INTRODUCING THE COLLECTIBLES VII

KEY FACTS:

• A first for The Collectibles: the programme’s first-ever exhibition unveiled in Hong Kong bringing together exceptional vintage timepieces alongside contemporary collections, brought to life through live demonstrations

• Museum-grade pieces: a capsule comprising 10 sought-after collection timepieces, offered for acquisition during the exhibition from October 13 to October 19, and online

• A one-of-a-kind product launch: Calibre 101 Chain makes its global debut, presented alongside key vintage models that inspired its design and are now offered for purchase

Jaeger-LeCoultre is delighted to present the seventh capsule collection of The Collectibles, a meticulously vetted selection of 10 museum-grade timepieces to be unveiled in Hong Kong on October 13 and available to collectors worldwide. The seventh capsule marks the debut of The Collectibles in exhibition format, presented for the first time in Hong Kong, an important hub for watch enthusiasts and collectors.

Immersing guests in the rich heritage of Jaeger-LeCoultre, the exhibition brings together iconic models from The Collectibles programme, explored through four defining themes: Duoplan, Reverso, Memovox and Precision. As visitors explore the presentation, their experience will be enriched by:

• An in-depth journey into every facet of The Collectibles programme, bringing together 16 pieces: eight exceptional examples of emblematic mid-20^th-century vintage models and eight contemporary evolutions of their respective designs

• The 10 models from this seventh capsule offered for acquisition

• The launch of Calibre 101 Chain, unveiled during the exhibition and presented alongside an emphasis on the Duoplan and Reverso, highlighting the inspiration behind this dazzling new jewellery watch

• Live demonstrations of restoration by a watchmaker from the Manufacture-Atelier and experiences of hand blueing and pivot polishing, crafts mastered by the watchmakers restoring vintage timepieces

THE COLLECTIBLES PROGRAMME

The Collectibles is Jaeger-LeCoultre’s in-house programme focused on sourcing, restoring and offering rare, museum-grade timepieces from the golden age of watchmaking. Celebrating nearly 200 years of creativity, it highlights the Maison’s heritage through a curated selection of 17 emblematic models – from the Duoplan and Reverso to the Geophysic, Futurematic and Memovox Polaris, spanning the mid-1920s to the early 1970s. Presented through exclusive capsule releases worldwide, these timepieces invite collectors to become the next custodians of their stories. This commitment to heritage is made possible by Jaeger-LeCoultre’s exclusive restoration workshop, one of the very few maintained by a Manufacture. Here, ten master watchmakers meticulously restore each piece, servicing movements, hand-rebuilding components and sourcing historical parts from exceptional heritage stocks, while preserving original character and patina. Once restored and certified, each timepiece is ready to continue the story it began in the Vallée de Joux.

HONOURING THE PAST, INSPIRING THE FUTURE

Immersing visitors in the defining era of mid-20^th-century watchmaking, the first The Collectibles exhibition celebrates the Golden Age of mechanical watchmaking and the enduring appeal of its timepieces. The story unfolds in four chapters, exploring a different facet of this seminal period through emblematic timepieces from the Maison’s private Heritage Collection, all paired with contemporary models.

Duoplan: Introduced in 1925, the Duoplan reconciled extreme miniaturisation with chronometric precision, culminating in 1929 with Calibre 101, still the world’s smallest manually wound mechanical movement and the oldest calibre continuously produced by the Manufacture-Atelier.

Reverso: Created in 1931 for polo-playing British officers in India, Reverso’s patented swivelling case was designed to protect the dial during matches. Coloured dials, Staybrite stainless steel cases and a caseback made for personalisation established it as an icon of Art Deco design.

Memovox: Introduced in 1950, the Memovox integrated a mechanical alarm into a wristwatch calibre, establishing it as a signature complication of Jaeger-LeCoultre. Evolving from hand-wound models to the self-winding versions of 1957 and later calendar-equipped calibres, its distinctive dial and rotating alarm indicator make it instantly recognisable.

Precision: From the Triple Calendar of 1942 to the Geophysic, Geomatic and high-frequency Memovox Speed Beat GT, Jaeger-LeCoultre advanced the quest for precision with greater functionality, reliability, accuracy and chronometric excellence.

TEN MUSEUM-GRADE TIMEPIECES

The timepieces curated for Capsule VII demonstrate the depth and breadth of the Manufacture-Atelier’s technical and aesthetic innovation, from the 1920s to the dawn of the 21^st century. They also reflect the diversity of the 17 emblematic models in The Collectibles programme, each a high-water mark for Jaeger-LeCoultre and 20^th-century watchmaking.

Unveiled alongside the exhibition, the new Calibre 101 Chain combines jewellery elegance and miniature watchmaking. The world’s smallest rectangular manual-winding mechanical calibre forms the centrepiece of a sculptural bangle of 18K pink gold (750/1000) set with diagonal bands of brilliant-cut white diamonds alternating with bands of deep, glossy black Hyceram® to create a boldly contemporary ode to femininity. The exhibition includes the 1955 timepiece that was its direct inspiration.

The 1955 Duoplan Chain exemplifies a period when a timepiece could tr anscend its function to become an expression of style and refinement. Crafted from 73.92 grams of 18K pink gold (750/1000), its sinuous, polished links form an elegant bracelet, housing Calibre 403, the original Duoplan movement created for women’s watches. It bears heat-blued hands, created using a traditional watchmaking practice in which the colour of the hands is changed through a heating process.

Equipped with the same movement, the boldly graphic 1949 Duoplan Tubogas secret watch reflects Jaeger-LeCoultre’s creative diversity and the distinctive Tubogas style of 1940s jewellery design. Its ribbed 18K pink gold (750/1000) bracelet and dial cover contrast with the 18K yellow gold (750/1000) case, echoing the vertical lines of the cover, which conceals the dial until the wearer chooses to reveal it.

The single-lug Duoplan dating to circa 1935 is distinguished by its unusual strap attachment, with a single lug on each side of the case instead of the conventional two and a polished, rounded attachment bar. Blued hands provide a refined contrast against the harmonious combination of the copper-toned dial, the 18K pink gold (750/1000) case and custom-made light brown calfskin strap, finished with beige hand-stitching.

The circa 1950 Art Deco-style Calibre 101 watch sets the world’s smallest mechanical movement into a case just 6.15 mm wide and 5.84 mm thick. Its Platinum 950 case is set with 10 baguette-cut diamonds, accented by blue panels, while the two rings of the cordonnet bracelet hold 12 more, for a total of 22 baguette-cut diamonds.

With numerals replacing baton markers and subtle corner brackets replacing the original minutes track, the 1931 Reverso Cordonnet demonstrates the Reverso’s early adaptability to different wearers. This pioneering ladies’ model features a steel case fitted with Calibre T051, sourced from the highly reputable Tavannes for the first year of the Reverso’s life, allowing LeCoultre & Cie time to develop its own, shaped movements to fit the contours of the rectangular case. Reflecting the renewed enthusiasm for mechanical watchmaking in the 1990s, Jaeger-LeCoultre introduced a new generation of complicated Reverso calibres, housed in cases with sapphire crystal backs that revealed their mechanical complexity. As the 21^st century began, the Maison introduced two 950 Platinum models, each limited to 500 pieces.

The 2001 Reverso Platinum Number 1 features the Calibre 849R-SQ, specially adapted for the Reverso 42.2 mm case. Elevating the remarkably fine and lace-like effect of the skeletonisation, the bridges have been hand-engraved, as have both sides of the barrel, allowing a unique view of the mainspring. The blue of the sapphire set into the crown is echoed by the blued hands and the blue Cordovan strap, hand-crafted by Casa Fagliano, contrasting with the Platinum 950 case.

The 2003 Reverso Platinum Number 2 is an exercise in restrained, understated aesthetics. Its tone-on-tone grey dial features hand-painted numerals, while the power reserve is indicated by a hand mounted coaxially with the hours and minutes hands. The tourbillon reveals itself discreetly through the small seconds on the dial side, leaving the ‘fireworks’ for the reverse, where a mirror-polished bridge secures the spinning cage. Among the fine component finishes, the hand-bevelled tourbillon bridge is hollowed and black polished, recalling Jaeger-LeCoultre’s first tourbillon of 1946. Blued hands and a hand-crafted blue Cordovan strap by Casa Fagliano contrast with its Platinum 950 case and 18K white gold (950/1000) buckle.

Developed in 1942, the Triple Calendar (or Complete Calendar) calibre was one of the first complication watches produced in series. Used by Jaeger-LeCoultre in its own watches and supplied to other leading Maisons, it became one of the most emblematic complications of the mid-20^th century.

This 1949 example, in an 18K pink gold (750/1000) case with teardrop lugs, was customised for a Portuguese-speaking clientele, with the day and month discs marked in that language. A burgundy calfskin strap has been chosen to complement the warm tone of the gold.

The 1958 Futurematic E502 is the rarest reference among all Futurematic models. Nicknamed ‘Porthole’, it displays the power reserve and small seconds through two small windows. Launched in 1951 as the world’s “first entirely automatic wristwatch”, the Futurematic had a profound impact on the development of self-winding calibres. Designed to stop before it is fully unwound, the movement stores enough energy to ensure that, even after a prolonged period of immobility, it will restart with the slightest movement. A stop-seconds device ensures greater accuracy when resetting the time. The 37 mm steel case is fitted with a dark blue calfskin strap.

In 1958, the Memovox Parking was one of three new watches that Jaeger-LeCoultre launched to celebrate its 125^th anniversary. Designed to avoid parking tickets, the manually wound Calibre 814 enables the wearer to set the alarm 30, 60, 90 or 120 minutes in advance. With its robust steel case and highly practical complication, the watch embodies the function-driven watchmaking of the 1950s. The 35 mm case is fitted with a dark blue calfskin strap.

The 10 Collectibles timepieces will be available for purchase worldwide via jaeger-lecoultre.com from October 13, as well as at the Hong Kong flagship boutique during the presentation period. Each timepiece is offered with an extract from the Jaeger-LeCoultre archives and a complimentary copy of The Collectibles book.

AN IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE

Guests will be invited to immerse themselves in the world of The Collectibles programme through live demonstrations and panel discussions.

A watchmaker from the Manufacture-Atelier will reveal the craft of restoration.

To mark the occasion, Jaeger-LeCoultre will host two panel discussions bringing together international experts, local specialists and Matthieu Sauret, Product & Heritage Director at Jaeger-LeCoultre.

The conversations will explore watchmaking, collectability and restoration, highlighting the expertise and craftsmanship behind exceptional timepieces and other rare products.

OPENING HOURS AND ADMISSION

The Collectibles exhibition will take place from October 13 until October 19 at 1/F, The Chater House, Central, Hong Kong. It is open to the public from 11.00AM to 07:00PM, from Tuesday to Saturday, and from 11.00AM to 06.00PM on Public Holidays, with complimentary admission. Visitors can register at https://online-booking.jaeger-lecoultre.com/atelier/195 for the guided tour.

The Collectibles timepieces will be available for purchase worldwide via jaeger-lecoultre.com from October 13, as well as at the Prince Building Boutique during the exhibition period. The Collectibles book will also be available for purchase via jaeger-lecoultre.com