The world of haute horlogerie thrives on the interplay between mechanical mastery and artistic excellence, and Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Reverso Hybris Artistica Calibre 179 stands as a proud exemplar of that delicate symbiosis. Introduced in its current iteration for 2025, this limited edition of ten timepieces sees the iconic Reverso model adorned in a cloak of black lacquer and pink gold, brought to life through the prolific imagination and skill of La Grande Maison’s artisans.
The dials command immediate attention, the black hand-lacquered surfaces reflecting the monochromatic moods of the Art Deco era. The front dial, resplendent in black and grey lacquer tones, features a lattice formed by ultra-fine ribs of pink gold – remnants of the calibre plate left in relief after laser execution has hollowed out 200 depressions. Into those recesses, a single craftsman applies lacquer with noteworthy precision, achieving a richness of colour and depth.
The result is lavish: the surface, hand-polished to seamless gloss, invites the eye to trace its geometric motif in synchrony with the rectilinear aesthetic that defines the Reverso. The reverse dial presents a skeletonised display, the hours-minutes ring and supporting bridges set ablaze by black lacquer which frames the open-worked composition. What emerges here is a striking dialogue between contemporary artisanal technique and the code of skeletonisation, hand chamfering and lacquering blending seamlessly with micro-blasted textures and gleaming pink gold elements.
Within, the heart of the timepiece is the Jaeger-LeCoultre’s manually wound Calibre 179. This movement is an orchestrated ballet of 382 components, uniting dual time zones with a Duoface system. The reverse dial offers a second time zone and a vivid 24-hour indicator, allowing the wearer intuitive access to multiple locations. At the centre of this mechanical spectacle, the Gyrotourbillon commands pride of place. Now in its fourth evolution, the multi-axis tourbillon features an ultra-light titanium inner cage and a peripheral carriage, each rotating on different axes – the cage completing its revolution every sixteen seconds, the peripheral carriage every minute. Supported solely by a ring of ball bearings, the flying Gyrotourbillon seems suspended between the dials, unbounded by any bridge. Here, precise regulation is assured by a semi-spherical balance spring and the Gyrolab balance wheel’s double-anchor geometry, demonstrating the Manufacture’s enduring commitment to chronometric performance.
The case, realised in 18K pink gold, brings nostalgic elegance and technical sophistication together in a tangible form. Its proportions offer both presence and comfort, a feat made possible by careful engineering and refined ergonomics: 51.2 by 31 millimetres, with a slender thickness of 13.63 millimetres. The case’s signature slide-and-swivel mechanism is matched by the richly engraved cradle, where a radiating sunray pattern emanates from a central disc of black lacquer. Art Deco lines, rendered through the iconic gadroons above and below, harmonise the overall geometry, while the adjustable and patented folding buckle, boasting a double-wheel system, introduces precise micro-adjustment to the nearest half-millimetre. The buckle, in pink gold, further echoes the artistry invested in the piece, its 46 components nearly as meticulously conceived as the movement itself.
The Reverso Hybris Artistica Calibre 179 is not only a representation of technical ingenuity and sophisticated design, but a vessel for Jaeger-LeCoultre’s relentless pursuit of innovation. At the intersection of ancestral crafts and cutting-edge mechanical solutions, this timepiece transcends utility and becomes objet d’art, harnessing the collective knowledge of 180 distinct skills under one roof in the Vallée de Joux.
This is a watch destined for connoisseurs who appreciate the poetry of engineering married to the visual language of the rarest métiers. With its dual personality, bold contrast of colours and rare mastery in its finishing, the Reverso Hybris Artistica Calibre 179 brings the spirit of hybris – audacity and artistic fearlessness – to the wrist, reaffirming Jaeger-LeCoultre’s title as Watchmaker of Watchmakers™.
