Jaeger-LeCoultre wished to offer devotees of fine objects a sleek and refined watch accommodating the complexity of the Gyrotourbillon®. The Reverso Tribute Gyrotourbillon is 30% trimmer in terms of both width and thickness. This timepiece is thus entirely in line with the spirit of the Hybris Mechanica line, a collection of technical models that epitomise the watchmaking genius of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s artisans.
Equipped with the Jaeger-LeCoultre manually-wound Calibre 179, entirely developed and produced in the Manufacture, this creation reveals an all-new Gyrotourbillon®. Now performing its rotation by means of an external driving mechanism, it appears to be floating in mid-air. Pared down to their slimmest possible form, the two carriages of this bi-axial flying tourbillion perform an external rotation in one minute and an internal rotation in 12.6 seconds. The gaze can thus linger on the balance-spring hand-crafted in the workshops of the Manufacture. Its hemispherical shape enhances the precision of the timepiece. This delicate and exclusive balance-spring is a token of expert technical mastery that is also exercised on the Gyrolab® balance-wheel, distinguished by a non-circular configuration that considerably reduces air friction. Shaped like the Jaeger-LeCoultre anchor symbol, this component represents a breakthrough in terms of the watch’s precision.
The front of the Reverso Tribute Gyrotourbillon features a finely grained white round dial swept over by blued steel Dauphine-type. An day/night indicator appears at 11 o’clock, while the seconds are displayed in an unusual manner by means of a graduated disc rotating at the cadence of the Gyrotourbillon®, with a small blue arrow placed on its left serving to read off this indication. A hand-crafted sunburst guilloché pattern accentuates the refinement of this side.
The back of the Reverso Tribute Gyrotourbillon demonstrates the art of the Manufacture’s engravers. The entirely openworked movement with its bridges hand-decorated by these skilled artisans creates a remarkable effect on this back dial. The dual-time display and the Gyrotourbillon® stand out against the intricate downstrokes and upstrokes of the openworked movement. This side also carries a day/night indicator in 24-hour mode at 2 o’clock as well as a small seconds hand driven by the tourbillon.
Swivelling the case also reveals a cradle that is gently curved to follow the shape of the wrist. This area adorned with a sunburst guilloché motif leaves a small round, smoothly polished surface just below the position of the Gyortourbillon®, thus enabling a full view of the show performed by this major complication when the case is fitted inside its cradle.
The Reverso Tribute Gyrotourbillon, a limited edition of 75 pieces, celebrates in style the 85th anniversary of the Reverso.
Click on the image at the top of the article to discover more about this timepiece.
