imepieces crafted by L.Leroy, the esteemed Maison that was established in Paris in 1785 by Charles Leroy, have spanned the centuries, bestowing their distinguished owners with unparalleled elegance and distinction.

In 2025, the year of its 240th anniversary, L. Leroy is proud to continue to fascinate and mark the time of enthusiasts and discerning connoisseurs of fine mechanical watchmaking with a new and exceptional work of art equipped with prestigious complications.

This latest novelty marks a new milestone in the perpetuation and evolution of the brand. Named Bal du Temps, it is part of the Osmior collection, characterised by classic aesthetic codes. It is a model that features complications of the highest technical level, such as the Tourbillon and the Minute Repeater, which will be produced in limited quantities and manufactured exclusively for L. Leroy in Geneva.

This extraordinary masterpiece of fine craftsmanship and mechanical engineering made its world premiere at the Geneva Watch Days event.

This new creation, available in three variants, marks the beginning of a new era for L.Leroy, whose desire is to keep its glorious past alive while fully respecting the brand’s DNA. Great attention is therefore paid to the aesthetic canons that define it, the exquisite finishes that enhance its fascinating beauty and the intricate mechanics with their impressive complications.

The case is crafted from noble metals such as 18K 5N red gold and platinum, as well as a more modern material, grade 5 titanium, which is highly appreciated for its lightness. These three variants have a diameter of 43 mm and a height of 13.60 mm (including the domed sapphire crystal), which is a moderate thickness considering the movement’s complications.

With a polished surface and a “tambour” shape, a signature feature that immediately identifies the Osmior collection, it is distinguished by its flat, recessed case middle in relation to the bezel and the case back. The lugs are chamfered and slightly flared, with rounded ends. The crown is engraved with the polished, interlaced double ’L’ of the Maison’s logo, which stands out against the sandblasted surface. Grooved notches around the circumference facilitate the grip when winding the watch and setting the time.

But the meticulous attention to detail does not stop here. Various measures have also been taken with regard to the ring that secures the sapphire antireflective crystal to the rear of the watch. While the outer perimeter is flat, the inward-facing part has domed segments, interrupted by the positioning of the six fixing screws. These portions have been created using the embossing method. Bordered by a polished profile and a sandblasted surface, they display polished relief engravings that define the watch’s identity.

The case of the Bal du Temps is water-resistant up to 3 atm and a black alligator strap with large scales and tone-on-tone stitching secures it to the wrist. The inner lining is also made of alligator leather, but with small scales. The exclusive design for the folding buckle, in materials matching the case, consists of the double “L” logo which is positioned inside a ring, thereby giving it an original style.

The dial becomes the stage on which the play is performed. The title of the play is Bal du Tempswritten and directed by L. Leroy. This sophisticated piece pays homage to its historical heritage and the tradition of Swiss high-end watchmaking, with every detail accurately designed to meet the highest standards of this art. The openworked dial is a veritable hymn to micro-mechanics, showcasing the intricate mechanics equipped with the prestigious Minute Repeater and Flying Tourbillon devices, the latter visible at 6 o’clock. Only highly qualified watchmakers can design and assemble these two complications to perfection, resulting in perfectly harmonious sounds and excellent chronometric precision.

In addition, an intriguing detail immediately demands attention: the display features a single hand, that of the hour, while the minutes are indicated by an exquisite acoustic mechanism, known as the Minute Repeater, which is activated by a slide located at 9 o’clock. A time reading that is not totally new for the Maison, which is inspired by the historic “a tact” watch made for Prince Emil Maximilian Leopold August of Hesse around 1810 and which has already been the subject of a recent timepiece produced by the brand.

The sunray-finished hour ring features Arabic numerals reminiscent of L. Leroy’s historical pieces. Each case material adopts a different colour, endowing each watch in the collection with its own unique identity. The palette ranges from silver on the titanium, providing a very discreet tone-on-tone effect, enlivened by the ALD-treated blue hand; light ALD-treated blue combined with precious platinum and a rhodium-plated hand; and anthracite grey, against which the gilded numerals and hour hand stand out on the 18K5N case version.

At the centre of the dial, levers and gears move in perfect harmony to fulfil the mission for which they are intended. These components have been refined to perfection. A number of these elements are satin-finished, while others are polished. The plate is embellished with circular graining, and the screw heads are polished.

Superbly crafted, the flying tourbillon cage at the 6 o’clock position completes a full rotation in one minute and is adorned with a bridge bearing the interlaced double “L”, the House’s symbol. Made of shiny titanium, it has bevelled and polished profiles and is fixed by white gold screws and pillars.

The combination of the many elements gives dynamism, depth, and a personality all its own to this masterpiece of time, which is offered in three variants. They showcase the exceptional expertise of the watchmakers and artisans while preserving the brand’s heritage with an eye to the avant-garde spirit of the 21st century.

At the heart of the new Bal du Temps lies the L601SQ calibre, featuring two of the most noble watchmaking complications: the Minute Repeater and the Tourbillon, which is a flying one in our model.

The earliest examples of the minute repeater — a sophisticated and complex mechanism representing the pinnacle of watchmaking artistry, earning it the nickname “the queen of complications” — date back to the 17th century. During this period, two Englishmen, the Reverend Edward Barlow and the watchmaker Daniel Quare, laid the foundations of this invention, adopting slightly different approaches. The purpose of the minute repeater device was to convert time into sound on demand, which was necessary due to the difficulty of reading the dial in the dark before the advent of electricity.

In 1783, the French watchmaker Abraham-Louis Breguet perfected this invention by replacing the initial bells with gongs. Initially rectilinear in shape and placed on the back plate, these springs later became circular and positioned around the movement. An ingenious system that made it possible to reduce the thickness of the movement. There are usually two gongs, struck by as many hammers that acoustically strike the hours, quarters and minutes in different tones.

Manufacturing and adjusting a minute repeater watch requires exceptional craftsmanship. To achieve a harmonious and distinct chiming sound, as well as amplify the resonance, the shape of the case and the chosen material both play a key role.

Another masterpiece of watchmaking technology is the tourbillon device, which was invented and patented by Breguet in 1801. It is useful for nullifying the negative effects of gravity on timekeeping precision and consists of a visually striking mobile cage containing the entire regulating organ (balance-wheel, escapement, and pallet fork), which rotates on itself in one minute to compensate for any time inaccuracies.

In 1920, Alfred Helwig, a watchmaker from Glashütte (Germany), invented the flying tourbillon. This was an evolution of the traditional mechanism, favouring aesthetics by only attaching the cage to the underside and preventing the upper bridge from obscuring its beauty.

These two devices were selected to bring the extraordinary Bal du Temps to life, and demonstrate the masterful know-how that has set L. Leroy apart in the world of watchmaking for 240 years.

The high-performance engine that powers this remarkable piece is a hand-wound movement, the calibre L610SQ, made up of 321 parts, produced exclusively in Geneva. It beats at a frequency of 3 Hz (21,600 vibrations per hour) and is equipped with a unique barrel guaranteeing a power reserve of no less than 90 hours.

It features a minute repeater mechanism on two gongs, which is activated on demand via the slide at the 9 o’clock position. Once activated, the time indication becomes audible. The hours, quarters and minutes are differentiated by distinct chimes, emitted when the two hammers strike the two gongs. The hammers are beautifully displayed on the case back, in the positions that mark the hours from 10 to 12 o’clock on the dial. They boast exquisite finishing, with mirror polishing on the surface and anglage on the bevelled edges.

The harmonious dance of the flying tourbillon cage, which performs a complete rotation in one minute thereby optimising the timekeeping precision, is a visual delight for the eye. Composed of 76 parts, it is embellished with the logo-shaped, polished titanium upper bridge.

This complex movement, elegant in its architecture, features a refined single rhodium-plated bridge with bevelled and polished edges that contrast with the hand-finished frosted surface, enlivened by the touch of colour provided by the visible rubies.

The Bal du Temps will be available from September 2025 in a few selected boutiques worldwide. This extraordinary timepiece is a true collector’s item that invites connoisseurs and enthusiasts alike to experience this new chapter in L. Leroy’s prestigious and ever-evolving history.