This year, la Grande Maison brings the brilliance of a star-studded night sky down to mingle with the more earthbound constellations found on the red carpet of the Mostra. A new edition of the Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Céleste, will be presented during the 76th edition of the oldest film festival in the world, scheduled for 28 August to 7 September 2019.

The best films can redefine the most quotidian experiences, elevating life to art. In line with this approach, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Céleste features a different perspective on time itself, with an orbital flying tourbillon that makes a complete turn of the dial over the course of 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds. This unusual time unit is the length of one sidereal day, calculated with reference to the more distant stars instead of the Sun.

The dial itself depicts the night sky of the Northern hemisphere, showcasing the constellations of the zodiac calendar framed by an outer ring displaying their associated symbols. A tiny gold marker, seen just beyond the orbit of the flying tourbillon, revolves around the dial annually, an indication of where we are within this alternative and ancient star calendar.

Differentiating this model of the Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Céleste from previous versions is its contemporary and arresting new design. At first glance, the dial has been simplified in terms of textures and indications, but it has in fact gained an additional dimension which is visible only in low light. The hour markers and constellations have been filled with Super-LumiNova™, evoking the glow of heavenly bodies on a clear night.

An elegant and contemporary case, part of the new generation of case design set by this January’s Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon Westminster Perpétuel, encloses the 334-component calibre 946 of the Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Céleste. A complex blend of surface textures, from satin finish to micro-blasting and mirror polish, comes together in a 43mm white-gold case that perfectly complements the deep blue dial and the roseate hue of the constantly beating gold balance wheel.

In both its mechanical and aesthetic aspects, the Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Céleste takes us beyond the everyday. It is the rare timepiece that captures the rhythms of daily life in parallel with the movements of the universe.

An Affinity for the Extraordinary

Jaeger-LeCoultre has developed unparalleled expertise in a wide range of horological métiers since it was founded in Le Sentier in 1833. Today, the Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre practices no fewer than 180 watchmaking and watch-related skills in its Vallée de Joux facility, many of them honed over decades and enhanced by in-house innovation.

The orbital flying tourbillon featured in the Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Céleste was first seen in the 2010 Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication, a chiming masterwork that exemplifies the savoir-faire of Jaeger-LeCoultre and its role in expanding the field of high complication.

The flying tourbillon is uniquely combined with yet another area of mechanical watchmaking dominance for Jaeger-LeCoultre — the sidereal indication of time, which appears in both masculine and feminine collections of La Grande Maison.

Technical characteristics:

Dimensions: 43 mm

Calibre: manual mechanical movement, Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 946

Functions: Hours/Minutes, Zodiac calendar, 24-hour civil time, Month, Orbital Tourbillon, Skychart

Power reserve: 45 hours

Case: white gold

Dial: deep blue with Super-LumiNova™ treatment displaying the celestial bodies at night

Water resistance: 50 m

Case back: Open

Reference: Q5273480

Limited to 28 pieces

Our days, nights and seasons are determined by the movements of the stars and phases of the moon, and watchmakers rejoice in the challenge of capturing the vastness of the cosmos within the tiny dimensions of a wristwatch.

Revisiting its much-loved celestial theme on the occasion of 76^th Venice International Film Festival – La Biennale di Venezia, Jaeger-LeCoultre is delighted to present a magnificent new interpretation of its alluring Rendez-Vous Celestial watch for women.

RENDEZ-VOUS CELESTIAL

The Northern Lights: Aurora Borealis. Named after the Ancient Roman goddess of the dawn, and visible only on the darkest nights near the Arctic Circle, this awe-inspiring phenomenon has fascinated mankind since the beginning of time. Of all the mysteries of the cosmos, none seems more enigmatic than this.

A pair of beautiful Rendez-Vous Celestial jewellery watches pays homage to this otherworldly spectacle, capturing the vivid greens, purples, pinks and blues that stream and dance across the sky.

When Jaeger-LeCoultre introduced the Rendez-Vous in 2012, it was a rare example of a high-complication watch created specifically for women; since then, this mechanically sophisticated and visually entrancing timepiece has been reinterpreted several times, in different materials. In this new ‘Northern Lights’ edition, mother-of-pearl and multi-coloured sapphires take centre stage, uniting two of the Metiers Rares® that Jaeger-LeCoultre has so thoroughly mastered – gem-setting, and hand-painting.

Asymmetrical in composition, the dial is formed of two sections, set at different heights. On the upper section, the curvy Floral numerals – a signature of the Rendez-Vous collection – are graduated in size, to form a crescent that hovers above the lower dial. Outlined by an elliptical band of pink gold that draws the eye deeper into it, this lower section carries a hand-transferred imprint of a star chart, together with the signs of the Zodiac and names of the months. Displaying the night sky as it appears above Jaeger-LeCoultre’s home in the Vallée de Joux, the star chart shows the changing positions of the constellations in real time. The automatic mechanical movement Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 809/1 turns the disc counterclockwise in relation to the stars, almost imperceptibly, in step with the rotation of the Earth in 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds.

For the ‘Northern Lights’ edition, both sections of the mother-of-pearl dial are hand-painted with swirls of colour that reproduce the ethereal patterns of the Aurora Borealis – flowing seamlessly from the upper to lower dials. Shades of green and turquoise set the tone for one model; purples and blues dominate on the other – the colours intensified by the glowing mother-of-pearl beneath them. As the sky disc turns, the pattern of the background colours gently shifts, in a subtle echo of the dancing movement of the aurora.

A hand-polished golden star – emblem of the Rendez-Vous collection – is set on the edge of the dial; by turning the second crown, it can be moved into position to mark the time of a special rendezvous.

The rich tones of the dial are echoed on the bezel, which is set with a dazzling, colour-graduated circle of 64 baguette-cut sapphires. To complete the gem-set case, the lugs and two crowns are highlighted with diamonds. A matching alligator strap in turquoise or violet completes these rare timepieces.

This joyful expression of the cosmic world is brought to life by Calibre 809/1, a self-winding movement developed and produced within the Jaeger-LeCoultre Manufacture. Created specially for the Rendez-Vous Celestial, this technically sophisticated movement incorporates a calendar mechanism to rotate the celestial disc in cadence with the changing night sky.

While the complex movement is testament to the precision and technical skills of La Grande Maison’s finest watchmakers, the finishing and decoration of the movement, displayed beneath the transparent sapphire case-back, reveals their artistry. Fine decoration and finishing includes such details as blued screws, circular graining, Côtes de Genève and the pink gold signature winding rotor with Côtes de Genève decoration

Offered in a limited edition of 18 pieces of each model, the new Jaeger-LeCoultre Rendez-Vous Celestial brings together La Grande Maison’s artistic skills and technical acumen in a fitting tribute to the beauty of the night sky.

Technical characteristics:

Dimensions: 37.5 mm

Calibre: automatic mechanical movement, Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 809/1

Functions: hours/minutes, skychart, rendez-vous indicator

Power reserve: 40 hours

Case: pink gold

Dial: hand painted mother-of-pearl

Gemstones: 19 diamonds – 0.26 cts; 118 sapphires – 3.09 cts

Water resistance: 5 bar

Case back: Open

References:

Q3482590, turquoise, limited to 18 pieces

Q3482591, violet, limited to 18 pieces

• Rendez-Vous Tourbillon

An iconic complication lavishly adorned with gold and diamonds

Once again, the new Rendez-Vous Tourbillon casts a spell on dynamic women who love to surround themselves with refined pieces that glitter with understated confidence. At 6 o’clock, the tourbillon reveals its spectacularly complex system of predominantly hand-decorated gears. Seemingly suspended in mid-air, its balance wheel oscillates within the carriage to perform one revolution every 60 seconds, setting the beat of its high-precision automatic movement, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 978.

Showcasing centuries of watchmaking expertise

The tourbillon needs no introduction. Yet on each and every new interpretation designed by the engineers and artisans of the Grande Maison, this watch complication offers a captivating, almost hypnotic spectacle. The halo of brilliant-cut diamonds glittering on the bezel add to this sensation, mirrored on a smaller scale in the centre of the dial and around the tourbillon. Its adornment expresses the noble heritage of Rare Handcrafts “Métiers Rares®” executed by generations of artisans under the roof of the manufactory. They include the 215 hand-set diamonds, which require many hours of attention within the Rare Handcrafts “Métiers Rares®” workshop.

With the pink gold models embellished with the shimmering iridescence of mother-of-pearl, a delicate, almost vibrant femininity radiates from the central dial of the new Rendez-Vous Tourbillon. Its precious materials transform the watch into a piece of jewellery – one which glistens on the wrist and marks out the enchanted passing of time.

• Rendez-Vous Celestial

A star lights up a sophisticated setting

Fitted with the Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 809/1, these two new interpretations of the Rendez-Vous Celestial showcase an iconic function that truly expresses the collection’s name. As it marks out its constant course, the mysterious star serves as a reminder of the time of a future rendezvous.

A sophisticated watch meets high jewellery

A sky map, the ultimate feminine function, is encircled by a dazzling bezel set with either a graduated display of pink sapphires shifting into shades of amethyst or with brilliant-cut diamonds. Enhanced by a constantly moving star, the dial displays the changing constellations and signs of the zodiac, which are enamelled in shades of either pink-gold or silver to draw the eyes deep into the starry sky.

In addition to the precious gem-setting, the enamelled floral numerals and twelve constellations perpetuate the traditions of Rare Handcrafts “Métiers Rares®”. To continue the glittering spectacle of the sapphires or diamonds in the dark, these two jewellery watches come alive at nightfall.

By embodying the values of high jewellery, these three new models complement a collection first created in the Manufacture’s workshops in 2012. It is a feminine collection in all senses of the word, intended to enhance women of the present and future as they live in complete harmony with their time. Dressed in this dazzling decoration, Rendez-Vous continues to invite the beholder to slowly discover constantly reinvented treasures in a range of forms. The high-precision automatic movement, precious gem-setting, refined finishes and confident aura of its floral numerals combine to make this an absolutely unmissable Rendez-Vous.

Rendez-Vous Tourbillon :

Size: 39 mm

Thickness: 12.4 mm

Calibre: 978 – Automatic

Functions: Tourbillon

Dial: Navy blue dial (WG) or mother-of-pearl and silvered sunrayed dial (PG), brilliant-cut diamonds 

Diamonds: Set bezel, dial, case sides, lugs (WG only) and crown (WG) only. WG : 241 diamonds - 2.8 carats / PG : 215 diamonds - 2.52 carats

Power Reserve : 45 hours

Reference : Q3412410

Rendez-Vous Celestial Grey : 

Size: 37.5 mm

Thickness: 10.54 mm

Calibre: 809/1 – Automatic

Functions: Hour/Minute, Rendez-Vous Indicator, Skychart

Dial: Mother-of-pearl skychart disc and silvered sunrayed dial

Diamonds: Set bezel and case sides, 113 diamonds – 1.86 carats

Power Reserve : 40 hours

Reference : Q3482520

Rendez-Vous Celestial Red : 

Size: 37.5 mm

Thickness: 12.4 mm

Calibre: 809/1 – Automatic

Functions: Hour/Minute, Rendez-Vous Indicator, Skychart

Dial: Light pink-purple (framboise) grossular stone, enamel with pink gold applied index

Power Reserve : 45 hours

Reference : Q3482561