Created by the Swiss fine watchmaking Maison as part of its mission to expand the cultural conversation around design and watchmaking, the immersive sound-and-light show tells the story of the Golden Ratio, the unique mathematical formula that defines aesthetic harmony. Open free of charge to the public, it is an invitation to discover the elemental links between the beauty found in nature and in the most pleasing of man-made objects – from art and architecture to fine watches, and in particular the timeless Art Deco design of the Reverso, which was created in 1931.

A spectacular digital show projected onto a giant screen of falling water overlooking the River Thames, The Golden Ratio Musical Show is amplified by a spellbinding soundtrack composed by the ground-breaking British musician TØKIO M¥ERS and commissioned by Jaeger-LeCoultre through its Made of Makers programme of artistic collaborations.

On the evening of 14 September, Jaeger-LeCoultre hosted a private gala dinner, during which TØKIO M¥ERS gave a live performance of his soundtrack during The Golden Ratio Musical Show, accompanied by the renowned Bourne Orchestra – a collaboration between musicians from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the London Chamber Orchestra. He followed this with a concert of other selected works, complete with the special effects that make his live performances so compelling.

Among the guests were the award-winning actor Nicholas Hoult, Ambassador for Jaeger-LeCoultre, actors Mimi Keene, Finn Cole, Sonoya Mizuno, Freya Allan and Gregg Sulkin. The British filmmaker and television presenter Reggie Yates was Master of Ceremonies for the evening.

The 1931 Cinema, located at Battersea Power Station on the south bank of the River Thames, and The Golden Ratio Musical Show offered the public the opportunity to experience design, craft and watchmaking in an entirely new cultural context.

WITH AN ORIGINAL SYMPHONY COMPOSED BY TØKIO M¥ERS

From 14^th – 17^th September 2023, Jaeger-LeCoultre will have the pleasure of welcoming guests to The Golden Ratio Musical Show in London. Presented at the 1931 Cinema, a specially created venue at the newly restored Battersea Power Station, the inspiring sound-and-light show celebrates the Golden Ratio – the unique mathematical formula that defines the aesthetic harmony that we humans are instinctively drawn to. The ground-breaking British musician, TØKIO M¥ERS, has composed a new soundtrack especially for the show, commissioned by Jaeger-LeCoultre through its Made of Makers programme.

Presenting Design in a New Cultural Context

With The Golden Ratio Musical Show and 1931 Cinema, Jaeger-LeCoultre continues to expand the cultural conversation around design and watchmaking, exploring their elemental links through the lens of the Reverso watch, which is widely acknowledged as an icon of 20^th century design. Taking its name from the year that the Reverso was born, the 1931 Cinema offers guests a deep immersion in the style and ambience of that period. Enhancing the experience, refreshments will be provided by the 1931 Café. The outdoor cinema concept also pays homage to the world’s first drive-in movie theatre, which opened in 1933 and spawned a new form of entertainment that was to become embedded in popular culture.

The Art Deco-inspired design of the 1931 Cinema will be enhanced by its location at Battersea Power Station, one of London’s most spectacular Art Deco buildings and a new retail, leisure and cultural destination for the capital. Originally conceived as a purely functional and box-like structure, its beautiful exterior is the work of British architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, who was commissioned to redesign it, adding Art Deco glamour and the four iconic chimneys, which are synonymous of the London skyline. Construction of the Power Station began in 1929 with the first half, Station A completed in 1933, and the second half, Station B in 1955. At its peak Battersea Power Station produced a fifth of London’s electricity. 

An Enthralling Sound-and-Light Show

The centrepiece of the 1931 Cinema is The Golden Ratio Musical Show, a spectacular sound-and-light show projected onto a giant screen of falling water. The 10-minute show tells the story of the Golden Ratio in four chapters: tracing the path from the observation of nature and the hidden harmonies that connect its most beautiful forms, to the scientific examination of the mystical properties of beauty and the quest to define their geometry, which led to the discovery of the mathematical formula 1.618, also known as Phi (φ). It continues by exploring how this ‘golden number’ or ‘divine proportion’ has marked European cultural history, architecture and art ever since it was identified, and concludes by presenting the Reverso, created at the height of the Art Deco movement, which expresses the spirit of the Golden Ratio with utmost eloquence.

A Specially Commissioned Soundtrack by TØKIO M¥ERS

For The Golden Ratio Musical Show, Jaeger-LeCoultre commissioned a soundtrack from the British musician and composer TØKIO M¥ERS, who is gaining worldwide recognition as one of the most original artists to emerge in recent years. A graduate of the Royal College of Music, celebrated for his experimental fusions of classical music with cinematic, hip-hop, dance, ‘90s soul and other influences, TØKIO M¥ERS is also a gifted pianist and percussionist, and a performer of immense range and dynamic power. Through compositions that transcend time and genres, he creates dialogues between the past and present, redefining what classical music can be.

Having taken inspiration from time spent at the Jaeger-LeCoultre Manufacture in the Swiss Jura mountains, TØKIO M¥ERS says that he wrote the piece “with the explicit intention of amplifying the emotional impact of the digital projection”. He describes the new work as “a short symphony in four chapters, or movements, that takes the listener on a powerful journey”. Reinforcing the Golden Ratio theme, he translated the number 1.618 into a tempo of 161.8 beats per minute. “I incorporated the Golden Ratio as the driving tempo throughout the piece. I’ve never written in this tempo before and it’s a wonderful tempo to write in,” he says.

London Dates on a World Tour

Following its debut during Shanghai International Film Festival in early June, The Golden Ratio Musical Show and 1931 Cinema began a world tour in Los Angeles. The London season runs from 14^th – 17^th September at Battersea Power Station and it will be open to the public, free of charge, offering the opportunity to experience design and watchmaking in an entirely new cultural context.

On the night of the 14^th September, at an invitation-only gala, TØKIO M¥ERS will give a live performance of his soundtrack. He will be accompanied by The Bourne Orchestra, a collaboration between musicians from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the London Chamber Orchestra. This will be followed by a concert of his other work, accompanied by the signature lighting that make his solo performances so dynamic.

The 1931 Cinema will be open free of charge to the public from the 14^th September to the 17^th September, with The Golden Ratio Musical Show running all day on a 20-minute cycle.

Following its London season, the 1931 Cinema and The Golden Ratio Musical Show will travel to Dubai.

The Golden Ratio Musical Show

Battersea Power Station, London, SW8 5BN

Opening day on 14^th September from 11am to 6pm

From 15^th – 16^th September from 11am to 10pm

17^th September from 11am to 9pm

Open to public. Free of charge. 

Register on https://online-booking.jaeger-lecoultre.com/atelier/58