Jaeger-LeCoultre has introduced a new interpretation of one of its most mechanically complex creations, the Reverso Hybris Artistica Calibre 179. For 2025, this timepiece is presented in an 18K pink gold case, serving as a warm, rich frame for a watch that is as much a kinetic sculpture as it is a time-telling device. It combines the brand's multi-axis Gyrotourbillon with the dual-dial Duoface complication, all while showcasing the apex of the Manufacture's artistic crafts. This is not a watch for simple time-telling; it is a mechanical manifesto, a demonstration of the 180 distinct skills housed under the JLC roof, from high-complication watchmaking to near-extinct decorative arts.
The story of the Reverso is, by now, a foundational myth of 20th-century watchmaking. Born in 1931 from a practical request by polo-playing military officers, the swiveling case was a brilliantly simple solution to protect a watch glass from mallet strikes. For decades, the solid metal back that swiveled to the front was either a protective shield or a blank canvas for personalization. It was a functional, clever design that became an icon of the Art Deco period, defined by its rectilinear geometry and three signature gadroons at the top and bottom of the case.
Courtesy of Jaeger-LeCoultre
It wasn't until the 1990s that Jaeger-LeCoultre's engineers and watchmakers fully weaponized that blank metal back. With the rebirth of mechanical watchmaking, the brand patented the Duoface concept in 1994. This invention used a single movement to power two distinct dials, often showing two different time zones, turning the functional "flip" of the Reverso into a horological one. The Reverso Hybris Artistica Calibre 179 is the direct, and perhaps ultimate, descendant of that idea, taking the Duoface concept and pairing it with one of the most visually and mechanically staggering complications in modern horology.
The term "Hybris Artistica" is Jaeger-LeCoultre's designation for a very specific, very rare series of timepieces. These are not standard collection models. They represent a fusion of the brand's most advanced technical innovations (the "Hybris") with its most elevated artistic crafts (the "Artistica"). This new Calibre 179 is a prime example, bringing together the watchmakers responsible for the multi-axis tourbillon and the artisans from the Métiers Rares (Rare Handcrafts) atelier. The collaboration is total, resulting in a watch where the movement is the art, and the art is the movement.
The case itself is a formidable piece of 18K pink gold (750/1000). It measures 51.2 mm in length by 31 mm in width, with a thickness of 13.63 mm. While the numbers may sound large, the rectangular form and curved lugs are designed to follow the wrist. The complexity of the 50-part swiveling mechanism remains a marvel, operating with a satisfying, precise click. The warm pink gold provides a stark, rich contrast to the monochromatic black and grey palette chosen for the dials, highlighting the Art Deco-inspired lines and signature gadroons that frame the mechanical theater within.
Visually, the watch offers two completely different personalities. The front dial is a deep, three-dimensional exhibition of the Calibre 179. It is fully skeletonized, with the dial and calibre plates reduced to their absolute minimum. What's left is an intricate, architectural structure of pink gold bridges and gears, all meticulously finished. The actual time-telling sub-dial is pushed towards the top, leaving the entire lower half of the watch to the star of the show: the Gyrotourbillon. This face is the mechanical heart, exposed for all to see, a city of micro-mechanics.
Courtesy of Jaeger-LeCoultre
Flipping the case over reveals the "verso" or back dial. This side is more subdued but no less complex. It serves as the second time zone display, utilizing the Duoface complication. The dial is a deep, glossy black lacquer, creating a powerful contrast with the pink gold case. A 24-hour indicator is neatly tucked away to show AM/PM for the second time zone. Here too, the Gyrotourbillon is given a massive aperture, allowing it to be seen from both sides. This face is the "travel" side, combining a practical function with the same hypnotic mechanical spectacle as the front.
The centerpiece is, without question, the Gyrotourbillon. This is Jaeger-LeCoultre's fourth evolution of its signature multi-axis tourbillon, invented in 2004. A traditional tourbillon rotates on one axis to average out gravitational errors when a watch is in a vertical position. A multi-axis tourbillon, by contrast, is designed to counteract gravity from all positions by rotating its balance wheel and escapement on multiple axes simultaneously. It is a solution of extreme complexity for a problem that is, in a modern context, largely theoretical, but its execution is pure mechanical theater.
The Calibre 179's Gyrotourbillon is a technical marvel composed of 123 individual components. It is also distinguished by its speed. The inner tourbillon cage, made from ultra-light titanium to conserve energy, completes a full 360-degree rotation every 16 seconds. This inner cage is then housed in an outer, peripheral carriage that rotates once per minute. The combined motion is a frantic, constant pirouette that is mesmerizing to observe. This high-speed rotation creates a visual spectacle unlike almost anything else in watchmaking.
This mechanism is also a "flying" Gyrotourbillon. It is not supported by a traditional upper bridge, which would obscure the view. Instead, the entire 123-part assembly is supported by a ring of ball bearings, making it appear to float in mid-air between the front and back dials. This effect is amplified by a polished black lacquer disc placed on the supporting cradle of the case, which reflects light and enhances the illusion of the tourbillon spinning in a void.
Courtesy of Jaeger-LeCoultre
Inside this spinning cage are further technical refinements. The watch uses a semi-spherical hairspring, which is designed to "breathe" more concentrically than a flat hairspring, contributing to better timekeeping precision. It is paired with Jaeger-LeCoultre's proprietary Gyrolab balance "wheel." This distinctive, double-anchor-shaped component is not a full wheel, a design intended to reduce air friction as it oscillates, further improving efficiency in this high-speed, power-hungry complication.
The "Artistica" part of the name is most evident in the decorative crafts, starting with the lacquering. The geometric lattice pattern seen on the front dial, which echoes the Art Deco origins of the Reverso, is not painted. Instead, the 18K pink gold calibre plates are first precision-cut by laser to create a network of 200 tiny, hollowed-out depressions. These hollows are then meticulously filled by hand with black and grey lacquer, a painstaking process mastered by only three craftsmen in the entire Manufacture.
This lacquering process is one of extraordinary patience. Each of the 200 hollows must be filled by hand to achieve the correct depth and richness of color. After the lacquer is applied and cured, the entire surface is delicately polished by hand. The goal is to create a perfectly smooth, glossy surface that is exactly flush with the ultra-fine pink gold ribs of the lattice. The result is a stunning interplay of light, with the warm metal lines contrasting against the deep, liquid black lacquer.
The second major craft on display is hand-bevelling, or anglage. This is the art of hand-filing the edges of movement components to a perfect 45-degree angle and polishing them until they shine like a mirror. On the Reverso Hybris Artistica, this finishing is taken to an extreme. The source notes that a staggering 14 hours of work are dedicated just to hand-bevelling the components of the tiny Gyrotourbillon cage. This meticulous, non-functional finishing is a hallmark of true haute horlogerie.
Courtesy of Jaeger-LeCoultre
This obsessive finishing extends to every part of the movement. The reverse dial showcases skeletonized bridges that are also lacquered and hand-bevelled. A single signature-shaped bridge on this side is said to require eight hours of bevelling work all by itself. This blend of modern technology (laser skeletonization) and traditional handcraft (bevelling and lacquering) is a core part of the Hybris Artistica philosophy. In total, all 382 components of the movement are decorated by hand, even those that will never be seen by the owner.
The manually wound Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 179 is the engine that drives this entire display. It is a single movement that integrates the Duoface complication, powering two sets of hands on two different dials to display two time zones. It also integrates the 24-hour indicator for the second time zone, ensuring the wearer knows if it's day or night at "home." The movement beats at a frequency of 21,600 vibrations per hour (3 Hz), a steady pace that helps manage the energy consumption of the perpetually spinning tourbillon.
Given the immense energy required to keep the 123-part Gyrotourbillon in constant, high-speed motion, the power reserve is a practical 40 hours. This is a watch that invites a daily interaction, a morning ritual of winding to bring the complex mechanism to life. The water resistance is rated to 30 meters, which is standard for a high-complication piece of this nature. It is protection against an accidental splash, not a piece intended for aquatic use.
Even the parts of the watch that are usually hidden are given full attention. The inside of the swiveling cradle, the component that the watch case snaps into, is not left blank. It is decorated with a deeply engraved sunray pattern that radiates out from the central polished black lacquer disc. This is a private detail, a hidden layer of craft visible only to the owner during the moment of transformation from one dial to the other.
Courtesy of Jaeger-LeCoultre
Finally, the watch is secured to the wrist by a black alligator leather strap. But the buckle is a piece of micro-engineering in its own right. It is a folding buckle crafted from 18K pink gold, but it is not a simple deployant clasp. This buckle is an "adjustable" technical buckle, weighing nearly 30 grams and composed of 46 separate components. It incorporates an innovative double-wheel system that allows the owner to make micro-adjustments to the strap length, to the nearest 0.5mm, ensuring a perfect fit as the wrist expands or contracts throughout the day.
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Hybris Artistica Calibre 179 in pink gold, Reference Q39424E3, is a 2025 release that represents a summit of the brand's capabilities. It is not a watch for the mass market; it is a testament to the skills of the watchmakers and artisans at the peak of their craft. As such, it is being produced in a severely limited edition of only 10 pieces worldwide. The price is available only upon request but is firmly in the realm of high-six-figure collecting, a mechanical artwork for a select few.
Case: 18K pink gold (750/1000); 51.2 mm x 31 mm x 13.63 mm thick; 30m water resistance.
Movement: Manually wound Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 179; 40-hour power reserve; 382 components; Functions: Hours and Minutes (both dials), second time zone with 24-hour indicator, Gyrotourbillon.
Dial: Front dial features black and grey lacquers; Back dial is skeletonised with black lacquer.
Strap: Black alligator leather strap; 18K pink gold (750/1000) adjustable folding buckle.
Price: Upon Request
Reference Number: Q39424E3
Notes: Limited edition of 10 pieces. Features the Duoface complication and the high-speed Gyrotourbillon (123 components), a multi-axis tourbillon with an inner cage rotating every 16 seconds.