A quick glance at Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Reverso Hybris Artistica Calibre 179 brings to mind a few visual images. Rolled sleeves and symmetry. The cat’s whiskers and architecture. The Ritz, theatre and jazz. Now, none of those words you just read has anything to do with the watch we’re discussing at hand—but all of it is tied together by a single common thread: the Art Deco period.
We know this of Jaeger-LeCoultre by now. The brand is class and glamour objectified on the wrist. Its visual language always seems to harken back to a time when rich people appeared to exist perpetually in gilded bars, cocktail glass in hand, brass panels overhead. The Reverso, in particular, was conceived and designed at the height of the Art Deco period in 1931. This aesthetic has since been retained within the brand’s heritage story and retold to the generations that have come after.
With all that being said, is it a stretch to suggest that the Reverso Hybris Artistica Calibre 179 feels like the most Art Deco-looking watch the Maison has released in recent history? Of course, immutable elements of the reverso remain: signature gadroons above and below the dial, and the deeply engraved sunray pattern on the inner carriage. But then there are other elements, like a black lacquer dial that almost mirrors the glossy surface of a Steinway piano. Surrounding the dial is a network of intricate lattice webs that form the decorative plates and bridges. Woven between some 200 depressions within the metal web contains the same lacquer in black and grey that’s been hand-applied to achieve a consistent layer of visual depth—resembling the polished geometrical floor tiles you’d find in a swanky bar.
If you’ve been keeping up with Jaeger-LeCoultre’s endeavours, you might find these elements of craftsmanship familiar—and you’d be right. The watch in question is the second iteration of the Reverso Hybris Artistica Calibre 179, which was first released in 2023. The latest model switches out the previously white gold case in favour of a pink gold one, which we feel really hammers home that Art Deco glitz and glam.
The 1920s and 1930s were a significant time for technological advances. From electrification to radio, telephones to cars, and airplanes to skyscrapers—the period forever changed how people moved through life. The Hybris Artistica Calibre 179 mirrors that zeitgeist of advancement with the fourth evolution of the Maison’s Gyrotourbillon.
Developed specifically with the reverso in mind, an intricate dance of cages and carriages occurs right between the lacework of pink gold and lacquer. The inner tourbillon cage torques against itself, completing a 360-degree rotation once every 16 seconds. Meanwhile, the peripheral carriage that cradles the inner tourbillion cage rotates once per minute, creating a mesmerising movement that churns and dislocates in tandem, ironing out any gravitational errors while enhancing timekeeping precision.
By employing a ring of ball bearings instead of a conventional bridge, the Gyrotourbillon is given the illusion of levitation between the front and back dials. This not only lifts the gyrotourbillon to live up to its “flying” moniker but also affirms Jaeger-LeCoultre’s grasp of blending the science and art of horology. After all, over 180 skills between watchmakers and artisans were brought together under the Jaeger-LeCoultre roof to bring this watch into fruition.
We get front row seats to proof of this sentiment when we slide-and-swivel the case around, revealing the intricate symphony of gears, balance wheels, and balance springs that bring this watch—that’s limited to just ten pieces worldwide—to life. Users will be able to adjust the 24-hour indicator on the skeletonised reverse dial to the time of a different zone.
The Reverso Hybris Artistica Calibre 179 has a power reserve of 40 hours and runs slightly larger in dimensions when you compare it to their usual offerings. At 51.2 x 31 mm, it’s to be expected. Come on, we’re dealing with grand complications here!
Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Reverso Hybris Artistica Calibre 179 is limited to just 10 pieces worldwide
