The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Minute Repeater Flying Tourbillon 2014

 

 

 

 

Introducing Hybris Mechanica Eleven, The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Minute Repeater Flying Tourbillon

 

 

Today we have for you a very early look at the eleventh piece of haute horology in Jaeger-LeCoultre's Hybris Mechanica collection, the Master Ultra Thin Minute Repeater Flying Tourbillon. While the last few years Hybris Mechanica has been more focused on very three-dimensional complications (like the Gyrotourbillon 3, for example), this entry into the collection is the first ultra-thin Grand Complication from Jaeger-LeCoultre. The entire package comes in at just 7.9mm thick with a 41mm case diameter. In those close quarters you have a 471-part in-house movement that brings together a flying tourbillon and a minute repeater.

 

 

 

The first thing you'll notice about the Hybris Mechanica Eleven is the proportions of the case. At 7.9mm thick and 41mm across with short curved lugs, the watch looks well proportioned. It's thin without going too thin and everything seems nicely balanced. The grained silver dial is bright and open and the white gold dauphine hands look classic and understated. White gold was chosen over the more precious platinum for the case here because it has better acoustics for the minute repeater, especially in these small case dimensions.

 

Now for the complications. First, there is the ultra-thin tourbillon visible down at 6 o'clock through the aperture in the dial. You'll notice how visually clear and open this tourbillon is, which is achieved through the combination of a flying tourbillon and a flying balance wheel. This means fewer components getting in the way, giving you a view straight through the movement. A new balance spring had to be developed to make this construction possible, but between various spherical and conical springs, Jaeger-LeCoultre has a lot of experience in this area. The entire Calibre 362 movement, with tourbillon, is only 4.8mm thick.

In addition to the flying tourbillon, there is also a minute repeater in Hybris Mechanica Eleven. As you would expect, the repeater in this ultra-thin had to be engineered from the ground up and Jaeger-LeCoultre took this as an opportunity to adjust some other aspects of the minute repeater as well. First is the tempo of the chimes. Typically, if no quarter hours are being struck, there will be a pause between the chimes for the hours and the chimes for the single minutes. But, this repeater "knows" when there are no quarters and reduces this pause, keeping a more even tempo throughout the sequence

Additionally, the activator for the minute repeater is a bit non-traditional. Usually there is a slide along the caseband, but to reduce the profile of Hybris Mechanica Eleven, Jaeger-LeCoultre went with a push button instead. This button is recessed into the case at 10 o'clock and can be deployed on command with a small slide at 8 o'clock (marked by a treble clef on the dial). This is a totally new activation system for a minute repeater and one that we're very excited to try for ourselves at SIHH.

 

As if this wasn't enough, the repeater itself uses sapphire gongs mounted to the back crystal, a technology first developed by Jaeger-LeCoultre in 2005. There are two of these gongs and they are struck by trebuchet-style hammers instead of traditional hammers, transmitting a stronger impulse to achieve better sound. We do not yet have any images of these hammers, but Jaeger-LeCoultre describes them as being classical and symmetrical in appearance.

Finally, there is the winding system. You might expect a watch like this to be manually wound, but Jaeger-LeCoultre managed to pack in another technological flourish with a peripheral rotor. You can see the platinum rotor spin through the dial apertures inside the minutes track, charging up the 45-hour power reserve. Ceramic ball bearings keep the rotor quiet and ensure balance rotation.
If you have any doubts about the technical innovation present in this watch, it contains mechanisms covered by eight different Jaeger-LeCoultre patents, six of which were filed for mechanisms developed specifically for this watch.

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Minute Repeater Flying Tourbillon is limited to only 75 pieces in 18k white gold. Pricing information has not yet been announced, but we will update this story as soon as this becomes available. For more, visit Jaeger-LeCoultre.