• Reimagining the elegance of the quintessentially modern dress watch
• A newly developed blue-grey dial colour adds a dash of contemporary style
• A robust and highly reliable calibre features fine watchmaking finishes

Epitomising Jaeger-LeCoultre’s philosophy of uniting technical virtuosity with timeless aesthetics, the Master Ultra Thin collection is enriched with a Master Ultra Thin Date model in steel, featuring a sunray dial in a new blue-grey colour.

The quintessential dress watch for modern aesthetes

Inspired by the Maison’s remarkable legacy of ultra-thin watches – created from the early 1900s onwards – the Master Ultra Thin collection was conceived as the quintessential dress watch for the 21^st century. With clean lines, polished surfaces and long, curving lugs, the understated design is a timeless and sophisticated expression of modernity, while the thin calibres attest to almost 200 years of continuous mechanical innovation and excellence within the Manufacture.

In full view through the transparent sapphire case-back of the Master Ultra Thin Date, Calibre 899 features fine decorative finishes, including Côtes de Genève, bevelling and blue screws. Designed, manufactured and assembled under one roof at Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Manufacture in Le Sentier, it offers high reliability and a power reserve of 38 hours. Like every Jaeger-LeCoultre eligible model, the Master Ultra Thin Date model has successfully passed all certification tests as part of the development project through its 1000 hours testing protocol – this unique program provides internal certification tests that far exceed official chronometry tests.

A distinctive new dial colour

In a newly created blue-grey colour, the sunray dial of the Master Ultra Thin Date lends a distinctively contemporary air to the steel case. The dial design is a finely judged exercise in symmetry and balance. Anchored by the date display at 6 o’clock, it is highly legible and perfectly integrated in every detail. The shape of the elongated trapezoid indexes is echoed by the Dauphine hands, on which one facet is satin-brushed and the other polished, to create a visually intriguing play of light from different angles.

The Master Ultra Thin Date is presented on a black alligator strap which, along with its folding buckle, can be easily interchanged as the wearer wishes – thus adding even more versatility to this sophisticated, modern timepiece.

TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS

MASTER ULTRA THIN DATE

Case: Steel

Dimensions: 39 mm diameter x 7.8 mm thick

Calibre: Automatic Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 899

Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date

Power Reserve: 38 hours

Dial: Grey-blue sunrayed

Water resistance: 5 bar

Strap: Black alligator with interchangeable folding buckle

Reference: Q1238480

• An artistic reinterpretation of some of the finest watchmaking skills
• An exceptional calibre brings together three of the greatest complications
• Testament to the exceptional watchmaking talents and decorative crafts united within the Jaeger-LeCoultre Manufacture

In September 2024, Jaeger-LeCoultre introduces a new artistic interpretation of Calibre 184. Created in 2019, this exceptional movement unites the smallest version of the bi-axial Gyrotourbillon with a highly intuitive perpetual calendar, a minute repeater that sounds the Westminster chime, a one-minute constant force mechanism, a dead-beat minute hand, and a leaping date display.

The Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 184 will be unveiled in 18-Karat pink gold (750/1000) during the Precision Pioneer exhibition in Beijing in September, to be followed by a variant in white gold (750/1000) (18 Karats). The timepiece will be a limited edition of five pieces of each variant.

Inspired to meet the highest challenges of horology

Jaeger-LeCoultre created its Hybris collection to bring together some of the highest watchmaking skills in a single piece. The timepieces that are designated Hybris Artistica complement the exceptional mechanics with sophisticated and complex artistic decoration.

Calibre 184 unites three of the greatest complications in the history of watchmaking – each of which represents a pillar of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s watchmaking mastery: sound, precision and astronomical complications. In addition, the Hybris Artistica interpretation showcases the Grand Feu enamelling skills of the Manufacture’s Métiers Rares™ atelier ­as well as the craft of lacquering.

Underlining the extraordinary sophistication of Calibre 184, it takes approximately five months to assemble its 1052 components. Very few watchmakers have mastered such a high level of skill and a single watchmaker works on the entire process from start to finish.

An artistic reinterpretation of the finest watchmaking skills

Complex and visually intriguing, the dial of the Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 184 is an essay in harmony and contrast. Soft curves contrast with the rectilinear geometry of the decoration; textured surfaces contrast with high shine; visual complexity is anchored by a restrained bi-colour palette. The dials feature decorative plates of black Grand Feu enamel with a geometric pattern of fine lines, set on both sides of the sub-dial that displays the time and perpetual calendar. The centre of this sub-dial is a smoky black, semi-transparent sapphire that allows an intriguing glimpse of the calendar discs. The open-worked lower half of the dial is dominated by the visually mesmerising Gyrotourbillon, on each side of which the repeater hammers are set like wings. Set beneath them, the distinctively curved gongs are treated with black, to harmonise perfectly with the overall colour palette.

In keeping with the complexity of this timepiece, the Grande Tradition case comprises more than 80 components, with polished, brushed and micro-blasted finishes highlighting its sculptural form. For the Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 184, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s designers have used the case-sides as a canvas to link to the new dial decoration, adding a plate on each side of the case featuring the same geometric pattern as the dial, executed in black lacquer.

On the case, the attention to detail extends to the manner of operating the minute repeater. Rather than the traditional slider or a simple push-button, the designers developed a retractable pusher that is mounted flush with the case to preserve its elegant lines.

An exceptional calibre uniting three great complications

Calibre 184 features the fifth iteration of the Gyrotourbillon, which returns to the original form of the 2004 Gyrotourbillon design. However, the mechanism has been completely re-engineered and its size significantly reduced. The reduced size made it possible to incorporate a minute repeater without adding much thickness to the calibre. Remarkably, the 94 components making up the Gyrotourbillon weigh just 0.4 grams.

In watchmaking, precision depends on the delivery of a consistent power supply to the regulating organ and Jaeger-LeCoultre’s engineers have incorporated a one-minute constant force mechanism to ensure a consistent flow of energy to the Gyrotourbillon. Because it causes the minute hand to beat every 60 seconds (in similar way to a dead-beat seconds hand) the constant force mechanism also has a significant benefit for the minute repeater. Normally, if the minute repeater is activated at any point between minutes, it will chime the time a minute fast or slow. Thanks to the beating minute hand, it will always chime the precise minute shown by the hand.

The minute repeater of Calibre 184 plays the Westminster carillon – the melody made famous by the clocktower housing Big Ben at London's Westminster Palace. This chime is rarely found in watchmaking due to the complexity of the mechanism needed to achieve it. Four hammers are required, rather than the usual two, and in Calibre 184, they are stacked in pairs so that they strike the gongs from the same angle.

In mastering chiming mechanisms, Jaeger-LeCoultre has focused on ways to improve the sound, and Calibre 184 features several patented inventions: the trébuchet hammers, which strike the gong more solidly, and the crystal gongs, so named because they are connected directly to the front crystal, enabling a cleaner transfer of the sound and increased volume. The mechanism also incorporates Jaeger-LeCoultre’s signature time-lapse reduction mechanism, which ensures a smooth cadence no matter what time it is chiming. Moreover, the minute repeater calibre features two distinctive characteristics: The gongs are curved outwards to meet the hammer at its natural strike point, and they have a square variable profile, providing a larger strike area that enables a cleaner strike.

The perpetual calendar is a fine example of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s mastery of astronomical complications, as it takes into account the differences between the cycles of the heavenly bodies and the units of standard civil timekeeping. Consequently, the calendar needs manual adjustment only in centennial years that are not also leap years. The first time that this will be required is the year 2100. The operation of the perpetual calendar of Calibre 184 is both innovative and highly intuitive, allowing the date to be re-set either backwards or forwards.

The layout of the calendar indications is equally intuitive. Set into the hours and minutes dial, three small windows display the year, month, and day, while the date is shown on a ring surrounding the sub-dial. The spaces between dates are perfectly uniform, except for 16 and 17, which are separated by 60 degrees. Every month, the date indicator hand leaps from one to the other, ensuring that the Gyrotourbillon isn’t obscured.

Viewed through the sapphire case-back, the reverse side of the movement is no less compelling. The plates have been open-worked to allow a view deep into the calibre, including a full view of the Gyrotourbillon, as well as the governor for the minute repeater, which uses friction and centripetal force to regulate the speed at which the time is chimed and reduces the silent intervals between chimes.

In keeping with the elevated level of the mechanics and the exceptional artistic craftsmanship of this timepiece, the movement features superlative hand-finishing. The bridges are hand-bevelled; sunrayed Côtes de Genève radiate out from the perpetual calendar’s anchor-point; and heat-blued screws are set into hand-bevelled and polished sinks. Several bridges are micro-blasted, to create a pleasing textural contrast with the movement’s polished elements.

Uniting three great watchmaking complications with an exceptional degree of craftsmanship and artistry, the Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 184 is eloquent testimony to the 180 skills housed within the Manufacture and reconfirms the place that Jaeger-LeCoultre holds in the world of haute horlogerie as the ‘Watchmaker of Watchmakers’™.

MASTER HYBRIS ARTISTICA CALIBRE 184

Case: White Gold 750/1000 (18 Karats)

Dimensions: 43 mm x 14.1 mm thick

Calibre: Manually-wound Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 184

Functions: Hours and Minutes, Perpetual Calendar with Day, Month, Year and Leaping Date, Minute Repeater with Westminster Chime, Gyrotourbillon with one-minute constant force mechanism

Power Reserve: 50 hours

Dial: Black Grand Feu enamel with golden geometric decoration; black sapphire sub-dial

Water resistance: 5 bar (approximately 50 metres)

Strap: Black alligator with small scale lining

Reference: Q5253470

Limited edition of 5 pieces

TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS

MASTER HYBRIS ARTISTICA CALIBRE 184

Case: Pink Gold 750/1000 (18 Karats)

Dimensions: 43 mm x 14.1 mm thick

Calibre: Manually-wound Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 184

Functions: Hours and Minutes, Perpetual Calendar with Day, Month, Year and Leaping Date, Minute Repeater with Westminster Chime, Gyrotourbillon with one-minute constant force mechanism

Power Reserve: 50 hours

Dial: Black Grand Feu enamel with golden geometric decoration; black sapphire sub-dial

Water resistance: 5 bar (approximately 50 metres)

Strap: Black alligator with small scale lining

Reference: Q5252470

Limited edition of 5 pieces

Exploring the wonders that we can observe in our night sky, The Stellar Odyssey reveals the awe-inspiring phenomena that the watchmakers of Jaeger-LeCoultre express through their celestial complications, displaying mankind’s link to the cosmos directly on the wrist in a literal, philosophical and uniquely captivating way.

Following the inauguration of The Stellar Odyssey at Watches and Wonders in 2022, Dubai has been chosen as the first stop on a tour of major world cities. The exhibition will be staged in a spectacular pavilion ‘floating’ on the waters of the Dubai Fountain, with Burj Khalifa as its backdrop.

“It is an important part of our mission at Jaeger-LeCoultre to share the secrets behind the art and craft of watchmaking with the wider world by bringing our Manufacture from the Vallée de Joux to the public around the globe,” says Catherine Rénier, CEO of Jaeger-LeCoultre. “The ancient cultures of the Middle East played a seminal role in the origins of time measurement, and we are therefore delighted that Dubai is where the world tour of The Stellar Odyssey makes its debut. It is a special opportunity to trace the unbroken line through several millennia to the exceptional legacy of innovation that has driven our Maison for 190 years and the work that we do today.”

Showcasing a careful curated selection of the Manufacture’s most remarkable historic timepieces as well as its most recent celestially-inspired timepieces – including the extraordinary Atmos clock and the Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185 – the exhibition features multi-media installations that will take visitors on a virtual journey to the cosmos. It translates the wonders of the celestial world into art installations and multi-sensory experiences, while the Atelier d’Antoine, named after the Maison’s founder, Antoine LeCoultre, shares watchmaking know-how through hands-on educational workshops based on the Stellar Odyssey theme.

Revealing the Mysteries of Astronomical Timekeeping in Eight Chapters

Within the main exhibition pavilion, The Stellar Odyssey explores the creative and cultural universe of astronomically-inspired watchmaking in eight chapters. Visitors begin by discovering the very origins of time, the impact of celestial phenomena on the way we measure it, and the origins of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s expertise in developing astronomical complications. Each of the five following chapters leads visitors through a different cosmic phenomenon, displaying rare historic watches as well as timepieces from the most recent collections to illustrate how the Manufacture has continually reinterpreted the movements of the stars and planets in the form of intricate complications that represent, measure and even predict celestial events directly on the wrist.

Enriching the Stellar Experience

In the heart of the main pavilion beneath a geodesic dome, an immersive digital show takes visitors on a virtual journey through space and time, transporting them through infinite space and 13.7 billion years of time to reveal the mysteries of the cosmos in five episodes – from the origins of our known universe to the present day.

“Through a variety of immersive experiences, The Stellar Odyssey presents different interpretations of the cosmos and its relation to timekeeping, inviting visitors to understand it more deeply,” says Catherine Rénier. “As well as transmitting the savoir-faire of watchmaking through the Atelier d’Antoine workshops, these experiences include two special collaborations under our Made of Makers programme.”

Established for the purpose of enriching the dialogue that has long existed between horology, artisanship and art, Made of Makers is a programme of collaborations with artists and artisans from various disciplines outside watchmaking. It focuses on world-class creators who share Jaeger-LeCoultre’s values of creativity, expertise and precision and whose work explores new forms of expression through different and often unexpected materials and media. For The Stellar Odyssey, Jaeger-LeCoultre has commissioned projects by French multi-media artist Guillaume Marmin and world-renowned mixologist Matthias Giroud.

For his installation, Passengers: Through Time, Guillaume Marmin employs light, sound and movement in complex relationships that redefine traditional ideas of sculpture, space and time. As visitors walk through the work, infinite reflections and dizzying perspectives take them on a stellar excursion in which they are the protagonists, inviting reflection on the fundamental question of what time really is. For the Stellar Atelier, Matthias Giroud has created a menu of highly original soft cocktails inspired by the cosmos, taking his inspiration from the colours, temperatures and forms of the stars and planets, and blending familiar ingredients with intriguing scents and flavours from the Vallée de Joux.

In the Atelier d’Antoine, visitors can complete their journey of astral discovery by joining a hands-on Discovery Workshop that focuses on the wonder of astronomical complications and the celestial origins of time-keeping – a rare opportunity to gain deep insight and practical experience of this magical world.

The Stellar Odyssey will be presented from Saturday 4^th to Thursday 23^rd February 2023 at the Dubai Fountain, Downtown Dubai, open daily from 2:00pm to 12.00 am. Tickets may be booked  online at https://online-booking.jaeger-lecoultre.com/domaine/theme12