The new Jaeger-LeCoultre Hybris Inventiva Gyrotourbillon À Stratosphère is yet another supreme example of the art of watchmaking from one of the most storied names in the business. Photo: Handout
The 2026 Master Hybris Inventiva Gyrotourbillon À Stratosphère is a technical and decorative marvel, while the new Master Control Chronometre is based on the 1973 Master Mariner Chronometre
In 1833, an aspiring watchmaker by the name of Antoine LeCoultre set up a small atelier high in Switzerland’s Vallée de Joux, a stunning alpine valley north of Geneva in the Jura Mountains.
Little did he know what he had unleashed. In 1900, his grandson Jacques-David LeCoultre took the baton and ran with it, creating the Jaeger-LeCoultre brand in partnership with his friend Edmond Jaeger. Nearly two centuries later, the company that they built has become one of the world’s most coveted horological powerhouses, often known as the watchmaker’s watchmaker, and beloved of royalty, celebrities and everyone with a taste for timepieces that blend classically elegant aesthetics with the most exacting levels of technical expertise.
Inside the Heritage Gallery, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s archives. Photo: Handout
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Jaeger-LeCoultre is still based in its original spot in the Vallée de Joux, but these days its headquarters is a simple atelier no more – instead, it’s a treasure trove of horological expertise featuring more than 80 workshops, where more than 100 watchmaking crafts are practised. Linking those skills explicitly to the manufacture’s storied history, there’s also the Jaeger-LeCoultre Heritage Gallery, which provides an in-depth look at more than 500 horological objects created by the brand.
Over the years, Jaeger-LeCoultre has crafted more than 1,200 different calibres in the Vallée de Joux, and received more than 413 patents. Its numerous achievements include the creation – dating as far back as 1931 – of the Reverso, one of the world’s most instantly recognisable watches, with its ingenious reversible case. The company has also been responsible for everything from the world’s smallest movement to some of the most sophisticated grande complication watches ever made.
Jaeger-LeCoultre 2026 Hybris Inventiva Gyrotourbillon À Stratosphère. Photo: Handout
The same exacting standards and pursuit of technical mastery continue to characterise the precious watches that emerge from the brand’s ateliers today. The Master Hybris Inventiva Gyrotourbillon À Stratosphère, for example, unveiled at this year’s Watches and Wonders, is characterised by a remarkable triple-axis tourbillon which, despite weighing just 0.78g, offers 98 per cent coverage of all possible positions. It’s also a masterpiece of traditional decorative crafts, including guillochage, enamel and lacquer.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Chronometre Perpetual Calendar. Photo: Handout
The thirst for innovation at Jaeger-LeCoultre clearly remains unquenched. Watches and Wonders also saw the launch of a new collection, Master Control Chronometre, with three watches: a date display, a perpetual calendar, and a power reserve and date version.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Mariner Chronometre from 1973, on which the 2026 Master Control Chronometre is based. Photo: Handout
Drawing inspiration from 1973’s classic Master Mariner Chronometre, they come with an integrated metal bracelet, and show off a variety of fine finishes, including Côtes de Genève, perlage and bevelled bridges.
