For Art’s Sake: The Jaeger-LeCoultre Hybris Artistica Collection

Reverso Cordonnet Neva

There have been many jewelry interpretations of the women’s Reverso. The Reverso Cordonnet Neva follows that tradition, but steps it up a notch. The watch harks back to a model from the 1930s that was held on the wrist by a leather cord. Instead of leather, though, the “cord” on this watch is made of gold set with diamonds, matching the diamond-covered case and dial. Using a technique called snow-setting, the diamond-setter places hundreds of diamonds of varying sizes side by side to carpet the surface of gold. The pattern recreates the appearance of the Neva River in winter as the water undulates below the ice. These shimmering bands wrap around the curves of the watch and flow uninterruptedly onto the dial. There are a total of 2,175 diamonds weighing 9.25 carats.

SPECS
Functions: Hours, minutes
Movement: Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 846/1, 93 components, 21,600 vph, 18 jewels, thickness = 2.90 mm, power reserve = 40 hours
Case: Reversible, white gold, length = 38.9 mm, width = 20.7 mm, water resistant to 30 m
Limited edition of three pieces

Rendez-Vous Célestial

Lest JLC’s female collectors feel let down by the absence of a high-complication timepiece, the company has created for them an astronomical star-chart watch: the Rendez-Vous Célestial.  The hour arc of this watch is covered with baguette diamonds set using the so-called “rock-setting” technique, which leaves no visible metal between the stones. This arc sits above a lapis-lazuli sky chart decorated with 12 hand-painted signs of the   zodiac. The sky chart rotates once every 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds (the length of a sidereal day). An additional crown, which, like the setting crown, is set with a diamond, can be used to move the shooting star on the dial to mark one’s next rendezvous (or other notable event). The watch has a total of 941 diamonds on its case, dial and bracelet. They weigh 11 carats.

SPECS:
Functions: Hours, minutes, rotating sky chart, zodiac signs, “rendezvous” indicator
Movement: Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 809, automatic, 230 components, 28,800 vph, thickness = 5.23 mm, power reserve = 43 hours, 34 jewels
Case: White gold, diameter = 37.5 mm, water resistant to 50 m
Limited edition of three pieces

Rendez-Vous Tourbillon

Nearly 16 carats of diamonds cover this version of the Rendez-Vous, whose other luxe feature is a tourbillon borne on a transparent sapphire bridge. The diamonds, some baguette-cut and others round, are set using the “rock-setting” technique, which eliminates any visible metal between the stones. For this version of the Rendez-Vous, the bracelet has been redesigned so that the lugs fit naturally to the bracelet.

SPECS:
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds
Movement: Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 978, automatic, tourbillon, transparent tourbillon bridge and oscillating-weight support, 302 components, 33 jewels, 28,800 vph, thickness = 7.05 mm, power reserve = 48 hours
Case: White gold, diameter = 39 mm, water resistant to 50 m
Limited edition of three pieces

Atmos Marquetry

The Atmos clock derives its energy from changes in atmospheric temperature and can run without human intervention for up to 15 years. It seems to live on air alone: a change of just one degree Celsius in the ambient temperature provides a power reserve of 48 hours.

This version of the Atmos is encased in a crystal enclosure. On each side are marquetry doors bearing enameled reproductions of two paintings, Spring and Autumn, by the Czech Art Nouveau artist Alphonse Mucha. The doors are made of Indian rosewood and horse chestnut. The clock’s glass back is engraved with the same two pictures. The hours and minutes are displayed on separate, grand feu enamel dials. The phase of the moon is made from rosewood and is inlaid with diamonds set in a star-studded pattern.

SPECS:
Functions: Hours, minutes, moon-phase, 24-hour indicator
Movement: Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 582, power to wind mainspring comes from temperature fluctuations in ambient atmosphere, 386 parts, 120 vph, 30 jewels
Cabinet: Wood cabinet decorated with wood marquetry and enamel pictures, height = 28.5 cm, width = 24 cm, depth = 20 cm
Unique piece