Jaeger-LeCoultre stays resilient and inventive through the times

Having been in the industry since 1883, the Swiss luxury watch brand Jaeger Le-Coultre has seen the toughest times in the history of watchmaking. Despite so, Jaeger-LeCoultre continues to rise amidst the storms, and remains to be the inventive protagonist in the field of Haute Horlogerie with an outstanding list of highly successful collections

Since the beginning of its unique history at the root of watchmaking in the Vallée de Joux workshops, Jaeger-LeCoultre crafts a vibrant life on the wrist of the men and women who wear its pieces and make it their own. The keyless watch, silent regulators for repeater watches, the Calibre Jaeger-LeCoultre 101 weighing barely one gram, the iconic Reverso, as well as the unprecedented concepts such as the Dual-Wing® and the recently launched Geophysic® collection, all contribute to the wealth of the Jaeger-LeCoultre heritage. Moreover, the 1,249 mechanical calibres developed and the 413 registered patents illustrate the creative passion that continually drives the men and women of the Grande Maison.

The passion for Haute Horlogerie remains strong, and the Maison is dedicate to keep on going in creating the most inventive pieces the industry aims to see. ‘Day & Night’ magazine had the privilege to sat with the Jaeger-LeCoultre Brand Director, Marc de Panafieu, and hear the latest insider insights about the present and future of the Swiss luxury brand.

Why does Jaeger-LeCoultre recently have a huge concentration on ladies’ watches?
We may have more men’s watches than ladies before but I would not say we concentrated on crafting ladies’ watches. I believe we paid more attention to creating ladies’ watches because we saw the phenomenon where women have started wearing men’s watches, and they were not afraid of wearing a 38 mm Master Geographic or Master Control. Our Rendez-Vous collection which resulted to a remarkable success has now quite a number of references and sizes that go from 26 mm to 39 mm, and to a fascinating range of complications including the Rendez-Vous Tourbillon, Rendez-Vous with Moonphase, and even with Minute Repeater.

Do women buy pieces such as tourbillon and minute repeater?
You will be surprised that there are women who do. There is a perception that women buy watches only for the look of it, and that they are not particular on the watchmaking content or history of the brand or the timepiece. This perception may apply in the early days, but in today’s time, women begin to put a balance between the aesthetics and the watchmaking content. In our experience, women would come in to the shop, and they would ask about that thing that pumps like a heart in the watch. After explaining to them what the tourbillon is then they would start appreciating its importance. And yes, we sold some tourbillon pieces to women who actually wear them.

Did you also create celestial-inspired collection for women that you presented during the SIHH (Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie)?
The highlight of our 2015 collection is the astral theme that was present in both men and women’s ranges. The idea behind the collection is to pay tribute to the roots of watchmaking which actually take us back to the stars, the sun and the moon. These universal bodies have been the means of reading time centuries ago. So, we conceptualised the collection with the use of complications, mostly moonphases, as well as the use of unique material such as the meteorite. It is also true that the celestial-inspired collections include the women’s line especially the 39 mm Rendez-Vous with the Moonphase, which has been a great success. We have observed that the moonphase is a horological complication that is highly appreciated by women.

After your use of meteorite in the dial, should we expect that Jaeger-LeCoultre to use new materials in the future?
With over 180 years in the industry, I can tell that our watchmakers have no limits in inventing. However, it is not a corporate mandate to seek for new materials or new ways of doing things. I would not say that the use of meteorite in the dial was a deliberate goal. Instead, it came to be because of the celestial theme that we followed. Our inventive and passionate watchmakers had the idea of meteorite based on this inspiring theme, and it was agreed upon since it is the right choice of material for the collection. Whether we will use a different material tomorrow or in the future, I can’t totally confirm, but what I am certain about is that our watchmakers don’t put limits in crafting with new shapes, new calibres, new materials or new complications.

What was the story behind your newly launched Geophysic® collection that was originally launched in 1958?
Yes, we reprised the collection from the original timepiece that played a huge importance in history. Back in 1958, when the experiment that sent a submarine to the North Pole was initiated, Jaeger-LeCoultre accompanied the team with its anti-magnetic Geophysic® watch. The successful timepiece was commemorated on its jubilee year in 2004 with a design that was very close to the original. Since then, there has been a huge demand from customers for the Geophysic® watch. This year, we bring back the collection with two lines, the Geophysic True Second® and the Geophysic Universal Time®, in steel and gold versions.

How do you see the future of the Atmos clock?
Personally, I think it is a great concept which appeals to more people now, especially because of its environmental benefits. The clock uses the cleanest energy – it does not require battery or winding – and works on air temperature. Environmental issues aside, it also carries great history being gifted to the likes of Winston Churchill and John F. Kennedy. Our Atmos limited edition with Marc Newson was a sound success, so I believe the great demand for it will continue.

How does Jaeger-leCoultre maintain the adrenalin in spite of the current market situation?
The deregulation of Swiss Francs is a global event that hit the companies in Europe. But, we are a global company which provides us a presence internationally where regions outside Europe do suffer less and instead continue to do great. We have been here for the past 180 years, and we survived much tougher situations. I believe that this is a tough year but we won’t stop providing great service nor continuing on with our goals. Things will bounce back, and I’m sure this is just a phase.