Preserving Cinematic Heritage

This year marks the 12^th year of the Film Restoration programme, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s ongoing collaboration with Shanghai International Film Festival to protect China’s cinematic heritage for future generations. The collaboration reflects La Grande Maison’s own commitment to the preservation of heritage: in a dedicated restoration workshop established within its Manufacture, specialist watchmakers breathe new life into historic timepieces that might otherwise be lost forever. Under the Film Restoration programme 16 films have so far been preserved, spanning many different genres and including some of the most seminal works in Chinese cinema of the past 80 years. Among the most recently restored are Outside the Window (1973) directed by Sung Tsun-shou, A Soul Haunted by Painting (1994) by Han Shuqin, Flowers of Shanghai (1998) by Hou Hsiao-hsien and Hu Sang’s 1956 masterpiece, New Year Sacrifice.

The latest film to be restored, Early Spring in February (1963) is the best-known work by the great Third Generation director, Xie Tieli.

Celebrating the Filmmaker’s Art

Having a deep affinity with the world of film through a shared passion for both artistic and technical savoir-faire, Jaeger-LeCoultre has long been a supporter of the cinematic arts in China. For La Grande Maison, the protection, preservation and transmission of craft – in its many forms – is a fundamental value, and it is proud to maintain its commitment to the exceptional creativity represented by the art and craft of filmmaking in China. The prestigious and highly coveted Glory to the Filmmaker Award made its debut at Shanghai International Film Festival in 2018 to honour Chinese filmmakers who have made outstanding contributions in their field. The recipient of the 2023 award – considered to be a Lifetime Achievement recognition – will be a leading figure in Chinese cinema.

Honouring the Golden Ratio with a new Musical Show

Jaeger-LeCoultre’s private event to be held during the film festival pays homage to the Golden Ratio – the number that defines aesthetic harmony and has been the guiding spirit of the Reverso since it was created in 1931. Inspired by the world’s first drive-in movie theatre, which opened in the early 1930s, the specially designed ‘Art Deco Cinema’ also pays homage to the period acknowledged as the first golden age of Chinese cinema, centred in Shanghai.

The highlight of the evening will be the world premiere of The Reverso Musical Show, a spectacular sound-and-light show projected onto a giant screen of falling water. Telling the story of the Golden Ratio in four chapters, from the observation of nature, to the quest to define a formula for beauty, to mankind’s creation of beautiful objects governed by the golden ratio and concluding with the Reverso, which expresses the spirit of harmony with such eloquence. The ground-breaking British musician TØKIO M¥ERS composed a new soundtrack especially for the show, commissioned by Jaeger-LeCoultre through its Made of Makers programme, and will give a live performance of it during the premiere.

Exquisite Craftsmanship Shines like a Star

The 21st Shanghai International Film Festival joyfully coincides with the 185th anniversary of Jaeger-LeCoultre. The endearing partnership endows this occasion with even greater significance. Unique savoir-faire and craftsmanship is the true faith coming from the heart of Jaeger-LeCoultre, which expands from fine watchmaking to an even greater world. Filmmakers tell a story through the lens, while watchmakers tell their story through their beloved creations: the story of the origin, history, specialty and culture of the brand. Moreover, greater stories are transferred from the wearer to their precious timepieces. At the 15th Shanghai International Film Festival 6 years ago, Jaeger-LeCoultre launched the Rendez-Vous collection. This year, the Rendez-Vous Night & Day Tribute to Cinema, created for this unique anniversary, will make its appearance at the exhibition during the festival. The Rendez-Vous Night & Day Tribute to Cinema is a limited edition of only 100 pieces comprised of a rose gold case set with diamonds. The elegant white dial highlighted with a dash of red at the Night & Day indicator, a replica of tender lights caressing your wrist. The timepiece not only manifests the fine watchmaking craftsmanship but perfectly incarnates femininity.

At the exhibition, guests will also have the chance to appreciate the brands’ new collection Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris, together with the Master and Reverso collections. Antique pieces and fine jewelry watches have traveled all the way from the Manufacture in the Vallée de Joux, Switzerland, and are destined to kindle the light at the exhibition even brighter. Watchmakers will take the central stage at the exhibition and demonstrate their expertise and techniques. The artisanship of Jaeger-LeCoultre watchmakers share the same tranquility and subtlety of the Vallée de Joux, where the Manufacture resides since 1833. Inside the Manufacture, a world committed to precision and complication, runs with humbleness and order. It is the place that bears more than 400 patents and 1200 manufacture movements, engraving glorious moments in the history of watchmaking. In Shanghai today, the 185 years of Jaeger-LeCoultre craftsmanship shines through.

Dream with Films, Glory to Filmmakers

For almost a decade, Jaeger-LeCoultre has worked closely with the most prestigious film festivals around the world. Paying tribute to talented creative minds in the world of filmmaking, Jaeger-LeCoultre initiated the Glory to the Filmmaker Award for and with the Venice International Film Festival to honor artists that “made tremendous contribution to the development of contemporary filmmaking.” Renowned filmmakers such as Takeshi Kitano, Sylvester Stallone, Al Pacino have been honored with this prestigious award at the previous editions of Venice International Film Festival. In 2018, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Glory to the Filmmaker Award makes its appearance at the Shanghai International Film Festival for the very first time to support the development of the Chinese film industry, honoring craftsmanship and savoir-faire. It marks the filmmaker’s extraordinary achievements in filmmaking and symbolizes the shared value and vision with the Jaeger-LeCoultre brand: time may fly but true classics never fade. Creativity is what makes it all live on.

Time flowing creates the timeless, a perfect reflection on the Jaeger-LeCoultre spirit and savoir-faire.

• 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

Rendez-Vous Night & Day Medium Tribute to Cinema

A limited-edition Rendez-Vous in the Jaeger-LeCoultre tradition

The Grande Maison takes great delight in paying tribute to Cinema, and has created an exclusive edition, as in 2017, that pairs watchmaking tradition with feminine elegance in an exquisite model. The new Rendez-Vous Night & Day performs an unprecedented role with bold staging, showcasing crimson red on both its iconic function disc at 6 o’clock and on its glistening, bright red alligator-leather strap. It also appears on the winding crown in the guise of a garnet cabochon as red as film-star lips.

An ode to film and the eternal feminine

Fitted with the Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 898A/1, the watch reveals a day/night indicator against a new backdrop. The Moon, which traditionally features on the models of this line, gives way to a five-pointed star. Could it be a tribute to cinema and its stars? Or a subtle reminder of one of the Rendez-Vous collection’s unique characteristics? In any event, this pink gold star gracefully glides across a crimson red background, which gives a subtle nod to the deep red of its strap. A bezel set with brilliant-cut diamonds enhances this new expression and underscores the finely guilloché-adorned face of this sublimely feminine model, which can be discovered as a limited edition in Jaeger-LeCoultre boutiques.

“Glory to the Filmmaker” trophy

To celebrate the red-letter day of its official release, the Rendez-Vous Night & Day Medium Tribute to Cinema will be presented at the Shanghai International Film Festival during the presentation ceremony of the now-famous “Glory to the Filmmaker” trophy. Inaugurated by Jaeger-LeCoultre, this award recognises every year the creative talents of exemplary past and present film figures who endeavour to advance and promote cinema. The world launch of the Rendez-Vous Night & Day Medium Tribute to Cinema will be beautifully accompanied by the recognition of a female cinematic personality, whom the award will be presented this year in Shanghai.

Drawn to the world of film by a shared passion for magnificent storytelling, the Grande Maison transports us once again to the imaginative and creative realm of its unbridled talents. Like the scripting and production of a cinematographic work, the new Rendez-Vous Night & Day Medium Tribute to Cinema marks the culmination of a project performed by passionate artisans fuelled by a desire to share their art with an admiring audience.

Technical characteristics:

Size: 34 mm

Thickness: 8.52 mm

Calibre: 898A/1 – Automatic

Functions: H/M/S/Night&Day

Dial: Silvered guilloche / golden appliques / red Night & Day window

Diamons: 60 diamonds - 0.69 carats

Power Reserve : 60 hours

Reference : Q344246J