The Jaeger-Lecoultre manufacture, situated at the heart of the Vallée de Joux, offers a unique watchmaking journey where the past illuminates and reveals the present…
Nestled within the heart of the Vallée de Joux sits JaegerLeCoultre’s illustrious manufacture. Inspired by the exceptional scenery of the Jura mountains and guided by an unquenchable inner fire, this special manufacture is home to the maison’s rich legacy of more than 180 years as well as to the remarkable artisans who have combined their talents and expertise to create technically and artistically astonishing collections for centuries. And earlier this year, DA MAN Caliber embarked on a journey to this very site.
WHERE HISTORY GATHERS
Just like everyone else who had the unique opportunity to see the center of La Grande Maison, my adventure began at a crystal-clear reception room featuring a façade adorned with bits and pieces of the manufacture’s historic building, which was built in 1833 and then enlarged in 1866. Of particular note, the “MANUFACTURE D’HORLOGERIE” (Watchmaking Manufacture) is written in appliqué letters above the entrance.
After putting all our belongings and donning a white jacket like a watchmaker does, I was brought to the redesigned Heritage Gallery for a glimpse of iconic timepieces and various collections by Jaeger-LeCoultre. To put it mildly, entering the Heritage Gallery felt like stepping back into the past. For one, it starts with the maison’s outstandingly expansive historical archives, which constitutes the “memory” of Jaeger-LeCoultre.
“It is simply a fact that, as of the 19th century, the manufacture was supplying its movements to most of the major watchmaking maisons, and many of them were endowed with LeCoultre movements”
The written records of technical plans, patents, drawings, registers, documents and old books illustrates the maison’s creative force since its earliest days. What’s even more impressive is how everything has been meticulously categorized as they line the shelves of the big archive room. A particular highlight would be the Patek Philippe pocket watch with a LeCoultre movement displayed here to typify Jaeger-LeCoultre’s legacy as the “watchmaker to the watchmakers.” It is simply a fact that, as of the 19th century, the manufacture was supplying its movements to most of the major watchmaking maisons, and many of them were endowed with LeCoultre movements.
Another exhibit that stole the spotlight is definitely the workbench that was once used by the maison’s founder, Antoine LeCoultre. The weathered wood of the bench, paired with the original tools used on it—which I like to imagine could have been used a few hours before—generated a profound emotional reaction.
A SPECIAL TREAT
The tour continued into an elegant room bathed in light, with an airy curved staircase winding upwards in the middle. Here, the maison’s iconic pieces are put on display, with modern-day creations basking in the glory of past masterpieces in a continuum that is purposely highlighted by three-paneled display cases. From the Atmos, Reverso, Memovox and the Polaris, the maison’s great icons are displayed in a setting that helps visitors understand how the current collections are legitimately descended from the rich legacy of the LeCoultre Maison and Jaeger-LeCoultre.
Furthermore, in the center is a monumental glass wall around the curved staircase. This transparent wall exhibits more than 300 mechanical movements designed, created and assembled by the Jaeger-LeCoultre Manufacture. The smallest movement in the world, the calibre 101 which weighs barely one gram and was developed in 1929, is nestled among them. Another stellar item on display was the Millionometre. Invented in 1844 by Antoine LeCoultre, this instrument can measure microns, a unit of measurement that didn’t even exist at the time.
Upstairs, where the atmosphere is more intimate and confidential, presented an opportunity to admire the renowned Hybris Mechanica collection. After that came the Restoration Workshop. In this section, antique watches are put into the expert hands of about ten watchmakers who have direct access to the original blueprints. They can utilize this “living memory” to replicate parts for antique timepieces, pocket watches and other valuables entrusted to them by their owners for a comprehensive restoration, even if the required components are hard to repair or have been altered.
For the same watchmaking task, there is an extensive collection of around 6,000 stamps, also known as swages, made by the maison for their unique movements and carefully conserved at the manufacture.
THE ATELIER FOR THE FUTURE
Almost at the end of the visit, we were welcomed to a newly developed space within the original Manufacture building called “Atelier d’Antoine.” Named after the maison’s founder, this new initiative is open to everyone and allows watch collectors, enthusiasts and the public to immerse themselves in fine watchmaking as never before. It will stage various educational programs that combine academic instruction and practical activities, guided by experts within the manufacture.
Atelier d’Antoine will initially offer two different types of themed programs: Discovery Workshops and Manufacture Visits. A future offering called Masterclasses will eventually become available as well. Interestingly, there are plans to open physical outposts of the atelier in flagship boutiques in key international locations and to offer the program through digital channels.
During my visit, I was able to join a Discovery Workshop featuring the iconic Reverso. Hosted by an instructor and a technical expert—and also limited to a maximum of eight participants—the workshops present basic knowledge as well as hands-on experience in a dynamic format that encourages interaction. We were taught how to assemble a Reverso from scratch, minus the movement because that part is always handled by pro watchmakers. Still, the experience provided a lasting impression and was also a profound way to conclude the journey through the manufacture.
In the end, the echoes of craftsmanship faded within the halls of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s venerable manufacture and I bid farewell to the enchanting realm of the La Grande Maison. As short as it was, the visit gave me a unique experience and total immersion into the key stages of the maison’s history and its art of watchmaking. And further underlining Jaeger-LeCoultre’s legacy and how it persists until today is the way its historical masterpieces and exceptional contemporary pieces are set side by side without overshadowing each other in individual display cases. That was easily the best part of the journey.
A visit to Jaeger-LeCoultre’s manufacture was not just a glimpse into the brand’s past and its present; it was a vision of the timeless future of watchmaking, where passion and precision merge into a horological odyssey.
TEXT Riga Ramadhan
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