Jaeger-LeCoultre

Last week, Jerome Lambert, CEO of JLC, was in Singapore to launch the amazing Hybris Mechanica 55 Coffret. The launch was held at Capella Singapore, a 6-star resort on Sentosa Island.

 

Continued below...

This message has been edited by SJX on 2009-10-03 06:58:22 This message has been edited by AnthonyTsai on 2009-10-03 15:46:20 This message has been edited by amanico on 2009-10-07 02:39:09

It is not often that a CEO flies across the world to explain a new watch, but this is what Jerome Lambert did and he watch in question is certainly worthy of his time. Jerome took the assembled group through the new Grande Sonnerie, focusing on how complicated it is - 26 functions and over 1300 parts - and the innovations contained inside. 13 patents were filed for this watch, and particularly notable are the trebuchet-inspired hammers and the gold alloy used for the gongs which have a sword-shaped profile rather than the usual circular shape.

JLC is notably scientific when it develops watches, so naturally plenty of studies were done using high-speed cameras and recorders to measure the motion, velocity and sound of the grande sonnerie. Accordingly the presentation contained several graphs, charts and tables outlining why the grande sonnerie is so grand. 

The trebuchet hammers, which consists of 15 parts versus the single hammer for a regular striking watch, apparently produce the highest velocity and thus the loudest and clearest sound. Very little energy is lost when the trebuchet hammers strike the gong; Jerome said these hammers transfer 80% of their energy to the gong, as opposed to 20% for a regular hammer.

But I won't go into too much detail about the watch as our dear moderator Nicolas will be posting much more on this watch soon. Instead here are some photos of the venue...

The Grande Sonnerie was located outside, through the curtains... 

Below: A JLC lady diver on an unusual and fashionable green crocodile strap 

Below: Squadra Reverso Chronograph with a lacquered polo club logo on the carriage 

 

This message has been edited by SJX on 2009-10-03 06:30:27

After Jerome's presentation, the group was led to the next room. Joel, a watchmaker from Le Sentier was on hand to demonstrate the movement which could be seen through a microscope.

 

No working watch was available, and the movement shown was amplified by a speaker, but the sound of the grande sonnerie appears extremely promising. I was told that a working watch would be ready by SIHH 2010 in January and I am extremely eager to see it then.

The Hybris Mechanica 55 Coffret (coffret is French for 'box') derives its name from the total of 55 complications of the three watches inside: the Grande Sonnerie, Gyrotourbillon and Reverso Grande Complication a Triptyque. JLC really dissected each function to obtain the 55 complication total, for example the Grande Sonnerie has 26 complications which are:

1 Westminster Carillon
2 4 crystal-gongs
3 Grande sonnerie
4 Petite sonnerie
5 Silence
6 Minute repeater
7-8 Flying tourbillon
9-10 Perpetual and instant calendar
11 Days
12 Retrograde days
13 Months
14 Retrograde months
15 Date
16 Retrograde date
17 Jumping hour and minutes
18 Regulation device with inertia-blocks
19 Strike power reserve indicator
20 Watch power reserve indicator
21 Secured incremental hours setting (forward)
22-23Secured incremental minutes setting forward and backward
24 Striking mode selector
25 Instant minute repeater activation
26 Automatic modes’ switch

This complication one-upmanship is silly but the Grande Sonnerie is nonetheless impressive and a real achievement.

Shown below is a scale model of the repeater mechanism, including the "infernal tower", a 5 mm high stack of snail cams that control the striking mechanism.

And on the watchmaker's wrist was a Duometre a Chronographe.

This message has been edited by SJX on 2009-10-03 06:57:44 This message has been edited by Dje on 2009-10-03 09:43:37

Just as impressive is the box. Made by Dottling, a German safemaker, it weighs about 1200 kg (1.2 tonnes). But what is most interesting about the box is not its weigh or acres of leather and suede but the built-in sound system that picks up and amplifies the chiming of the Grande Sonnerie.

Jerome Lambert demonstrated the box with a Master Minute Repeater, even with the enormous doors closed, the chimes of the repeater were clear and loud - amazing. Thus with a Grande Sonnerie, the passing of the time will be clearly audible even with the doors closed and locked. The box is absolutely brilliant; JLC developed the box itself and it is unique to JLC.

 

This message has been edited by SJX on 2009-10-03 06:57:53

The Grande Sonnerie is a handsome watch (not something I'd say about all JLC high complications) and shares design traits with the Duometre a Chronograph. Both watches are from the same family and share twin barrel architecture, what JLC terms dual wing, hence the name 'Duometre'.

It is 44 mm wide and 15 mm thick, large but not unwieldy and it sits well on the wrist. The legibility of the retrograde indications of the perpetual calendar are questionable given their size, but overall this is a highly successful design.

Pictured below is a prototype so the final production version may differ slightly.

This message has been edited by SJX on 2009-10-03 07:03:19

smashing pictures. I have heard that the hotel was quite a place too.

It seems that the buckle of the hybris mecanica is also very special. do you have a picture of that detail?

it is overly complex in my opinion. It's a fairly elaborate piece of work by Roland Iten. The clasp itself is the usual double fold 'butterfly' style but the buckle that secures to the strap is adjustable.

- SJX

I think tht this is a buckle that one can (or could) adjust without having to remove the watch from the strap, no?

Anyway, it seems that the only thing that has not been speciffically engineered for the hybris mecanica 55 is ... a genetically modified alligator for the strap

No message body

magnificent post..

i really like that super-enlarged movement model!

one of the MOST beautiful watches I have seen in my life. Could stare at it for hours, of course, with the appropriate loupe. Pure entertainment for the senses. The movement give me thrills, would love to know how to do that.

Good chemistry for my brain.

Thanks SJX and JLC.

Vte

I never liked the original Gyrotourbillon, I found the dial undistinguished and the case thick and inelegant. But this version of the Gyrotourbillon far more attractive; the open dial gives the watch a lot more character. It still suffers from the badly designed case but it looks good enough that can be forgiven.

This message has been edited by SJX on 2009-10-03 06:53:56

The Reverso Grande Complication à Triptyque is an enormous watch and much too large for most wrists which is unfortunate because it is quite remarkable. I especially like the innovative perpetual calendar mechanism in the carriage which is activated once a day by a level in the swivel case.

Did Jerome Lambert demonstrate the sound from the Grand Sonnerie? An amazingly complicated piece to behold.

Thanks for the report, this beats looking at tiny prototype photos and artist renderings on watch magazines.

the cased pieces didn't work. I don't know what the final product will sound like but it is very promising.

- SJX

Hi SJX,

Thanks for the full review of the whole event and the pictures.

Amazing and wonderful.....

BHK9

thks SJX....very tempted to sell my house for a watch collection now!!!

the box ain't gonna fit in your car.

- SJX

One will need a very large master bedroom with a similarly large walk-in closet for this watch box.

that it is the quality of articles like this with in depth reporting and absolutely compelling photographs that makes The PuristS such a great place. Many thanks for the time and talent that went into this piece. I am still spellbound by the Hybris Mechanica a Triptyque. I was at the manufacture in March and this was still all coming together, thank you for making it all real. It is nice to see the inside of "the box" and all the other pieces too!
Many, many thanks.
Tiim

keep a look out for Nicolas' own article, I am sure it will be even more comprehensive.

- SJX
This message has been edited by SJX on 2009-10-03 21:11:31

The PuristS is an outstanding place to be

Marcelo

No message body

...I could be miniaturized temporarily in order to experience the movements in these three watches from the inside.  They are all amazing, beautiful pieces.  It's a collection to dream about certainly.  The Grand Sonnerie in particular is very much to my taste.  Many of the design cues remind me of the Duometre, which I think is one of JLC's great recent designs.

Thanks for the fantastic photos and great reporting, SJX!

Cheers,
Daos

Thanks for the report!

Honestly, this is the first serious post about these watches, and most particularly, about the Grande Sonnerie, which is the TRUE, and certainly most important novelty of the year 2009.

This watch deserved such a post, and I was sad to see, here, and there, very short and uninteresting threads about this marvel.

As for the 2 other watches of this fabulous set, I'd say that the Gyro I is at the top, in this skeleted version, but I'm a big fan of the Gyro I, so I'm a bit biased.

The Tritpyque is looking nice, too, but as you, I regret its thickness, and its overall volume.

Hopefully, I will be able to come back to this watches quite soon, but I already wanted to thank you for the great job you made here.

Your pics are stunning, and the comments are interesting.

Best, my friend.

Nicolas

I am looking forward to your post once you visit the manufacture.

- SJX

November....

I will have a visit at the Maufacture in the next days, and will need a lot of time to preapre something dign of this watch!

Best,

Nicolas This message has been edited by amanico on 2009-10-04 00:14:06

No message body

SJX:  Thanks for the sneak peak of the set.

Do you think this is the future of high-end watches' marketing? 

To package three hefty pieces that could stand alone proudly in the horology firmament, but package them with other luxury goodies like that leather-lined boom box and safe?

You don't have to sell many sets to mightily increase turnover.  Or is the main value the audacity of the ploy to add to the hubris  of the hybris?

 

Regards, MTF