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amanico
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Hybris Mechanica à Grande Sonnerie: The Superlative Watch from JLC.

- Introduction -

JLC revealed to the Public the Hybris Mechanica 55 for the very first time in September 2009, in Venezia, during the " Mostra ".

The Hybris Mechanica 55 is a set of 3 watches:



- The Hybris Mechanica à Grande Sonnerie ( 26 complications )

- The Hybris Mechanica à Gyrotourbillon ( 10 complications )

- The Hybris Mechanica à Triptyque ( 19 complications )

Hence the number " 55 " used for this set, which will be available in a limited edition of 30 pieces..

Immediately, a question comes to mind:

Why not a diversification of the major horological complications, as, with the exception of the Grande Sonnerie, the perpetual calendar and the Tourbillon are common to these 3 watches?

More than a diversification of complications, JLC played the card of the variation on the thema of these complications.

In the case of this set, you have the Best of the tourbillon ( Gyro I ), of the Perpetual Calendar ( Triptyque ), and of the Striking Watches ( Grande Sonnerie ), to sum the excellence in Horology.

While the Gyrotourbillon I and the Triptyque receive a new dial and a white gold case, they both are well known by most of us, and I prefer to focuse here all the efforts and the attention on the real big novelty of this Set, the Grande Sonnerie.

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- The Grande Complication Watches -

The Grande Sonnerie is the genious heir of the Master Minute Repeater, launched in 2005, and of the Duomètre à Chronographe, presented in 2007.

A genious heir, because if the MMR can be considered as a revolution in the expression of such a prestigious and classical complication, the Grande Sonnerie can be seen as the " Sublimation " of Striking watches.



From the Duomètre, the Grande Sonnerie received the two barrels, the case, and the specific division of the dial in 2 parts, one for the reading of the time and the Perpetual Calendar, another for the Grande Sonnerie.





With the Grande Sonnerie, JLC enters the world of the most prestigious Grande complication watches, where the competitors are called Patek Philippe ( Sky Moon Tourbillon ), Vacheron Constantin ( Tour De L'Ile ), or Franck Muller ( Aeternitas ) for example.

Here are the contenders:

PP Sky Moon Tourbillon :



The case is 42, 8 mm big and 16,25 mm thick.

The movement is the Cal R TO 27 QR SID LU CL, 686 components, 38 mm big and 12,61 mm thick.

The 12 Complications are:

Perpetual Calendar ( 1 ) with a Retrograde Date ( 2 ), Week Day ( 3 ), Date ( 4 ), Month ( 5 ), Leap Year Cycle ( 6 ),Age of the Moon ( 7 ), Minute Repeater ( 8 ), Tourbillon ( 9 ), Map of the Sky ( 10 ), Sideral Time ( 11 ) and angular movements of the moon and phases of the moon ( 12 ).

VC Tour De L'Ile ( 16 Complications ) :



Verso dial



Recto dial:





The case is 47mm big and 17 mm thick.

The movement is the Cal 2750, 834 components, 36mm big and 11,25mm thick.

The 16 Complications are:

Minute Repeater ( 1 ), Tourbillon ( 2 ), Power Reserve ( 3 ), Dual Time ( 4 ), Moonphase ( 5 ), Age of the Moon ( 6 ), Map of the Sky ( 7 ), Sunset ( 8 ), Sunrise ( 9 ), Equation of Time ( 10 ), Sonnerie Torque ( 11 ), Perpetual Calendar ( 12 ), Day ( 13 ), Date ( 14 ), Month ( 15 ), Bissextil years ( 16 ).

The Franck Muller Aeternitas Mega 4:



Certainly the biggest and the thickest Grande Complication, which houses a bit more than 20 complications basically developped around the Perpetual Calendar, the Grande Sonnerie, the Tourbillon, the Chronographe à rattrapante, and the movement is made of over 1100 parts.

And " our " Hybris Mechanica à Grande Sonnerie:



The Movement is the JLC caliber 182 made of 1,300 parts, 37 mm big and 10,42mm thick.

Back side:



Dial side ( really spectacular ) :



It offers 26 complications: Westminster Carillon ( 1 ), 4 Crystal Gongs ( 2 ) Grande Sonnerie ( 3 ), Petite Sonnerie ( 4 ), silent mode ( 5 ), minute repeater ( 6 ), flying ( 7 ) tourbillon ( 8 ), perpetual ( 9 ) and instant calendar ( 10 ), days ( 11 ), retrograde days ( 12 ), months ( 13 ), retrograde months ( 14 ), date ( 15 ), retrograde date ( 16 ) jumping hours and minutes ( 17 ), Regulation device with inertia blocks ( 18 ), Strike power reserve ( 19 ), mainspring power reserve ( 20 ), secured incremental hours setting ( 21 ), secured incremental minutes setting forward ( 22 ) and backward ( 23 ), striking mode selector ( 24 ), Instant minute repeater action ( 25 ), and automatic modes switch ( 26 ).

These 4 watches lead us to perceive a definition of the Grande Complication:

It seems that there is no official definition, so I would say that a Grande Complication is the sum of noble complications, like a Tourbillon, one or several astronomical complications, striking complications, or Chronographs.

While we see that on the Vacheron Constantin and on the Patek Philippe watches, the most important thema of the complications " ballet " is the Astronomical topic, on the JLC it is obviously the Sound, or should I say...The Music, which is predominant.

So, we can say that each of these Stars of Horology has its own personality!

When I first read the list of the 26 complications displayed in the Hybris à Grande Sonnerie, I was a bit dubitative regarding the method used to calculate them, as for example to add in the list the date, day, and month to the perpetual calendar.

To me, it was obvious that a perpetual calendar includes the day, date and month, and that you don't have to count them to the list of complications.

I realized I was wrong when I compared the method JLC used with the one used by Patek, Vacheron and Frank Muller .

This is exactly the same method, as shown above, so the Hybris Grande Sonnerie is certainly the most complicated wirst watch in the world.

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- The Defy -

Is the record of complications housed in a same watch the most important defy?

Is it the choice in the complications?

Or is it rather the fact to manage to keep reasonnable proportions in regard of the impressive number of complications, and the way these horological refinements are displayed?

All is important, of course, and that is the strong point of the Hybris Grande Sonnerie.

It is not evident to think and conceive a lot of complications to make THE Grande Complication, it is even less evident to restrict the volumes of the case.

For example, the most complicated watch is, still today, as far as I know, the Cal 89 from Patek.

This is a pocket watch, with 33 ( ! ) complications, but the proportions of this pocket watch are more than generous!

If we compare the 4 Grandes Complications we saw above, the Hybris Grande Sonnerie is the winner, if we have in mind the ratio complications / dimensions.

Look at the numbers ( diameter and thickness ) of all of them.

The bigger is certainly the Frank Muller.

The Vacheron is the 2d, then the Patek ( smaller than the JLC, but 1, 25 mm thicker ).

The Grande Sonnerie is only 44 mm big and 15 mm thick!

It is even thinner than the " simpler " Master Minute Repeater ( 15, 80 mm ).

To keep this exceptionally reasonable volume, JLC opted for some clever solutions.

For example, the choice of the flying tourbillon, which is only held at the underside, is not only an elegant way to display the Tourbillon, but it also represents a gain of some precious millemeters, which contributes to keep a relative thinness to the watch.

So, this defy presents 2 advantages:

- The restricted volumes offer an indisputable elegance to the Grande Sonnerie, which borrows its case to the Duomètre.



- Once the watch on the wrist, it is much more comfortable to wear than a bigger or thicker one, indeed.

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- The Dream is in the Technical inventiveness -

Which is more important than gathering the most impressive number of complications in a watch is, im my opinion, the way these complications are displayed, harmoniously put together.

The main purpose of this watch is in its name: The GRANDE SONNERIE:

5 years of Research and Development have been necessary to give birth to this Masterpiece.

JLC optimized the knowledge already used on the Minute Repeater, to go much further.

Here are some of these improvements:

- The Trebuchets...A Curious name gaven to the hammers.



The name comes from the Medieval Artillery, and was used to throw stones at a big distance on the ennemies.

While the hammer arm is fixed, its head is articulated, mobile.

The goal of this solution is to lose less energy coming from the spring, as 80 % of the force coming from the spring is delivered, instead of approximately 30 % with a conventional system ( it can even sometimes be less ) .

As to avoid the risk to see the mobile head of the hammer bouncing on the chime, a small spring has been installed, as you can see on this technical draw:



- The Infernal Tower:



While usually the Hour, Minute and 3 Quarters snails and their respective cams are horizontally assembled, here, JLC decided to innovate by putting them vertically.

Located between 8 and 9 on the dial side, this 5,5 mm height tower presents 2 virtues:

Gaining some place in the movement, and avoiding some traditional issues on Grande Sonneries, like chiming the last quarter hours instead of the hours.

- JLC decoupled the the time setting mechanism with the striking mechanism, because you can dammage the movement when you set the time while the Sonnerie mode is activated,

- Of course, like on the Master Minute Repeater, the Grande Sonnerie borrows the system which appeared in 2005: The support of the gong made in a special alloy is welded to the sapphire glass, which is therefore pressed in the White Gold case, this system allowing superior performances in term of sound volume.



White Gold was preferred to the platinum for the Hybris Case, because of its better acoustical properties ( even better than Rose Gold, as I could see in a comparative test.)

JLC didn't want to use titanium, which is even better, acoustically speaking, because it is not considered as a noble metal, which is not compatible with such a prestigious watch.

Let's precise that the Grande Sonnerie strikes 6 different bars every hour, and one bar per each quarter of hour.

The Petite Sonnerie strikes 3 bars at the full hours, while the Minute Repeater also uses the 4 chimes, the lower note for the hour, the four Big Ben Notes for the quarters, and the higher note for the minutes.

It is also important to say that JLC managed, on this watch, to remove the usual wait between the Hours and the Minutes when the Repeater is in action.

On a normal Minute Repeater or Grande Sonnerie, when you're at, for example 6.14, you will immediately hear the Hours striking, but you will have to wait a moment before hearing the minutes.

Here, there is no wait, which is a big technical improvement.

The PERPETUAL CALENDAR, in comparison, looks less complex, but it has an elegant simplicity.

This apparent simplicity hides a sophistication :

All the functions ( Day, Date, Month ) are retrograde, and it is an instant calendar programmed till year 2100.

Of course, there is a small leap year indicator, to allow a secure setting of the Perpetual Calendar Datas.

The last big complication is of course the FLYING TOURBILLON:



Don't look after it on the dial, there is no more place, so JLC located it on the case back!

As previoulsy said, in a classic Tourbillon, 2 bridges hold the titanium tourbillon cage.

In the case of the Flying Tourbillon, there is only one bridge, at the bottom and allows a direct view at the. direct escapement and the balance wheel, fitted with 4 regulating screws and 10 weight screws.

Of course, it benefits of ceramic ball bearings.

Modern, aesthetically light as well as in weight, here again, another evidence of Purity.

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- The Hybris à Grande Sonnerie id a Summit of Beauty -

Here, no show off, " just " Class, Elegance and Refinement.

The Duomètre à Chronographe was ( and still is ) a magnificient watch, the Grande Sonnerie is a sublime, superlative second member of this appealing family.

PLEASE NOTE THAT IT IS NOT A DEFINITIVE AND A NON WORKING WATCH, AND THE PICTURES I TOOK WERE ON A NON FINISHED WATCH!

1/ The dial:





I appreciate a lot the disposition of the dial, with this specific division in 2 parts:

On your right, the Time you see, the weekday, the month, the leap year and the 2 power reserve indicators.



On your left, the Time you hear ( with the exception of the Date, which is nicely put close to the bezel, to not break the balance ) , with the Grande Sonnerie Mechanism, or should I say Sculpture, but a Sculpture which can be transformed in a Ballet, when the watch strikes the hours.



The contrast generated by the ( almost ) flat grained white side, and the chiselled metal is not only catching the eyes, but also the light.

Here, we have a perfect integration of all these complications ( except the Flying Tourbillon, located in the case back ), in a balanced, geometrical way.

Look at these 2 interpenetrating curves, which delimits the visible and the audible time, the half open, half plain dial.

There is dynamic, elegance, class and simplicity, here, which is really remarkable, as JLC managed to conciliate which is not easy to conciliate on the Grande Sonnerie, sophisitication and understatement, simplicity and complication.

All is very legible, the Hours, Minutes, and the Perpetual Calendar Data...



It is so simply designed that you almost forget that you have jumping minutes and hours.

The same observation can be made for the perpetual calendar data, which are all retrograde and remains very legible.

You will also notice with pleasure the nice grainé dial, which comes from the first Duomètre.

Besides the Hour, minutes and perpetual calendar data, you also have the leap year at the top, another window for the Grande Sonnerie, Petite Sonnerie or Silence mode, and the original but now classic power reserve indicators ( heated blue hands ) for the watch and the striking mechanism, which is an hint of the presence of 2 separate barrels.



The left part is pure ecstasy.



Carvings are blended with fine sculptures, as well as the polished or brushed parts, and the perlages add to the show, in a dark and light grey chromatic harmony, just enhanced by the modest use of blue heated screws and hand ( for the Perpetual Calendar day ) .

That is already an intense pleasure to admire this work of Art through the open window, but what to say when the watch is playing its partitions?

As I said, the Sculptures turn to a Ballet, the hammers are in movement, playing the longest melody a Grande Sonnerie has never chimed, with elegance, power, and musicality.

As the prototype was not already working, I had to attend this musical and artistic show through a soundfile, at the Manufacture, but I can tell you it is really enchanting.

Once again, I can't wait to see the definitive watch receiving the finish it deserves, but it is already very promising!

2/ The case:

The Grande Sonnerie borrows the elegant Duomètre à Chronographe case, but with a bigger diameter ( 44 mm instead of 42 ).

Still, it doesn't lose any elegance, as the size / thickness ratio is harmonious.

The whole side of the case is brushed, while the other parts are polished, creating a nice contrast.





The Duometre lugs are among my favorite ( if not my absolute favorite ) compared to all the JLC watches.

Slender, longer than on the 44 mm Master Line, they perfectly complement the dressy personality of the case.

Another interesting detail is that JLC didn't ruin such an elegantly balanced opus with the pushers.

Indeed, even the pushers are originally located, integrated on the case.

How many do you think they are?



2 pushers at 4 o clock, 2 at 2 o clock, and one ...On the crown!

In a certain way, they are the Grande Sonnerie " cockpit " .

The higher pusher at 4 is used to change the striking mode ( Grande Sonnerie / Petite Sonnerie, and Silence ), while the higher pusher at 2 is destined to set the hour ( only forward ).

The 2 other pushers at 2 and 4 allow to set the minutes forward and backward.

The 5th pusher, located on the crown, is here to activate the Minute Repeater ( instead of the usual gasket at 9 ), which is only possible if the Silent mode is previously selected.

The push pieces for the perpetual calendar settings are hidden at 12, between the lugs.

So, the crown only serves to wind the watch, in the usual direction, and to wind the Sonnerie Power Reserve, in the opposite direction.

Made in white gold, the weight is important, but quite the same than the smaller platinum Duometre à Chronographe.

3/ The Case Back is another source of intense pleasure:

3 parts of this masterpiece are enlightened in a somptuous way :



- The Flying Tourbillon, at 8 o clock, which didn't have enough place to be installed on the dial side.



- The 4 racks, nicely aligned between 10 and 11 o clock.



- The 2 specific Duometre barrels, located at 3 o clock.

It has to be precised that the power reserve is circa 50 hours, for the watch, and circa 12 hours for the Grande Sonnerie.



The plates and bridges are in maillechort ( German Silver ), receive a " cotes soleillées " finish converging to the Flying Tourbillon, with small touches of blue ( screws ) or purple ( jewels ), and some nice anglages, as you can see on the 2 pictures below:





A macro of the whole movement:



4/ The Buckle:

A last surprise is waiting for us...

The white gold folding buckle is very original, due to the fact that its length is adjustable as you will notice on these pictures:







Original, certainly, practical, I don't know, as I didn't try to play with during the few hours I had the watch in my hands, so we'll discuss that further.

5/ The packaging:

The Grande Sonnerie, as a part of the 3 watches set, may be stored in an amazing packaging...

A .... Safe, which weights 1200 Kilos ( !!! ), and which is 1,5 metre height for 1 meter large.



A luxury presentation, leather coated, with an electronic security, winding systems for the 3 watches of the set, but also for 8 Additional pieces, even if I didn't understand the interest of having a winding system on a manual watch...





More interesting, JLC has installed a system to allow you to hear the Grande Sonnerie through the closed safe.

Impressive in size and heavy, this safe is also expensive, as it costs around 200 000 Euros.

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- Conclusion -

As each Jaeger Lecoultre watch, the Grande Sonnerie is a piece of Tradition and Innovation.

Tradition, first, because since 1833, The Manufacture created more than 200 Repeater Calibers, and among them, some Striking Grandes Complications, like this superb example, made circa 1928:



Innovation, certainly for JLC, because it is the very first Striking Grande Complication Wrist Watch made by " La Grande Maison ", as the other Grandes Complications, the Gyro Tourbillon I and II, and the Triptyque are not striking watches, and as if the MMR is of course a striking watch, but it is not a Grande Complication.

I'm not sure that JLC ever made a Grande Sonnerie, even in a pocket watch, ( or maybe they did, but for another brand? ), so it may be a grande " Première ", too.

Innovative it is, not only for JLC, but also for the whole Horology, due to the technical solutions used for the Grande Sonnerie, as the Trebuchet hammers, the gong welded in the sapphire, the " infernal tower ", for example.

The most important thing is not, to me, the extraordinary number of complications housed, but the way they are displayed, with an undisputable harmony.

The Grande Sonnerie is also a piece of refinement, and a superlative one, which will be delivered in September 2010, till 2014.

Unfortunately, this watch, as well as the 2 others, will remain a perpetual dream for all High Horology Fans, as the price of the set ( the Grande Sonnerie is not sold separately ) is as high as its interest and beauty.

But isn't it good to know that such exceptional watches exist?

Best to All,

Nicolas This message has been edited by amanico on 2009-11-10 00:46:00

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