The New Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Hybris Artistica Calibre 179 Pegasus

Jaeger-LeCoultre’s fascinating multi-axis Gyrotourbillon made its debut in 2004 inside a large round Master case. Four years later, the complication was adapted to fit inside the iconic swivelling case of the Reverso, followed in 2016 by an 85th anniversary edition powered by the thinner calibre 179. Fittingly for a watch with equestrian origins, the pink gold case of the latest Reverso features a hand-engraved image of Pegasus, the flying horse of Greek mythology. Pairing the fourth evolution of the complication with the brand’s exceptional craftsmanship, the Reverso Hybris Artistica Pegasus is a limited edition of five pieces.

The streamlined contours of the swivelling case of the Reverso, originally designed in 1931 for polo players in India to protect the crystal over the dial, capture the elegant rectilinear geometry of the Art Deco era, earning it a place in the pantheon of iconic watch designs. Fitted with two dials that can display different times (Duoface movement), the front dial indicates the time in a blue lacquered sub-dial at noon, while the reverse offers a skeletonised mechanical panorama with a second time zone display and a 24-hour indicator, both with apertures for the tourbillon at 6 o’clock.

The 18k pink gold case, with a length of 51.1mm, a width of 31mm and a height of 12.41mm, has been entrusted to master engravers and artisans at Jaeger’s Métiers Rares Atelier to work their magic. The winged Pegasus is hand-engraved in relief on the rounded case sides against a dreamy background of clouds and flanked at both ends by the signature gadroons. The dynamic cluster of clouds, with polished profiles and grained interiors, accompanies the horse and extends to the fixed lugs of the case that hide the sophisticated slide-and-swivel mechanism. The clouds also appear on the front dial with each of the 50 hollowed-out areas hand-filled with different shades of blue lacquer. Flipping the case over reveals the fine tracery of the hour and minute ring for the second time zone, the two-tone 24-hour indicator and the airy network of hand-bevelled and skeletonised bridges filled with blue lacquer, exposing elements of calibre 179.

The large aperture on both dials reveals the multi-axial tourbillon. Rotating in an ultra-light hand-bevelled titanium cage and a peripheral carriage mounted on ball bearings, the two elements turn perpendicularly to each other at different speeds: the inner cage rotates 360 degrees every 16 seconds, while the peripheral carriage rotates once per minute, doubling as a seconds indicator. The rotations are further amplified by light reflected from the mirror-polished blue lacquer disc on the watch’s supporting cradle. Powered by the manual-winding calibre 179, the greyed hemispherical balance spring and double-anchor balance shape are designed to reduce air friction and improve precision.

The watch is paired with an elegant blue alligator strap and a pink gold folding clasp, allowing micro-adjustments to the nearest 0.5mm. A testament to the brand’s technical and decorative talents, this spectacular model is limited to just five pieces. The price is upon request, but it retails for in excess of CHF 650,000. More information at jaeger-lecoultre.com.