Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Hybris Mechanica 185 Caliber (Quadriptyque), the horological winner of the Watches & Wonders 2021 exhibition, is under the spotlight.
Watches & Wonders, which opened its doors digitally to watch enthusiasts for the second time, hosted many successful new models this year. The horological star of the show, where nearly 50 brands participated, was undoubtedly Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Hybris Mechanica 185 Caliber (Quadriptyque). We wanted to mention once again this model that pushes the boundaries of traditional high watchmaking and mechanics.
The model, limited to 10 units only, is the most complex Reverso model ever designed. This magnificent model, which redefines the analogy of engineering marvel, comes in an 18K white gold case measuring 31mm x 15.5mm x 51.2mm. The rectangular case, which gives the Reverso model family a cult status with its design that slides sideways, has four different dials and a whopping eleven complications.
In the center of dial No.1, there are blue hour and minute hands. Two indicators located just above those hands display day and month information. The lower-left corner of the dial is decorated with a Flying Tourbillon escapement in all its glory, while in the lower right corner is a two-digit Grande Date window. When we look at the top of the dial, there is a day/night indicator on the left. This elegant indicator symbolizes the night in blue and the day in white discs. The leap year counter is visible on the top right.
As with every Reverso model, you just need to slide and turn the case gently to see the second dial. Although dial No.2 also features the time-keeping function, it offers it to its user in a quite different style. Here the time is displayed via a jumping digital hour with a circumferential red arrow minute indicator that rotates around the outer circumference of the sub-dial plate. Dial No.2 also offers the Minute Repeater feature, a dream complication for many watch enthusiasts. You can see the hairspring from the perforated barrel at 12 o'clock. At 9 o'clock, there is a patented bell regulator that eliminates the hum caused by Minute Repeater gongs. On the lower part of the dial, there are minute repeater hammers attached directly to the sapphire crystal to take advantage of the acoustic properties of the glass. Articulated catapult hammers (originally developed for the 2009 Hybris Mechanica Duomètre à Grande Sonnerie) allow a clear and powerful hit to the gongs with each lever slide on the crown. When activated, Minute Repeater first plays a series of low notes associated with the number of hours. Second, a variable melody made up of high and low bells is heard, corresponding to quarter hours. Finally, a series of high notes conclude the chime of the Minute Repeater.
As a feature of the design, dial No.3 can only be seen when the middle case is open. The Northern Hemisphere Moon Phase, Draconic Moon Cycle (moon height), Abnormal Moon Cycle (apojee and perigee), month and year indicators can be monitored through the complicated dial. The upper half of dial No.3 features a laser-engraved moon phase disc that is gradually covered and exposed by a moving blue lacquered disc with a glittering decor in gold. According to Jaeger-LeCoultre, the traditional Moon phase indicators perform with a one-day error after 32.5 months, when the Quadriptyque's Moon phase indicator requires to be re-adjusted only once in every 1,111 years.
There are two more small indicators under the moon phase indicator. To the left is a three-dimensional micro-shaped pink-gold Sun that orbits a tiny hemispherical Moon. This indicator displays the draconic cycle, which shows when the Moon's path intersects with the Earth's orbit around the Sun (known as the ecliptic). Such an intersection occurs twice in each cycle and is indicated by the horizontal alignment on the counters of the Moon and Sun. Located at the right side of the draconic loop, the counter shows up as a micro-painted Earth figure with a hemispherical Moon in an eccentric orbit around it. This counter represents the cycle showing the changing distance between the Earth and the Moon in real-time. The numerical day and year of the month are also displayed at the bottom of the dial.
The dial No.4 on the back of the watch case indicates the Southern Hemisphere moon phase. A gradient-style engraved and lacquered sky map with a star symbol on the blue shaded background forms the backdrop for the moon phase indicator in rose gold.
The manual-winding movement Caliber 185 powers the four dials and eleven complications of the model. The superiority of the movement in terms of engineering is once again revealed with its 50-hour power reserve, despite all its features.
Although adjusting the watch, which is quite complicated, may seem intimidating, Jaeger-LeCoultre offers the case and the movement with great harmony to facilitate the user experience. Jaeger-LeCoultre says: “The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185 comes in an exceptional presentation box with a built-in mechanism that allows the wearer to quickly and intuitively set all the calendar and astronomical displays of the watch after a period of being unworn. A two-position crown on the side of the box is used to first set the number of days that have elapsed since the watch was last worn. With the Quadriptyque set within the correction support frame, the box corrector crown can then be extended to its second position and wound to rapidly bring the watch to the current date for all calendar and astronomical indications. There is no risk of overcorrecting the watch or damaging the movement as the box corrector mechanism controls the entire process.”
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Hybris Mechanica Caliber 185 (Quadriptyque) comes with a blue alligator strap that matches the blue tone of dials No.3 and No.4. An 18K white gold folding clasp, compatible with the case, functions at the end of the strap. The clasp sports two discs that can be rotated with a finger touch, which allows micro-adjustment of the strap.
We always add the part: "the cost of owning this watch" at the end of the reviews, where we talk about the models with high complications. Although we see jaw-breaking prices many times on these pages, the MSRP of Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Hybris Mechanica Caliber 185 (Quadriptyque), € 1.35 million, does not surprise us this time.
