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Photo: Jaeger-LeCoultre
As much as world time watches are feats of mechanical engineering, only the exalted few that push the limits of complexity and artistry can claim to be masterpieces. This green-hued 43mm creation, a mesmerising new interpretation of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Calibre 948, is one of them.
It combines a world time display with a flying tourbillon that completes a dial circuit every 24 hours, symbolising Earth’s rotation and orbit around the sun. Limited to 20 pieces, it features a pink gold case that encircles a 25.5mm dial showcasing the maison’s Metiers Rares atelier’s expertise in the demanding crafts of enamelling, guillochage, and lacquering.
Every dial required over 70 hours of meticulous work. (Photo: Jaeger-LeCoultre)
Taking centre stage is a breathtaking map of the world viewed from the North Pole, carved from gold and adorned with multiple layers of translucent enamel. The map floats above the main dial plate on a domed skeleton of pink gold formed by the longitudes and latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere.
Beneath the dome is the dial plate, representing the oceans, which is decorated with blue-green translucent lacquer applied over a wavy guilloche pattern that evokes the movement of the sea. Over 70 hours of work, incorporating the noble champleve technique were required to bring this miniature artwork to life. Its beauty is further enhanced by a dark green alligator strap contrasting splendidly with the rose gold case.
Each time zone is represented by the name of a city on a green opaline ring around the central dial. Set outside the city ring are two concentric fixed rings: The inner ring indicates 24 hours, while the outer one features the minute track. In a circular aperture to one side of the map, the flying tourbillon appears to float weightlessly above the oceans.
The world time display with a flying tourbillon that completes a circuit of the dial every 24 hours. (Photo: Jaeger-LeCoultre)
As the tourbillon makes a complete 360-degree revolution, the domed map and the city ring turn in unison, following the Earth’s rotation on its axis. This ensures that the hour mark on the city ring adjacent to the city name always indicates the right time in every city.
This watch’s exceptional Calibre 948 was the first time a world-time complication had ever been united with a flying tourbillon. The house-patented Universal Tourbillon, which comprises 388 components, was also entirely conceived, developed and produced in-house.
Despite its complexity, the automatic movement has been designed to ensure that the watch is very simple to operate: The time is set with the crown, which synchronises all of the time zones around the world. On arrival at a new destination, local time is set by the same crown, which moves only the hour hand, in one-hour jumps forwards or backwards, allowing the minutes and seconds to continue running accurately.
