Jaeger-LeCoultre Duometre Spherotourbillon Moon
With its compendium of on-dial indications laid out with extraordinary equipoise and attention-to-detail, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Duometre Spherotourbillon Moon watch is a horological feast for the eyes.
The Duometre collection is characterised by and named for its distinctive one balance/twin barrel construction, and so far it has engendered a superb line-up of showcase pieces. The two-barrel arrangement ensures an orderly and precise distribution of energy – one gives power to the time indications, while the other powers the complication.
Although almost every face-on feature of this piece is meritorious, the tourbillon dominates the left side of the dial, demanding immediate attention and quite right too, as it is a particularly fine example of watchmaking’s intricate solution to the gravitational effect on mechanical timekeeping. Not only does this tourbillon rotate on its axis in the normal way, but it also turns on a second axis offered up at an angle of 20°. For this model, the design experts at Jaeger-LeCoultre have chosen to frame the generous tourbillon opening with some fancy “shutters” which fan out above and below thus adding further drama to the spectacle - as if it were needed.
The moonphase combines with the hours and minutes, bringing with it the crowd-pleasing combination of a midnight blue sky studded with golden stars; the small seconds has a nifty flyback function to enable accurate time-setting via the pushbutton at 2 o’clock and the power reserves which accompany each barrel are apportioned postions top and bottom. A second timezone indication is slipped in neatly on the upper dial.
Presented in a 42mm white gold case, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Duometre Spherotourbillon Moon will be limited to 75 pieces.