Contrasting with the fully polished pink gold case, the blue dial of the new timepiece provides a dramatic backdrop for the tourbillon and the date display, and reflected light dances across the sunray pattern of the guillochage with every movement of the wrist. The hand-guilloché pattern is a work of immense precision and skill: each of the 180 ‘sun rays’ required six passages of the hand-operated rose engine lathe, making 1,080 lines altogether. Guided only by the eye and hand, the master guillocheur must ensure that every line is absolutely straight, evenly spaced and perfectly aligned, radiating out from the centre to the edges of the dial. In addition, the date sub-dial is hand-guilloché in a circular pattern (known in French as azurage) to create a subtle texture that contrasts with the sunray. This is another work of remarkable precision, representing more than 1,100 gestures in total by the guillocheur.

Once the guilloché work on the main dial is completed, the master enameller applies Grand Feu enamel in multiple layers – one layer at a time, followed by firing at 800ºC and carefully managed cooling – to create the desired intensity and depth of colour. This is a newly developed shade of blue, created by mixing pigments in various proportions and testing the results – a lengthy process of iteration made necessary because the nature of Grand Feu enamel means that the outcome of firing is highly unpredictable.

In the lower half of the dial, a laser-engraved seconds counter provides a visual anchor for the tourbillon aperture; a mirror-polished pink gold bridge secures the tourbillon cage and draws the eye deeper into the mechanism, its transparency and lightness amplified by the contrast with the colour of the surrounding dial.

The strap is alligator in a shade of blue created to perfectly match the dial and, in a further touch of refinement, it is lined with small-scale alligator and fitted with a pink gold folding clasp.

Harnessing La Grande Maison’s Tourbillon Expertise

For Jaeger-LeCoultre, the tourbillon has been a key element in its pursuit of precision. Invented to counteract the impact of gravity on the oscillations of the escapement, it is a delicate mechanism consisting of the balance wheel and hairspring rotating inside a cage. Since creating its first tourbillon movement in 1946, the Manufacture has invented many new tourbillon configurations and different hairspring shapes – the latter possible only because it is one of the very few Maisons to possess the highly specialised skill of crafting hairsprings in-house.

The movement powering the Master Ultra Thin Tourbillon Enamel is the latest generation of Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 978, which won an international chronometry prize in 2009, the year of its launch. The calibre has been Jaeger-LeCoultre’s mainstay tourbillon movement ever since, and received a comprehensive update in 2019 to harness new technology. Comprising 77 components, including a titanium cage, it weighs less than half a gram and is equipped with a flat, two-level hairspring designed with a specific curve at the attachment points to help ensure that the oscillations are as regular as possible, thus delivering a high level of timekeeping accuracy.

With its dramatically beautiful dial and sophisticated calibre, the new Master Ultra Thin Tourbillon Enamel is an eloquent expression of La Grande Maison’s philosophy of uniting technical virtuosity with enduring beauty and timeless aesthetics.

TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS

MASTER ULTRA THIN TOURBILLON ENAMEL

Case: Pink Gold 750/1000 (18 carats)

Dimensions: 40 mm diameter x 12.13 mm thick

Calibre: Jaeger-LeCoutre automatic Calibre 978

Functions: hours, minutes, date, tourbillon

Power Reserve: 45 hours

Dial: sunray guilloché with blue Grand Feu enamel, applied indexes and Dauphine hands

Water resistance: 5 bar

Strap: Blue alligator, with small-scale lining

Reference: Q13224E1

In 2023 Jaeger-LeCoultre adds a new chapter to this story of craftsmanship and artistry: the Reverso Tribute Enamel ‘Dragon’. Created to coincide with Chinese New Year, the new timepiece pays tribute to the Year of the Dragon, and to the talents of the master enamellers and engravers in the Métiers Rares™ atelier of the Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre.

Swivelling the watch case to its reverse side reveals a majestic dragon surrounded by golden clouds. Engraved into the pink gold case metal, the dragon seems to leap out from the background of glossy black Grand Feu enamel. The polished surfaces of the dragon’s body, the fine details of its scales – highlighted with black rhodium – and the contrasting sandblasted texture of the clouds catch and refract the light to enhance the illusion of movement and power.

To maximise the sense of volume and depth, the master engraver used a technique called modelled engraving, an exacting skill that requires absolute focus and remarkable dexterity. Adding to the challenge, the engraver’s work began not, as is usual, with a bare metal surface but with one that already had its coat of Grand Feu enamel, thus requiring an unprecedented accuracy of gesture to avoid all risk of damage to the pristine enamel. Using 10 differently sized chisels to sculpt the metal step by step, the master engraver devoted 80 hours to the creation of this masterpiece.

The dial of the Reverso Tribute Enamel features the same opaque black Grand Feu enamel as the case-back. The elegant simplicity of the Reverso Tribute dial, with its faceted appliqué hour-markers, chemin de fer minutes track and Dauphine hands, places full value on the beauty of the glowing black background.

The apparent simplicity of the pure black enamel is deceptive because in Grand Feu enamelling, the outcome of the firing process is never entirely predictable. To create a black of such depth and richness requires five or six layers of enamel, with each new layer followed by firing and cooling – representing no less than 24 working hours (16 hours for the case-back and eight hours for the dial) over the course of many days. This was followed by half a day of polishing to achieve a perfect, uniform shine.

That the two surfaces are perfectly matched in colour and purity is testament to a degree of skill that can be acquired only through many years of experience. Jaeger-LeCoultre remains one of very few watch Manufactures to have its own in-house enamelling atelier, safeguarding and advancing this ancient craft.

Created to celebrate the Chinese Zodiac Year and made only to order, the Reverso Tribute Enamel ‘Dragon’ is testament to La Grande Maison’s vision of culture and creativity, where the artistic crafts live in perfect harmony with the technical expertise of the Manufacture’s watchmakers.

TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS

REVERSO TRIBUTE ENAMEL ‘DRAGON’

Case: Pink gold

Dimensions: 45.5 mm x 27.4 mm x 9.73 mm

Calibre: Jaeger-LeCoultre manually wound Calibre 822

Functions: Hours, minutes

Power reserve: 42 hours

Dial: Black Grand Feu enamel, applied indexes

Case back: Black Grand Feu enamel, dragon engraving

Water resistance: 3 bar

Strap: Black alligator

Reference: Q39324D1 - Made to order

• Showcasing the expertise of the Manufacture’s Métiers Rares™ atelier in the crafts of miniature painting, guillochage and Grand Feu enamelling

Since the early days of the Maison, Jaeger-LeCoultre has adopted Asian motifs and adapted Eastern decorative crafts to embellish special timepieces, embracing and perpetuating the cultural exchange that has existed between Asia and Europe for some 2,000 years. In 2023, La Grande Maison pays homage to this tradition with two new Reverso Tribute timepieces decorated with miniature-painted enamel reproductions of works by Katsushika Hokusai, Japan’s most celebrated 19^th-century artist: The Waterfall at Ono on the Kisokaido Road (Kisokaidō Ono no bakufu) and The Waterfall Where Yoshitsune Washed his Horse at Yoshino in Yamato Province (Washū Yoshino Yoshitsune uma arai no taki).

Hokusai’s fame rests on the innovative approach he brought to ukiyo-e painting, transforming a genre that had been narrowly focused on the hedonistic lifestyle of 19^th-century Edo Japan’s merchant class into a broader genre that that included landscapes, plants and animals.

The two works reproduced for the new Reverso Tribute enamel models are from a series of eight ukiyo-e paintings titled A Tour of the Waterfalls of the Provinces (Shokoku taki meguri) made by Hokusai after he spent two years travelling around Japan’s main island, Honshu, from 1831 to 1833, discovering some of its most inspiring landscapes. The master artisans of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Métiers Rares™ atelier have previously paid homage to these works with a Reverso Tribute model in 2021 depicting the waterfall at Kirifuri, followed by the waterfall at Amida in 2022. The two new pieces created for 2023 continue this homage to the Japanese master, choosing subjects that also reflect the deep attachment to nature that is intrinsic to La Grande Maison’s spirit.

A Great Japanese Master with a Fascination for the Natural World

Innovative in his composition and use of colour, Hokusai (c.1760–1849) was a highly prolific illustrator, printmaker and ukiyo-e artist and, during his lifetime, woodblock printing flourished as a means of reproducing ukiyo-e paintings. As a consequence of Hokusai’s fame, ukiyo-e and woodblock prints became central to forming the West's perception of Japanese art. His monumental series Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji, includes The Great Wave off Kanagawa – one of the world’s best-known works of art – which Jaeger-LeCoultre honoured with a limited-edition Reverso in 2018. A Tour of the Waterfalls of the Provinces marked the first time that the theme of falling water was approached in ukiyo-e painting. Highly expressive, each work is dominated by the waterfall, which dwarfs its human onlookers.

Capturing the Beauty and Power of Waterfalls

The Waterfall at Ono portrays a famous site in Nagano Prefecture, on the ancient road that linked the historic capital of Kyoto with the seat of the Tokugawa shoguns in Edo (today’s Tokyo). A small Shinto shrine stands on a rocky promontory next to the falls and, on a bridge below it, a group of travellers stand in awe of the power of the falling water. The composition of the painting amplifies this sense of power, with the water plunging in a straight vertical line between two towering cliffs. The Japanese traditionally believed that remarkable physical phenomena indicate the presence of a kami or Shinto god, and Hokusai rendered his scenes with a powerful sense of life, reflecting his animistic beliefs.

The Waterfall at Yoshino depicts a famous Japanese tale – an episode from the life of General Minamoto no Yoshitsune (1159–1189). Fleeing from his older brother who considered him a traitor for joining forces with the Emperor, Go-Shirakawa, the General paused to rest and bathe his favourite horse amid the mountains of Yoshino (in today’s Nara prefecture). In this powerfully graphic composition, the waterfall’s strong curves express the full force of the water passing through a deep, tree-lined valley. Evoking an image of a giant hand embracing the earth with fingers spread open, it is a poignant exploration of the relationship between nature, man and animals.

Artistry and Precision in Miniature

The miniature paintings on the Reverso case-backs were executed using the Geneva technique, involving at least 14 layers of enamel, each fired at 800°C before the next can be applied, and requiring a total of 80 hours’ meticulous work. As well as the technical feat of reproducing Hokusai’s original colours (including the graduated bokashi effect) in an entirely different medium, the enameller faced the challenge of precisely reproducing every detail with pinpoint accuracy, on a scale approximately one-tenth of the original. Most remarkable, perhaps, are the cartouches near the top of each frame, in which the original captions have been hand-written on a microscopic scale while remaining perfectly accurate and legible. Beyond mastering this technical feat, the enameller seeks to express the original artist’s intention and touch, imbuing each work with emotional resonance and a sense of soul.

The simplicity and discreet styling of the watches’ front dials – with the faceted appliqué hour-markers, Dauphine hands and chemin-de-fer minutes track characteristic of all Reverso Tribute timepieces – provides a contrast to the intricacy of the miniature paintings. However, this apparent simplicity belies the highly complex craftsmanship behind their creation. The background of both dials has been guilloché by hand: the pattern on the Waterfall at Ono piece is a classical barleycorn design, requiring three to four hours of painstakingly accurate work. For the Waterfall at Yoshino the craftsman applied a lozenge pattern comprising no fewer than 800 lines, each of which required five passages of the lathe (4,000 passages in total), representing eight hours of work only for the guillochage. Once the guillochage is completed, four to five layers of translucent green enamel are applied, with each layer requiring separate firing and drying – representing a total of eight additional hours of work, over the course of a week.

Embodying La Grande Maison’s vision of the world of art and culture, and showcasing the talents housed in the Métiers Rares™ (Rare Handcrafts) atelier within the Manufacture in the Vallée de Joux, the two new Reverso Tribute Enamel timepieces are a noble addition to the continuing story of the Reverso and its boundless scope as a canvas for creative expression.

REVERSO TRIBUTE ENAMEL HOKUSAI – The Waterfall at Ono

Case: White Gold

Dimensions: 45.6 x 27.4 mm x 9.73 mm thick

Calibre: Manually wound Calibre 822

Functions: Hours, Minutes

Power Reserve: 42 Hours

Front dial: Barleycorn guilloché, Grand Feu enamel

Caseback: Closed – miniature-painted Grand Feu enamel

Strap: Black alligator

Reference: Q39334T5

Limited edition: 10 pieces

REVERSO TRIBUTE ENAMEL HOKUSAI – The Waterfall at Yoshino

Case: White Gold

Dimensions: 45.6 x 27.4 mm x 9.73 mm thick

Calibre: Manually wound Calibre 822

Functions: Hours, Minutes

Power Reserve: 42 Hours

Front dial: Lozenge guilloché, Grand Feu enamel

Caseback: Closed – miniature-painted Grand Feu enamel

Strap: Black alligator

Reference: Q39334T4

Limited edition: 10 pieces

· Showcasing the expertise of the Manufacture’s Métiers Rares® atelier in the crafts of guillochage, miniature painting and Grand Feu enamelling

 · A limited edition of 10 pieces, initially offered only in Japan

In its latest homage to Asian art, Jaeger-LeCoultre introduces the Reverso Tribute Enamel Hokusai ‘Amida Falls’, honouring the work of the 19th-century Japanese master, Katsushika Hokusai. The case-back of the new timepiece is decorated with a hand- enamelled miniature reproduction of The Amida Falls in the Far Reaches of the Kisokaidō Road (Kisoji no oku Amida-ga-taki), the best-known work from A Tour of Waterfalls in Various Provinces (Shokoku taki meguri), a series of eight woodblock prints created by the artist in 1833–34.

For almost two millennia, a two-way cultural exchange between Asia and Europe has had a profound influence on every art form of both East and West – and the new Reverso continues the dialogue between Eastern and Western artistic traditions that La Grande Maison has embraced throughout its history. Complementing the exquisite tribute to the Asian art form of woodblock printing on the case-back, the dial is anchored in the Western craft traditions of guillochage and Grand Feu enamel.

Celebrating a great Japanese master

In the 19th century, Hokusai was among a handful of Japanese artists who elevated the ancient practice of woodblock printing from popular, “low” art to high art form, thanks to his innovations in subject matter, colour and composition. His ‘Waterfalls’ series – produced when he was in his seventies – is considered by many art historians to be among the finest landscapes ever produced. The best known of the series, ‘Amida Falls’ epitomises the artist’s fascination with the power of cascading water and monumental land forms, which dwarf the human figures enjoying a picnic nearby.

A work of precision and artistry

To capture the power of Hokusai’s original image and faithfully reproduce every detail on a surface of just three square centimetres – little more than one-tenth the size of the original – Jaeger-LeCoultre’s master artisans had not only to miniaturise and perfectly mimic every detail of the composition but also to create the illusion of the woodblock printing technique – a specific effect entirely different from enamelling. To achieve this, the enamellers had to develop a special technique that reproduces the characteristic bokashi effect of the subtly nuanced and graduated colours of works originally printed on paper, while also capturing the vivid blues and yellows that are a signature of Hokusai’s work. It is a carefully orchestrated process of many stages, which represents a full 70 hours of work over the course of many weeks, including a total of 12–15 separate firings at 800 degrees Celsius.

The simplicity of the Reverso Tribute dial – with its faceted appliqué hour-markers and Dauphine hands – places full value on the beauty of its decoration. Complementing the miniature painting on the case back, this dial is decorated with a guilloché lozenge pattern – the texture of which is amplified by translucent Grand Feu enamel in a rich shade of green.

Executed by hand, using a century-old lathe, the lozenge pattern requires great dexterity and skill: holding the dial plate at a carefully calculated angle, each of the 60 lines that make up the pattern requires three passages of the lathe – making 600 passages altogether; for every passage, the plate must be held at precisely the same angle to ensure that the lines are crisply etched and the pattern is perfectly symmetrical. This process alone requires around four hours of extremely focused work, and is followed by the application of at least six layers of translucent enamel, each of which requires separate firing, spanning more than a week. Once the enamelling has been completed, the final challenge is the faultless application of the indexes (which requires tiny holes to be drilled through the pristine surface of the enamel) and the transfer of the chemin de fer minutes register.

Testament to the exceptional artistry and skill of the artisans working in the Manufacture’s Métiers Rares® (Rare Handcrafts) atelier, the new Reverso Tribute Enamel Hokusai ‘Amida Falls’ epitomises La Grande Maison’s vision of the world of art and culture. It completes a trilogy of Reverso Tribute Enamel timepieces that pay homage to Hokusai – another work from his ‘Waterfalls’ series, Kirifuri Waterfall at Kurokami Mountain in Shimotsuke (Shimotsuke Kurokamiyama Kirifuri-no-taki) in 2021, and a reproduction of his most famous work, The Great Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa oki nama ura) in 2018.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

REVERSO TRIBUTE ENAMEL HOKUSAI ‘AMIDA FALLS’

Case: White gold

Dimensions: 45.5mm x 27.4mm x 9.73mm

Calibre: Manually wound - Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 822/2

Functions: Hours, minutes

Power reserve: 42 hours

Water resistance: 3 meters

Dial: Lozenge guilloche, with translucent Grand Feu enamel

Case-back: Closed – Miniature Grand Feu enamel

Strap: Black alligator 

Reference: Q39334T3

Limited Edition: 10 pieces

In 2022, nine decades after the Reverso was born, Jaeger-LeCoultre presents the latest episode in this story: the Reverso Tribute Enamel “Tiger” – a remarkable expression of the Manufacture’s craftsmanship and creativity. Created to coincide with Chinese New Year and the opening of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s new flagship boutique in Shanghai, the new timepiece pays tribute to the Year of the Tiger.

Swivelling the watch case to its reverse side reveals a magnificent tiger. Engraved into the pink gold case metal, it seems to leap out from its background of black opaque Grand Feu enamel, the polished surface of the tiger’s coat and the contrasting rhodium-brushed texture of its stripes catching and refracting the light to create the illusion of movement and power.

To maximise the sense of volume and bring depth to the engraving, the artisan engraver used a technique called modelled engraving, using differently sized chisels to sculpt the metal step by step – a precise and exacting task that requires absolute focus and remarkable dexterity. Adding to the challenge of creating this interpretation of the Reverso Tribute Enamel, the engraver’s work began not, as is usual, with a bare metal surface but with one that already had its coat of Grand Feu enamel. An unprecedented accuracy of gesture is necessary in order to avoid all risk of damage to the pristine enamel, and the engraver devoted 55 working hours to the creation of this masterpiece.

The dial of the Reverso Tribute Enamel features the same opaque black Grand Feu enamel as the case back. The elegant simplicity of the Reverso Tribute dial, with its faceted appliqué hour-markers, chemin de fer minutes track, and Dauphine hands – in this case, perfectly matched to the pink gold of the case – places full value on the subtle beauty of the glowing black background.

The apparent simplicity of the pure black enamel is deceptive because in Grand Feu enamelling, the outcome of the firing process is never entirely predictable. Building up the enamel layers to create a black of such depth and richness, with each new layer followed by firing, the enamelling of the two surfaces of the Reverso Tribute Enamel “Tiger” required no less than 20 working hours. That they are perfectly matched in colour and purity is testament to exceptional skills that can be acquired only through many years of experience. Jaeger-LeCoultre remains one of very few watch Manufactures to have its own in-house enamelling atelier, safeguarding and advancing this ancient craft.

Created to celebrate the Chinese Zodiac Year and made only to order, the Reverso Tribute Enamel “Tiger” offers the possibility of being personalised with different enamel colours. An ideal canvas for artistic expression, the case-back of every Reverso offers limitless potential for clients to harness the talents of the artisans in our Métiers Rares® atelier – from enamelling and engraving to miniature painting and gem-setting – to craft one-of-a-kind creations.

This new Reverso Tribute Enamel is testament to La Grande Maison’s vision of culture and creativity, where the artistic crafts live in perfect harmony with the technical expertise of the Manufacture’s watchmakers.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

REVERSO TRIBUTE ENAMEL

Dimensions: 45.5mm x 27.4mm x 9.73mm

Calibre: Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 822A/2, manually wound

Functions: Hours, minutes

Power reserve: 42 hours

Case: Pink gold

Dial: Grand feu enamel, applied indexes

Case back: Grand feu enamel, engraving

Water resistance: 3 bar

Strap: Black alligator

Reference: Q39324K1 - made to order

This is an exchange that Jaeger-LeCoultre has embraced throughout the Manufacture’s history. Coinciding with 90 years of the Reverso, Jaeger-LeCoultre celebrates this ongoing cultural exchange with an exquisite new Reverso Tribute Enamel timepiece.

Kirifuri Waterfall (Kirifuri-no-taki)

Uniting European craftsmanship with Japanese art, the reverse side of the case celebrates Eastern art with an enamel miniature painting that faithfully reproduces a woodblock print of Kirifuri Waterfall made by Katsushika Hokusai in the early 1830s. Kirifuri Waterfall is taken from A Tour of the Waterfalls of the Provinces, a series of eight woodblock prints depicting waterfalls that the artist visited between 1831 and 1833 in different regions of Japan’s main island, Honshu.

Embodying La Grande Maison’s creativity and its vision of the world of art and culture, the new timepiece is testament to the talent and skill of the artisans working in the Métiers Rares® (Rare Handcrafts) atelier within the Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre.

In a carefully orchestrated process beginning with the case back, the decoration of this timepiece presented many challenges that were particular to this work of art. First among those challenges was to reproduce a work measuring 37 x 24.5 cm onto a surface little more than one-tenth the size of the original – capturing every detail in perfect scale, including the group of tiny human figures at the base of the waterfall.

To express the power and beauty of the water as it cascades 100 metres down the mountainside Hokusai used a greater sense of perspective and bolder colours for Kirifuri Waterfall than in his previous work. The enameller had not only to mimic this perfectly but also to create the illusion of the woodblock printing technique, which produces a specific effect entirely different from enamelling. A particular challenge is that multi-coloured prints require the use of multiple woodblocks, with each different colour applied in turn – and there was the added challenge of reproducing the bokashi effect of subtly nuanced and graduated colours seen in the original. To achieve these illusions, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s master enameller had to develop her own technique.

The simplicity of the Reverso Tribute dial – with its faceted appliqué hour-markers and Dauphine hands – places full value on the beauty of its decoration. An artistic response to the miniature painting on the case back, this dial is decorated with an unusual, wavy guilloché pattern chosen to echo the effect of moving water. Executed by hand, using a century-old lathe for which a special cam was tooled to achieve this particular pattern, the visual effect of the waves is amplified by layers of translucent grand feu enamel in a soft shade of green that exactly matches a detail of the painting on the reverse side.

Following multiple firings to build up the enamel layers, the final challenge is the faultless application of the indexes (which requires tiny holes to be drilled through the pristine surface of the enamel) and the transfer of the chemin de fer minutes register.

As with all enamelling, the firing process can change colours in unpredictable ways, so for both the back and the front of the Reverso Tribute Enamel Hokusai, many hours of research and experiment were required in order that the dial colour would perfectly match the painting on the reverse, and that the painting would give a faithful rendering of Hokusai’s original colours. In addition to these hours of research, almost five working hours must be dedicated to the guillochage alone, followed by eight working hours for the layers of translucent green enamel. More than 70 working hours are required only to paint the miniature masterpiece on the case back.

ABOUT HOKUSAI

The Japanese artist best known in the West, Hokusai (c.1760–1849) was a highly prolific illustrator, printmaker and ukiyo-e artist. His fame was secured when he was in his eighties, by his monumental woodblock print series Thirty-Six Views of Mount FujiI, which includes The Great Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa oki nami ura), one of the world’s best-known works of art. (Jaeger-LeCoultre honoured that work by reproducing it as a miniature enamel painting on a limited-edition Reverso in 2018.)

Thanks to a craze for ukiyo-e painting, which depicted the hedonistic lifestyle of the merchant class in Edo Japan (1600–1868), woodblock printing flourished from the 17th to 19th Century, as a means of reproducing those paintings. Innovative in his composition and use of colour, Hokusai was instrumental in transforming ukiyo-e from a style of portraiture into a broader genre that included landscapes, plants and animals. As a consequence of his fame, ukiyo-e and woodblock prints became central to forming the West's perception of Japanese art.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

REVERSO TRIBUTE ENAMEL

Case: White gold

Dimensions: 45.5 mm x 27.4 mm x 9.73 mm

Movement: Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 822, manually wound

Functions: Hours, minutes

Power reserve: 42 hours

Dial: Guilloché and Grand Feu enamel

Case back: Grand Feu enamel miniature painting

Water resistance: 3 bar

Strap: Black alligator

Reference: Q39334T2 - Limited edition of 10 pieces

Under the distinguished patronage of His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco, the eighth edition of the biennial and charitable Only Watch event will once again go on a promotional world tour, with stops in Europe, the US, Asia and the Middle East.

Watchmaking innovation at the service of medical research

In keeping with tradition, the 2019 edition of the Only Watch event will kick off in Monaco from 25 to 28 September. The event will come to a close in Geneva from 7 to 9 November, where the charity auction will take place, the proceeds of which will go towards medical research on Duchenne muscular dystrophy and Association monégasque contre les myopathies.

This year, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Manufacture is honoured to be included among other major names in the watchmaking industry to promote the event and participate in this worthy cause. The Manufacture will be offering a unique piece to be included in the auction: the Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Enamel Chestnut. This white gold piece is instantly charming with its hand-guillochéd enamel dial in a striking chestnut colour.

New Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 868A/2 with automatic winding

In keeping with the emblematic aesthetic codes of the Master Ultra Thin collection, this new piece highlights the talents of the Manufacture's artisans who work together in the Rare Handcrafts™ (Métiers Rares®) workshop. The Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Enamel Chestnut captivates as soon as the gaze lands on its generously sized dial, perfectly adapted to the different lifestyles of men today.

The timepiece’s perfectly balanced hand-guillochéd dial gives pride of place to four beautifully proportioned counters, including a new display of the perpetual calendar at 12 o’clock. At 6 o’clock there is a subtle moon phase that simultaneously indicates the moon’s waxing and waning phases in both hemispheres. To give full justice to this virtuoso spectacle, we would be remiss if we failed to mention the workmanship on the engraved counter, whose elegant purity is enhanced by the scintillating sparkle of the dial’s beautiful chestnut brown translucent enamel. The date counter is featured at 9 o’clock, with the days of the week at 3 o’clock. The full splendour of the sunburst guilloché radiates on the dial, providing the Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Enamel Chestnut with an impression of relief and depth. The guillochage work was carried out by hand on both the dial and the counters by Jaeger-LeCoultre's artisans, who bring all of their expertise to bear with rare precision, working with age-old machines and tools in the purest watchmaking tradition. A unique piece to help support a noble cause.

Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Enamel Chestnut

Dimensions: 39 mm

Thickness: 10.44 mm

Calibre: 868A/2– Automatic

Case: White gold

Water resistance: 5 bar

Functions: H/M/S, Perpetual calendar (Day, Date, Month, Year, Moon phase, Security Zone)

Power reserve: 70 hours

Dial: Chestnut brown guilloché enamel, Engraved moon phase counter

Case-back: Open

Reference: Q13035EW

Unique Piece

https://www.onlywatch.com/

With close to two centuries of horological expertise, Jaeger-LeCoultre stands alone in its command of complicated watchmaking. This includes unparalleled in-house experience in chiming watches, the most prestigious and exalted domain of mechanical savoir-faire. As a matter of fact, La Grande Maison du Sentier has the distinction of being the only manufacture in the world to have over 200 chiming watch calibres in its historical and modern inventory.

In May 2019, following the success of the Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon Westminster Perpétuel at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), Jaeger-LeCoultre debuts a timepiece that once again brings new levels of excellence to its mastery of chiming watches.

The Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle features an innovative gong system that resurrects the idealised chime of antique pocket sonneries, paired with an evolutionary case design that transmits timelessness and modernity.

Key points of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle

• A new gong system that replicates the richness and strength of antique sonnerie pocket watches
• Evolutionary case design that redefines the timelessness and modernity of the Master Grande Tradition timepieces
• Heightened focus on customer experience with automatic winding system and intuitive perpetual-calendar setting

A new chime

Innovation in the domain of chiming watches has been one of the foundation stones of mechanical expertise at Jaeger-LeCoultre since 1895, when the company was awarded a patent for the world’s first silent strike regulator. In the 21^st century, Jaeger-LeCoultre channelled its creativity in sonnerie watches towards producing the most energy-efficient and volume-optimised chime possible.

The Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle represents the next generation of chime-related innovation at La Grande Maison. Its movement, the automatic calibre 950, unites the two apex values of chime quality that were previously thought to be incompatible — power and beauty. This combination of qualities has largely eluded the best watchmakers in history, the understanding being that one can come only at the cost of the other.

The research and innovation team of Jaeger-LeCoultre have achieved this idealised chime by creating an entirely novel gong configuration, unlike any other. Instead of lying flat in overlapping coils like the most commonly seen minute repeater gongs, the gongs of the Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle depart radically from convention by incorporating unprecedented height and space. Two gongs, welded together at their base, travel in the same direction around the periphery of the movement, making one near-complete tour before dramatically arching upwards, traversing the entire height of the movement. They then diverge and take a terminal semi-arc around the other side of the movement, stopping just before their ends meet.

By maximising the space occupied by the element that creates sound vibrations — the gongs — the calibre 950 boosts its capacity for sound transmission. Further increasing this capacity is the proximity of the gongs to a larger proportion of the watch case, according to the acoustic principles that instinctively guide us where to position a relatively weak audio source in relation to an resonator (such as when a personal music player is placed in a glass dish to amplify the sound).

Signature chime innovations of Jaeger-LeCoultre, such as the square gong cross-sections and the articulated “trebuchet” hammers, ensure that the gongs are struck with the greatest possible impact and the least interference from hammer recoil. These set the stage for the meticulously engineered acoustic profile of the Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle chime.

The lower-pitched gong takes a helical path from gong heel to tip. Though irregular in shape, its unidirectional flow allows it to vibrate in a way that creates the harmonic overtones giving fullness and balance to bass notes.

The higher-pitched gong switches direction, effectively folding back on itself like the tines of a tuning fork. This configuration emphasises the fundamental vibration of the gong, producing a purer tone that imparts the clarity and brilliance prized in treble notes.

This new optimised combination of chime volume and acoustic quality marks out new territory for Jaeger-LeCoultre in sonnerie watches, an expansion that is fully supported by the other customer-centric aspects of the Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle.

Focus on the wearer

Perpetual calendars are among the most practical and useful mechanical complications that can be incorporated into a timepiece. Their ability to display the correct calendar information, taking into consideration the varying lengths of the months — even during leap years — provides everyday convenience for the wearer, especially when combined with an automatic winding system for low-maintenance upkeep when worn regularly.

Traditional-style perpetual calendars are mostly hand-wound, as the prestige of a high complication generally demands that the finely finished movement should be fully visible for admiration. Automatic minute repeaters are even rarer, with occasional exceptions such as the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Minute Repeater Flying Tourbillon and the Jaeger-LeCoultre Rendez-Vous Ivy Minute Repeater.

The winding rotor of the calibre 950 is hidden within the movement, positioned between the perpetual calendar and minute repeater mechanisms, in order to a have full view on the mechanism at the back of the watch. The Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle is thus continuously supplied with energy without the need to obscure a single finely finished component, whether chamfered, satin-finished, decorated with côtes de Genève, or any combination of the above.

Another feature of the watch that puts the needs of the wearer foremost is the intuitive Security zone that appears in a dial aperture near the axis of the hour and minute hands. This indication appears between the hours of 10pm and 1am, when adjusting the time or calendar is not advised due to the possibility of stressing or even damaging the movement. This reminder takes the onus off the wearer to remember when the time and calendar indications can be adjusted.

Despite the multiple complications and the automatic winding system, all of which are known to add bulk to a timepiece, the Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle is highly compact, with a diameter of 43mm and a height of 13.72mm.

Design evolution

The Master Grande Tradition collection has always been a platform for high watchmaking at Jaeger-LeCoultre, emphasising classic design in order to let the sophisticated mechanisms take centre stage. In the Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle, Jaeger-LeCoultre recalibrates the balance of technical prowess against aesthetic refinement to arrive at a new equilibrium of power and beauty.

A new case, comprising more than 80 separate hand-finished parts, was created for the Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle. Particular attention was paid to the ergonomics of the case, from the deeply convex bezel and broad bevels on the lugs to the smoothly tapered minute repeater slide.

Parts are alternately polished, satin-finished or sandblasted, the latter being highly challenging to execute on the exterior segments of a watch. The extremely porous surface of a sandblasted component causes it to easily pick up oils from even the slightest contact with human skin, leaving a mark that can be seen as unsightly (though easily removed) blemish. In its finishing and Métiers Rares ateliers, Jaeger-LeCoultre has perfected the technique of applying a sandblasted finish that is resistant to such oil transfer.

The Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle comes in two dial variations, a neoclassical silver-grained dial and a deep blue translucent guilloche enamel dial that is produced by hand in the Atelier des Métiers Rares.

A dial of solid white gold is first decorated with guillochage on century-old rose engines, each round of guilloché work repeated several times in order to achieve the correct depth of engraving. The perpetual calendar counters are then precision laser-welded onto the dial, before the remaining spaces are filled with translucent enamel in another multi-stage process. The enamel is then polished, resulting in the final dial of shimmering vitreous blue that changes in hue with the light and angle.

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle is the result of 149 years of experience in sonnerie timepieces, combined with an unparalleled patrimony in mechanical innovation and the most exalted levels of miniature decorative arts. With this latest masterpiece, La Grande Maison du Sentier recommits itself to furthering the frontiers of 21st-century watchmaking.

Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle

Dimensions: 43 mm

Thickness: 13.72 mm

Calibre: 950 – Automatic

Case: White gold

Water resistance: 5 bar

Functions: Hours/Minutes, Minute repeater, Perpetual calendar (Day, Date, Month, Moon phase, Year)

Power reserve: 38 hours

Dial: Blue guilloché enamel / Silver grained

Case-back: Open

Reference: Q52334E1 (Limited to 30 pieces), Q5233420 (Limited to 30 pieces)

Jaeger-LeCoultre has long maintained an ardent interest in painting and art history. The Reverso Tribute Enamel collection pays homage to the illustrious painters who share the values of the Grande Maison. Each Reverso Tribute Enamel watch has been crafted by our artisans to offer a front dial finely guilloché by hand and covered with translucent Grand Feu enamel, twinned with a reverse face featuring an enameled miniature of a painting inspired by a great painter that is as Alfons Mucha.

For this collection, Jaeger-LeCoultre has drawn inspiration from “The Seasons”, the artist’s emblematic 1896 series of decorative panels, to decorate three different models of the Reverso Tribute Enamel—each in a limited series of eight pieces.

A challenge to our savoir-faire

The front face of each watch has been worked in guilloché of remarkable quality. Finely crafted by Jaeger-LeCoultre’s master engraver, this guilloché requires extremely complex artisanal skills and a machine that dates back a hundred years. On this face, a sunburst guilloché appears in relief under the deep color of its transparent enameling. Each color required hours of research to achieve its perfectly even hue, and to ensure it harmonizes with the colors of the painting reproduced on the reverse of the case.

When the watch is turned over, a veritable masterpiece reveals itself on the caseback.

Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Rare Handcrafts “Métiers Rares” master enameler faces multiple challenges in creating each of the three miniatures that feature on the reverse.

Much of the complexity lies in working by hand to scale the original painting—measuring over a meter—onto a surface of 3 cm², during the very process of enameling.

The reproduction needs be as faithful as possible, but using different tools and materials from the ones Mucha used. For instance, the master enameler must painstakingly seek to reproduce the Czech artist's rich palette, despite having only a restricted number of colors to work with.

Another challenge is the need to anticipate what color the result will be, and employ darker shades than the original, because the various protective layers that are applied subsquently over the design will alter the painting’s color intensity.

In the miniature inspired by “Spring”, Mucha captures the very atmosphere of this season, personifying it in an innocent fair-haired figure wearing a translucent white dress and standing under a blossoming tree. It took meticulous research and many trials to reproduce the fluid lines of her dress, because the protective coats of enamel hinder some of the spontaneity of this design. The same painstaking attention went into creating even the tiniest details, like the white flowers she wears in her hair, the little birds, and the background, which is itself very rich in detail. An additional difficulty for the enameler was reproducing the monochrome dress, a craft known for its play on multiple colors.

A frame that was engraved and sculpted entirely by hand also surrounds the miniature on each model. Using a special chisel, the master engraver created the design by hollowing out the material. This is an incredibly difficult task, because the engraving is executed after the enameling. So the engraver must sculpt around the miniature without altering it, before decorating the case with exquisitely delicate details. It is an operation that requires enormous finesse.

This exceptional piece will have required more than a 100 hours of work (70 hours of enameling and 30 hours of engraving) in order to reproduce the master’s artwork as faithfully as possible.

The process of Grand Feu miniature enameling

Before starting to paint, the enameler analyzes the original artwork and resizes it, so it fits the dimensions of the Reverso case. Then, a white enamel base is applied several times to the hollowed-out surface of the gold Reverso case. The piece is placed in the oven at 800°C (Grand Feu means “Big Fire”) so the enamel melts onto the gold. Just as a painter works on a blank canvas, the enameler creates an outline of the design on this white surface.

To achieve the right colors and desired image, successive layers of oxides are applied on so their gorgeous design gradually discloses itself. Repeated firings are carried out between the application of each layer. The final color is only revealed after firing, which means the enamel artist must have perfect mastery of the color palette and be able to anticipate the end result—the color that will become fixed at 800°C.

The last stage is to protect the miniature by applying six to eight layers of protective coating, firing it between layers. This technique is called the “Geneva Technique”. All in all, a minimum of 15 firings are required—and sometimes even more.

Before assembling the Reverso case, the enameler will lap and polish the enamel and gold by hand to restore their full shine.

Grand Feu enamel is the most difficult and delicate technique to execute. It requires years of experience and, above all, tremendous patience and meticulousness. To create such masterpieces as these, enamelers must draw on all their senses.

About Alfons Mucha

Internationally celebrated Czech artist Mucha is inextricably associated with the image of the 1900 Paris. He is best known for his distinctive stylized theatrical posters that epitomize Art Nouveau. Alfons Mucha has often inspired Jaeger-LeCoultre’s creativity—leading to the Reverso “The Seasons” in 1996, Reverso “Precious Gemstones” in 1999, and Reverso “Clair de Lune” in 2001. “The Seasons” (1896) was one of Mucha’s earliest decorative panels and became one of his most popular series.

As well as being a great poster artist, Mucha was also a visionary; an exhibition tracing his story is on at the Musée du Luxembourg until January 27, 2019.

Reverso Tribute Enamel Mucha - Boutique Edition

Dimensions: 45.5 mm x 27.4 mm

Thickness: 9.7 mm

Caliber: 822A/2 - Manually wound

Functions: Hour/Minute

Case: White gold/Yellow gold

Front: Grand Feu enamel and guilloché dial

Reverse: Grand Feu miniature enamel and hand engraving

Limited edition available only in Boutiques: 8 pieces for each model

References:  "Summer" Q39334M1, "Spring" Q39314M2, "Autumn" Q39314M3

In a fitting commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Hodler’s death, landscapes of mountains and lakes, so characteristic of the painter’s work, were chosen to decorate the case of the Reverso Tribute Enamel. This watch, with its iconic Art Deco styling, features a white gold case that was specially created to serve as a canvas for the enamel miniature.

The three models are each issued in eight-piece limited editions.

Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Rare Handcrafts “Métiers Rares” celebrate the work of Ferdinand Hodler

Remarkable guillochage work is featured on the front of the piece. Jaeger-LeCoultre's artisan guillocheur has embellished the dial with the help of a century-old machine requiring considerable expertise and years of experience. The dial’s small lozenges, giving the illusion as though they have been weaved, were created with finesse and delicate rendering. The engraving was then covered in translucent enamel. The colour of which, was carefully chosen to match the painting’s tone recreated on the reverse side.

On the reverse of the watch, the handcrafted engraving continues, with lines tracing out an elegant frame for each of the enamelled paintings. This incredible work is unique on each model, enhancing the reproduced paintings, it is also a fitting supplement to the three gadroons so emblematic of the Reverso watch.

A work of art in Grand Feu enamel

The Reverso Tribute Enamel series was inspired by Ferdinand Hodler’s masterpiece. To remind one of the majestic serenity emanating from Hodler’s work, artisan enamellers spent more than fifty hours on each watch reproducing the Master’s paintings as faithfully as possible.

Each painting presented particular challenges for Jaeger-LeCoultre’s enamellers. The main difficulty emerged from having to feature a large original painting on the 3cm2 surface area of the Reverso.

Lake Geneva with Mont Blanc in the Morning Light, 1918 (74 x 150 cm)

For this oil on canvas, obtaining the exact same pink and gold morning light was essential; it required a lot of effort. A light and very tender grey was chosen for the front of the watch, harmonising with the painting’s colours. As sky and lake seem to blend, this painting’s interesting play of light was expressed through small spots of colour transcribing the landscape’s depiction of peace and quiet.

Lake Thun with Symmetric Reflections Before Sunrise, 1904 (89 x 100cm)

This painting gives prominence to a brighter scenery, the artisan’s work focused on the creation of blue shades revealing the mountains. The way that the transparency of the water lets the rocks appear in a foreground of green shades is truly remarkable, and it inspired the artisan enameller to seek out a pine green colour to decorate the dial on the front. Ferdinand Hodler’s typical work on symmetry can be easily identified through this enamelled work.

Lake Thun, Symmetric Reflection, 1909 (67.5 x 92)

The third painting depicts the Alps mountains’ reflection in the water catching the last day light.The mirror effect and the blue and white shades’ softness call to mind the tranquillity of Lake de Joux. A translucent enamel in light sky blue was chosen to cover the guilloché.

An Art Deco icon to showcase the work of a master

With its emblematic Art Deco styling, faceted appliqué hour-markers, Dauphine hands and railtrack minute circle at the heart of the dial, the Reverso Tribute Enamel is a sophisticated and original canvas for the work of the Rare Handcrafts “Métiers Rares” enamellers. This is the continuation of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Manufacture’s series of enamelled Reverso watches. These three new pieces, devoted to Ferdinand Hodler, will certainly catch the eye of art lovers. This is yet, another way to share the precious expertise of the Rare Handcrafts “Métiers Rares” practiced under the Manufacture’s roof, and to express the Grande Maison’s openness to the world of art and culture.

Ferdinand Hodler (1853-1918), a Swiss painter honoured in 2018

This year marks the 100^th anniversary of Ferdinand Hodler’s death, who passed away in Geneva in 1918. It is an opportunity for the art world, and more particularly for the main Swiss museums, to pay tribute to this major figure of symbolism and emblematic painter of Switzerland.

Jaeger-LeCoultre pays tribute to a Swiss artist whose depiction of Switzerland’s lakes and mountains brings memories of the Vallée de Joux – birthplace of Jaeger-LeCoultre Manufacture in 1833. With the parallelism of the landscapes he paints, Ferdinand Hodler shares his vision of the nature’s order. A clear and simple expression of the world, revealing a universal dimension present in each of his pieces.

Technical characteristics

Size: 45.5 mm x 27.4 mm
Thickness: 9.73 mm
Calibre: 822A/2 – Manual
Functions: Hour/Minute
Recto: Translucent Grand Feu enamalled and guilloche dial
Verso: Grand Feu enameled miniature and hand engraving
Limited Edition: 8 pieces (for each model) Boutique Edition

For these pieces of art, the Reverso Tribute Enamel, with its iconic Art Deco styling, was chosen. A case in white gold was created especially to host the enamel miniature.

Each of these models is issued in an eight-piece limited edition and available exclusively in Jaeger-LeCoultre Boutiques.

Reverso Tribute Enamel - Georges Seurat, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte

To decorate the reverse of the piece, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s artisan guillocheur delicately decorated the piece using a century-old machine which requires considerable expertise. Here, the dial is guillochéd with small lozenges, which are embossed under a deep green translucent enamel. Hours of research were required in order for this colour to perfectly match the painting on the reverse.

If the front dial alone is itself an artistic feat, the beholder will be amazed when turning over the watch’s case to discover the true work of art found on the reverse.

Painted between 1884 and 1886, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte is one of the most beautiful examples of the pointillist technique created by Georges Seurat (1859-1891). A neo-impressionist French painter, Seurat was one of the leading lights of the art world in the 19th century. It took him two years to complete this nearly 2 by 3 metre canvas, for which he drew more than 60 sketches. The painting is set on the banks of the Seine, near Paris, in a place where the locals would come to enjoy the water and a pleasant, unspoilt setting. The technique of pointillism consists of juxtaposing minuscule dots of colour, rather than using larger brushstrokes, with the spectator’s eye naturally “mixing” the colours.

In order to create this miniature, the artisan enameller from Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Rare Handcrafts “Métiers Rares” had to take on a great number of challenges. The first was reproducing a more than 3-metre-wide painting onto a 3 cm2 surface. The enameller had to create his own pointillism technique. He created his own tools, including, for example, an extremely fine yet hard brush which frequently needed to be replaced. Pointillism on enamel is extremely complex. Several protective enamel layers must be superimposed upon one another after the completion of the painting, altering the intensity of the colour of the piece. A darker shade than the original was used in order to plan for this. It was a lengthy process…

In total, more than 70 hours were required to finish this creation, not counting the initial hours of research for the perfect colour.

Reverso Tribute Enamel– Inspired by a painting by Xu Beihong

With this piece, the Grande Maison wished to explore the art of ink wash painting.

The dial was delicately guillochéd in lengthwise geometric patterns and covered in opalescent ivory-coloured enamel, rendered as subtle as mother-of-pearl.

Xu Beihong (1895-1953) was one of the most renowned painters of the 20th century in China. He was known for his oil paintings, his drawings, his pastels and his calligraphy. In China, his representations of horses made him very popular. The original, over 5-metre-wide painting shows ten horses galloping through a natural Chinese landscape. The enameller was inspired by the representation of two horses from the painting.

Reverso Tribute Enamel – Katsushika Hokusai, The Great Wave off Kanagawa

The Jaeger-LeCoultre artisans studied the technique of Japanese woodblock printing, of which Hokusai was a leading light.

On the front, the dial is delicately guillochéd with small waves, like an echo of the drawing found on the reverse. It is then covered with a translucent enamel, coloured with a blue as deep as the ocean represented by The Great Wave off Kanagawa.

Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) was a Japanese artist known for his woodblock print series, Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji. It has remained iconic as it was the first time that the concept of perspective, drawn from Western painting, was integrated into the themes of the Japanese tradition of art. This series included The Great Wave off Kanagawa, which brought the artist fame not just in Japan, but in the rest of the world. It was this piece which inspired Jaeger-LeCoultre’s master enameller to adorn the reverse of this Reverso Tribute Enamel.

Once more, it was necessary to plan in order to achieve the desired colour as well as the tiniest elements which create the movement of the waves and the splashes of foam, without which the piece would lose all of its character and strength. With such a large scale of work, the finesse of the detail was certainly a challenge. It was also very difficult to reproduce such a calm and smooth sky, without a single brushstroke appearing. As such, this work presented the difficulties of the two preceding creations, demanding both an almost pointillist level of detail and the delicacy of Xu Beihong's expansive painting.

What could be a more beautiful canvas for these masterpieces of the art world than the Grande Maison’s ultimate icon, the Reverso, with its reversible case that lends itself so well to the art of decoration and particularly to enamelled miniaturisation? The Reverso Tribute Enamel watch, with its Art Deco styling inherited from the first Reverso model in 1931, faceted applique hour-markers, and Dauphine hands, presents a piece brimming with personality which adds even more value to this exceptional artisanal craft.

These three new Jaeger-LeCoultre pieces attest to the majesty of the precious expertise dwelling in the heart of the Rare Handcrafts “Métiers Rares” workshop, a symbol of the Grande Maison’s artistic creativity and its vision of the world of art and culture.