A Breakdown of the 2022 Jaeger-LeCoultre Novelties

Background of the Brand

With a theme like “The Stellar Odyssey”, Jaeger-LeCoultre makes this year’s entries for Watches & Wonders extremely apparent, paying tribute to the centuries-old marriage of horology and astronomy. Today, we take a look at the top novelties from the Le Sentier-manufacture and why should collectors take important notice.

What is the Deal?

Showcasing a completely new caliber with an entirely new mechanism developed by Jaeger-LeCoultre are the Rendez-Vous Star and Dazzling Star watches, both making use of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Calibre 734 movement and its shooting star display. The objective of the new complication is to replicate a chance encounter with a real-life shooting star, randomly revealing a shooting star on the dial around four to six times per hour. As Jaeger-LeCoultre’s ode to the night sky, the Rendez-Vous Star features hand-painted clouds across a starry sky, with the white-gold version highlighting midnight blue shades, and the pink-gold variant adopting a more sepia tone. The Dazzling Star counterpart makes use of Arabic numerals, but is equally stunning with an Aventurine dial, diamond-set bezel and lugs, and the option of a diamond-set pink gold bracelet to match its pink gold case. Uniting technical acumen with the maison’s artistic prowess, both the Rendez-Vous Star and Rendes-Vouz Dazzling Star give poetic and whimsical expression to the enchantment of the night sky.

Continuing Jaeger Le-Coultre’s journey through horology and astronomy is the Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945 – a reinterpretation of its Grande Complication Calibre 945 represented by two new 45mm watches: Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945 Galaxia in pink gold and Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945 Atomium in white gold – each offered in a limited edition of five pieces. The dials tell time by tracking the movement of constellations with the use of a “celestial vault”, mapping the Northern Hemisphere night sky as seen from the 46th parallel – the latitude of Jaeger- LeCoultre’s home in the Vallée de Joux. Enhancing this celestial display is the Cosmotourbillon – a celestial flying tourbillon which makes a complete, anti-clockwise circuit of the dial in one sidereal day – which is once every 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4.1 seconds. For the star map, Jaeger-LeCoultre introduces grisaille enamel to its repertoire for the first time to depict the night sky with incredible artistry. The dials are constructed on multiple levels, dominated by a domed structure that also wraps around the Cosmotourbillon. These timepieces also showcase Jaeger-LeCoultre’s expertise in chiming watches through the inclusion of a minute repeater complication. The Galaxia model is crafted in pink gold and black, featuring a wonderful representation of planets and stars in greyscale, while the Atomium model in white gold shows constellations with a laser-welded lattice of silvered metal above a blue backdrop.

Jaeger Le-Coultre has always been celebrated for their GMT and World Time watches, a tradition that has carried on since the 1930s with watches such as the Géographique and Geophysic Tourbillon Universal Time. Jaeger-LeCoultre has presented a new evolution and interpretation of Universal Time with the 43mm Master Grande Tradition Calibre 948 – a technical and artisanal masterclass that pays tribute to the earth-centric calculations of time across the globe as derived from astronomical precision. The watch is composed of several layers, with the base formed from blue lacquer applied over a guilloché pattern to symbolize the ocean, while the rest of the map is built on a domed skeleton structure that is raised above the ocean. The enameling of each dome and the detailing on the dial takes a considerable amount of work, further highlighting the manufacturer’s artistic expertise. The domed earth map, Universal Tourbillon, and city ring make a complete 360-degree revolution in 24 hours, always indicating the right time in each city, which is located in a ring around the central dial.

What Do We Think?

It is quite refreshing to see that the Le Sentier manufacture redefined itself as a premier watch brand by using their creative spirit by infusing technical prowess in watchmaking that has been tastefully decorated with their usage of enamel. One particular model that distinctly caught our attention was the Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945, a masterful timepiece that precisely tracks the celestial movements of the stars while on your wrist. While it is expected that these limited editions will immediately sell-out, we expect more artistic creations in this genre in the subsequent future.

Specifications

Our coverage of the various Watches and Wonders continues into the week of 30 March-5 April 2022. To keep yourself informed of the latest releases at the event on our website.

Find out more at the Vintage Grail website. For more information, contact us at [email protected] or contact us at (+63) 917 159 1211.