasurable power of the cosmos.

A Magnificent New Dial and Bezel Showcase the Decorative Arts

In a subtle allusion to infinite depths of the night sky, the dial is constructed on multiple levels, amplifying the beauty of the celestial displays while creating a three-dimensional habitat for a pair of magnificent, sculpted gold dragons. Decorated with intricately hand-engraved scales, the dragons clamber around the edge of the raised and domed sky chart disc and draw the eye towards the Cosmotourbillon. The dragons, along with the sky chart, accompany the Cosmotourbillon as it completes a full circuit of the dial in one sidereal day.

Visible around the edge of the celestial map and beneath the tourbillon, the deepest level of the dial – a matt black sandblasted disc – is decorated with tiny stars that echo the celestial map; around its periphery, the names of the months, and the tourbillon seconds are marked in white. The months and date of the zodiacal calendar are indicated by a sun-shaped gold pointer set.

The dial is encircled by three concentric rings that carry the indices for solar time (our everyday civil time), each finished with a different surface decoration to add visual depth. The opaline inner ring indicates 24 hours, the outermost ring, with a silver opaline finish displays minutes, and between them, the 12-hour ring is circular brushed, with applied golden indexes.

The case is a perfect complement to the artistic dial and mechanical sophistication of the Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945 ‘Dragon’. The bezel, decorated by the artisans in the Métiers Rares^TM atelier of the Manufacture in a process that required 50 hours of work, is hand-engraved with scales that match those on the dragons’ bodies and on the small-scale alligator lining of the watch strap.

Displaying the Cosmos on the Wrist, with a Tourbillon that Orbits the Dial

The celestial vault maps the Northern Hemisphere night sky as seen from the 46th parallel – the latitude of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s home in the Vallée de Joux – tracking the position of the constellations in real time. The Cosmotourbillon is elevated beyond its purely technical function as the regulating organ of the calibre: it measures 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.

The Constellations Chime with an Innovative Minute Repeater

Calibre 945 also takes Jaeger-LeCoultre’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. At Jaeger-LeCoultre, this continuing quest for the ideal sound has produced several patented innovations, including crystal gongs, trebuchet hammers and a silent interval governor. In the minute repeater mechanism of Calibre 945, these inventions contribute a special magic that complements the romance of celestial timekeeping.

Testament to Jaeger-LeCoultre’s enduring expertise in astronomical and chiming watches, the new Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945 ‘Dragon’ eloquently expresses La Grande Maison’s constant quest to balance innovation and tradition through an inspiring synthesis of art and mechanics.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

MASTER HYBRIS ARTISTICA CALIBRE 945 ‘DRAGON’

Case: pink gold, 750/1000 (18 karats) with micro-blasted, satin and polished finishes; sapphire case-back

Dimensions: 45 mm x 16.05 mm

Calibre: manual mechanical Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 945

Frequency: 4 Hz (28,800 vph)

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

Power reserve: 40 hours

Dial: black dial with sandblasted, opaline and circular-brushed finishes; hand-engraved dragons sculpture in 18-karat (750/1000) pink gold

Water resistance: 5 bar

Strap: Alligator leather with small-scale alligator lining

Reference: Q52624A3

Limited edition of 5 pieces

Having fully mastered sidereal time – the measurement used by astronomers to track the apparent movement of the constellations across the night sky – our watchmakers 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

· The exquisite chimes of a minute repeater complement the celestial timekeeping

A Heavenly Display

The essence of the watch is the way in which it interprets astronomical timekeeping for the wrist, using the dial to display our link to the cosmos on both a literal and philosophical level – unlike a classical calendar dial, in which we infer that link from the numerical readings.

Highlighting the astronomical aspect of time measurement, our watchmakers developed a mechanism able to display the passing of sidereal time, based on the stars. Set at the centre of the dial, the celestial vault maps the Northern Hemisphere night sky as seen from the 46th parallel – the latitude of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s home in the Vallée de Joux – tracking the position of the constellations in real time.

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.

Showcasing the Métiers Rares®

An exceptional movement merits an exceptional habillage and the new Master Hybris Artistica Galaxia and Master Hybris Artistica Atomium bring 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.

For the star map, Jaeger-LeCoultre introduces grisaille enamel to its repertoire for the first time. A painterly technique that originated in 16th-century France, grisaille enamel is unique in creating a 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.

In a subtle allusion to the way the night sky seems to form a dome above us when we look at the stars, the dials are constructed on multiple levels, dominated by a domed structure that also wraps around the Cosmotourbillon. Visible around the edge of the dome and beneath the tourbillon, the deepest level of the dial is a midnight blue or black disc (for the white gold and pink gold cases, respectively) decorated with translucent lacquer over opaline, with transferred white inscriptions for the names of the months, and the tourbillon seconds.

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.

When the Constellations Chime

This exceptional timepiece also takes Jaeger-LeCoultre’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. At Jaeger-LeCoultre, this continuing quest for the ideal sound has produced several patented innovations, including crystal gongs, trebuchet hammers and a silent governor. In the minute repeater mechanism of Calibre 945, these inventions contribute a special magic that complements the romance of celestial timekeeping.

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.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

MASTER HYBRIS ARTISTICA CALIBRE 945 GALAXIA

MASTER HYBRIS ARTISTICA CALIBRE 945 ATOMIUM

Case: pink gold or white gold with micro-blasted, satin and polished finishes; sapphire case-back

Dimensions: 45mm x 16.05mm

Calibre: manual mechanical Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 945

Frequency: 28,800

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

Power reserve: 40 hours

Dial: black dial with grisaille enamel (in pink gold case) or blue dial with silvered laser-welded structure (in white gold case)

Water resistance: 5 bar

Strap: alligator leather

References:

Q5262470 – pink gold version – Limited edition of 5 pieces

Q5263481 – white gold version – Limited edition of 5 pieces

The Master Grande Tradition series epitomises Jaeger-LeCoultre’s horological ingenuity and artistic creativity, bringing innovations and complications together in fascinating new ways. As the latest addition to this series, the new Master Grande Tradition Calibre 945 harnesses more than a century and a half of accumulated expertise. This masterpiece of mechanical engineering incorporates two of the most romantic yet technically challenging complications in horology – a minute repeater and a celestial vault. The complex mechanism is further elevated by an orbital flying tourbillon. This limited edition of eight pieces each in rose gold and in white gold features a new aesthetic that reaffirms Jaeger-LeCoultre’s mastery of the artistic crafts.

A MINUTE REPEATER FOR THE MODERN AGE

Considered by watchmakers to be the most challenging – and rewarding – of all horological complications to master, a minute repeater is not only a timepiece but also a miniaturised musical instrument. 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. The artistic challenge lies in ensuring that those strikes produce a sound that is rich, harmonious, pure and clearly audible.

Over the past 150 years, minute repeaters have had a major presence in Jaeger-LeCoultre’s portfolio of complicated timepieces. La Grande Maison’s mastery of chiming watches is confirmed by more than 200 calibres, including some 100 minute repeaters made before the year 1900. Since the mid-1990s, when Jaeger-LeCoultre revived this noble horological legacy, its engineers and designers have worked to redefine the benchmark for acoustic quality, harnessing technology to serve and safeguard horology’s most treasured traditions.

One of the most important elements of a chiming watch is the way in which sound is transmitted from within the watch to be heard by the human ear. Capitalising on the superior acoustic qualities of synthetic sapphire crystal, Jaeger-leCoultre’s patented ‘crystal gongs’ (introduced in 2005) are soldered directly to the sapphire crystal, which acts as an amplifier. The square-profile gongs introduced two years later provide a flat striking surface for the hammers, ensuring more consistent and powerful strikes, while the additional material provides a greater vibrational mass and thus a fuller sound. The articulated trebuchet hammers (introduced in 2009) use a similar mechanical principle to the medieval counterweight catapults that they are named after, greatly improving the speed and force of the hammer strike.

Even the most beautiful chime can be marred by background noise – a problem that Jaeger-LeCoultre resolved 125 years ago, with its patented silent strike governor. Using centrifugal forces to regulate chiming, it eliminates the background buzz characteristic of older striking mechanisms. Recognised as a benchmark, it is now used in almost all chiming watches of the Grande Maison.

A HEAVENLY DISPLAY

The new Master Grande Tradition Calibre 945 embodies Jaeger-LeCoultre’s mastery of astronomical complications in its celestial vault complication, which defines the dial of the watch.

Jaeger-LeCoultre first brought together the technical innovations of its new-generation minute repeaters with an astronomical display in the original Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication of 2010. That watch also introduced the Orbital Flying Tourbillon, integrating it into the mechanism as a regulating device.

As well as turning on its own axis in 60 seconds, the tourbillon makes a complete, anti-clockwise circuit of the dial in one sidereal day. Slightly shorter than a solar day (on which we base civil timekeeping), a sidereal day is based on Earth’s rotation measured relative to the ‘fixed’ stars, which takes precisely 23 h, 56 min and 4.1 seconds. The sidereal day is used by astronomers to follow the apparent movement of the stars across the night sky.

A golden sun-shaped pointer set at the edge of the disc of constellations indicates the date, the month, and the signs of the Zodiac, as well as the 24-hour scale that is marked on the inner flange of the dial. Civil time is read on the two concentric rings that complete the dial: applied hour indexes on the first ring and minutes on the silvery-white outer ring.

AESTHETIC

An exceptional movement merits an exceptional habillage and the new Master Grande Tradition Calibre 945 brings fresh artistic expression to this marriage of complications. Reaffirming Jaeger-leCoultre’s expertise in design and mastery of artistic crafts, the timepiece is offered in two versions: one marries the warm glow of pink gold to a black dial, while the other combines deep blue tones with the coolness of white gold and the discreet sparkle of baguette-cut diamonds, which are set on the bezel.

A multiple-level dial amplifies the beauty of the celestial theme while also showcasing the orbiting tourbillon. On the deepest level of the dial, a midnight blue or black disc (depending on the model) is decorated with tiny stars. Above it, a delicate filigree forms a dome, its structure echoing the pattern of the constellations marked on the convex celestial disc. The star chart depicts the Northern Hemisphere night sky, as seen from the 46th parallel – the latitude of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s home in the Vallée de Joux.

The new Master Grande Tradition case, introduced in 2019’s two minute repeaters, is a perfect complement to the artistry of the dial and the sophistication of the movement. 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 beautifully with the curving case sides. Different surfaces are microblasted, polished and satin-brushed to maximise the play of light and emphasise the details.

In every sense, the new Master Grande Tradition Calibre 945 is testament to Jaeger-LeCoultre’s enduring expertise in chiming watches and its dedication to maintaining the fine balance between a passionate drive to innovate and profound respect for tradition.

TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Dimensions: 45 mm

Calibre: manual mechanical movement, Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 945

Functions: hours/minutes, month, 24-hour indication, orbital flying tourbillon indicating the sidereal time, minute repeater with cathedral ‘crystal gongs’ soldered directly to the sapphire crystal, celestial disc with star chart indicating the constellations in the north hemisphere

Power reserve: 40 hours

Case: satin, micro-blasted and polished finishes, pink gold or white gold with bezel set with baguette-cut diamonds (44 diamonds – 3.76 carats)

Dial: black dial with golden laser welded structure (pink gold version) or blue dial with silvered laser welded structure (white gold version)

Case back: open

Water resistance: 5 bar

References: Q5262460 (pink gold version, limited to 8 pieces), Q5263480 (white gold version, limited to 8 pieces)