Even when starting from a relatively high-symmetry structure the combined effect of exchange interactions, spin–orbit coupling, orbital-ordering and crystal deformations activated by the JTE can lead to very low symmetry magnetic patterns with specific properties. For example, in CsCuCl 3 an incommensurable helicoidal pattern appears both for the orbitals and the distortions along the z -axis. Moreover, many of these compounds show complex phase diagrams when varying temperature or pressure.