When the horological trinity of mechanical intelligence, craft, and beauty come together—as they do in Jaeger-LeCoultre’s new Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945 and Master Grande Tradition Calibre 948—the effect it has on watch lovers is transcendental
The numbers, conventional wisdom tells us, never lie. Half a world away in tranquil Vallée de Joux, Switzerland, where Jaeger-LeCoultre is headquartered, the adage rings just as true. The brand’s legacy is built on remarkable figures: 192 years of uninterrupted history, mastery of over 180 decorative crafts, and an enduring reputation as one of the giants of Swiss fine watchmaking. Yet, from this constellation of numbers, two stand out. Over time, Jaeger-LeCoultre has developed and produced over 1,400 calibres in-house, and from these, registered more than 430 patents.
Few watchmakers, if any, can rival this combination of technical ingenuity and manufacturing prowess. This year, the brand reaffirms its stature with two extraordinary creations—the Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945 and Master Grande Tradition Calibre 948—each a testament to its pursuit of horological excellence.
Celestial cachet
Part scientific instrument and part work of art, the Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945 is a paean to the heavens, bringing together astronomy, sound, and sculptural art in a manner that is as cerebral as it is visually arresting. First created in 2010, the Calibre 945 has long stood as one of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s most complex achievements. This year, it returns in a new five-piece edition, its cosmic complications expressed with even more depth and craftsmanship.
At first glance, it’s hard not to be drawn in by the dome-shaped dial, a canvas of deep blue grand feu enamel scattered with the constellations of the northern hemisphere. Suspended above it is a lattice of 117 tiny gold spheres, forming an abstract web that seems to connect the stars. Beneath the theatrical display is, fittingly, one of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s most extraordinary movements: the hand-wound Calibre 945. Made up of 570 components, the movement features what the brand calls a Cosmotourbillon. The rotating tourbillon mechanism not only regulates time by nullifying the effects of gravity on precision, but also carries the star map in a slow, graceful orbit around the dial.
It completes one full rotation every sidereal day (or 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4 seconds)—the actual time it takes Earth to turn once relative to the stars. Look closely, and you’ll see the constellations shift in real time, just as they would in the night sky above Vallée de Joux. Adding to this sense of wonder is a minute repeater, one of watchmaking’s most poetic complications. Activate the slide on the case and the watch chimes the time with cathedral-length gongs secured to the sapphire crystal. Jaeger-LeCoultre’s patented trebuchet hammers strike with remarkable clarity, producing pure and mellifluous tones that echo the watch’s cosmic beauty.
Ode to Earth
While the Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945 charts the stars, the Master Grande Tradition Calibre 948—housed in a new 18k pink gold case and limited to 20 pieces—celebrates the beauty of our planet with an artful world-time complication.
Again, the remarkable decorative artistry of Jaeger-LeCoultre draws one in before unveiling the watch’s technical virtues. On the dial, a domed map appears to hover under the sapphire crystal, its continents hand-painted in graduated green and earth tones. Meanwhile, the oceans are depicted using the champleve enamel technique. Last, but certainly not least, a skeletonised grid of longitudes and latitudes traces the planet’s geometry, giving the impression that you’re looking at a miniature globe suspended in orbit.
The watch’s inner workings are just as extraordinary. The Calibre 948, an automatic movement comprising 388 parts, debuted in 2022 and marked the first time that a worldtime complication had been paired with a flying tourbillon.
The pairing of the world time and tourbillon mechanisms not only represents a huge technical undertaking, it demonstrates Jaeger-LeCoultre’s knack for framing mechanical craft through poetic lenses. The former tells the local time via the main hour and minute hands, while also charting the time across multiple time zones—making it a practical travel companion and a nod to an increasingly connected world. Meanwhile, the flying tourbillon, a highly coveted complication for both collectors and watchmakers, anchors the proceedings, both literally and figuratively, by optimising the movement’s timekeeping precision.
As the tourbillon completes its rotation, it carries with it a map of Earth, a 24-hour ring, and a city disc that allows the wearer to ascertain the time across 24 zones at a glance. Over the course of the day, the entire world time assembly—which can be easily set via the crown—performs an almost imperceptible ballet, turning in perfect synchrony as it mirrors the planet’s daily rotation.
Together, the Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945 and Master Grande Tradition Calibre 948 embody the full scope of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s genius. Both watches reveal not just the watchmaking house’s technical prowess and mastery of craft, but also a deeper meditation on the vastness and meaning of time itself—reminding us that the finest creations are always more than the sum of their parts.
