Can you believe this thing (click to embiggen the image)? It’s a 200,000+ Euros “spherotourbillion” from Jaeger-LeCoultre and it’s probably one of the most complex “classic” watches you’ll ever lay eyes on. What’s that ball thing in the window there? That’s the escapement. It spins in multiple directions, ensuring the sort of accuracy found in quartz watches with the complexity found in a haute mechanical.
Watch as Ariel apparently gets a demo from Bruce Willis’ girlfriend in Pulp Fiction (“Tulip is much better than mongoloid.”) The watch has two barrels – one for the tourbillon and one for the actual indications – and it comes in platinum.
Here are some specs for your jealous edification:
Movement
? Mechanical manually-wound Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 382, crafted, assembled and decorated by hand, nickel silver bridges and mainplate
? 2 barrels
? 50-hour power reserve
? 460 parts
? 55 jewels
? 10.45 mm thick
? 33.70 mm in diameter
Sphérotourbillon
? 105 parts
? Tourbillon carriage: grade 5 titanium
? Total rotation speed: 30 seconds for a complete revolution
? 2 combined movements. Carriage axis rotation speed: 15 seconds for a complete revolution. Carriage rotation speed: 30 seconds for a complete revolution
? Carriage inclination: 20°
? Carriage diameter: 11.50 mm
? Carriage mass: 0.518 grams
? 14-carat gold balance with eccentric inertia blocks in 14-carat gold, inertia = 12.5 mg.cm2 , 21,600 vibrations per hour
? Cylindrical balance-spring
Functions
? Hours (travel time), minutes and small seconds with flyback function
? Power reserves (indications and movement)
? Pointer-type date display
? 24-hour reference time-zone
? Sphérotourbillon
Case
? 18-carat pink gold
? Diameter: 42 mm
? Thickness: 14.1 mm (including the sapphire crystal)
? Polished and satin-brushed finish
? Domed glareproofed front and back sapphire crystals, hardness n°9
? Water resistance : 5 bars
Dial
? Crystalline grained
? pink gold appliques
Hands
? Hours and minutes: “leaf” type
? Small seconds: baton type with pear-shaped counterweight, blued steel
Crowns
? One crown to wind the watch, set the time (travel time-zone), adjust the date and adjust the travel time-zone
? One push-piece at 2 o’clock to activate the small seconds flyback mechanism
Strap
? Hand-sewn crocodile leather, 18-carat pink gold pin buckle
Reference:
? 605 25 20
? Mechanical manually-wound Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 382, crafted, assembled and decorated by hand, nickel silver bridges and mainplate
? 2 barrels
? 50-hour power reserve
? 460 parts
? 55 jewels
? 10.45 mm thick
? 33.70 mm in diameter
Sphérotourbillon
? 105 parts
? Tourbillon carriage: grade 5 titanium
? Total rotation speed: 30 seconds for a complete revolution
? 2 combined movements. Carriage axis rotation speed: 15 seconds for a complete revolution. Carriage rotation speed: 30 seconds for a complete revolution
? Carriage inclination: 20°
? Carriage diameter: 11.50 mm
? Carriage mass: 0.518 grams
? 14-carat gold balance with eccentric inertia blocks in 14-carat gold, inertia = 12.5 mg.cm2 , 21,600 vibrations per hour
? Cylindrical balance-spring
Functions
? Hours (travel time), minutes and small seconds with flyback function
? Power reserves (indications and movement)
? Pointer-type date display
? 24-hour reference time-zone
? Sphérotourbillon
Case
? 18-carat pink gold
? Diameter: 42 mm
? Thickness: 14.1 mm (including the sapphire crystal)
? Polished and satin-brushed finish
? Domed glareproofed front and back sapphire crystals, hardness n°9
? Water resistance : 5 bars
Dial
? Crystalline grained
? pink gold appliques
Hands
? Hours and minutes: “leaf” type
? Small seconds: baton type with pear-shaped counterweight, blued steel
Crowns
? One crown to wind the watch, set the time (travel time-zone), adjust the date and adjust the travel time-zone
? One push-piece at 2 o’clock to activate the small seconds flyback mechanism
Strap
? Hand-sewn crocodile leather, 18-carat pink gold pin buckle
Reference:
? 605 25 20
