‘THE PRECISION PIONEER’ OPENS IN BEIJING

Key Facts:

• Global Ambassador Jackson Yee, Friend of the Maison Wang Shun, Zhang Ziyi, Gigi Leung, Chilam Cheung, Zhu Zhu, Wang Xingyue, Karena Ng among the guests at the private opening night celebration of ‘The Precision Pioneer’
• Hypnotic artworks by street light-painter Roy Wang and a menu created by Michelin-starred chef Himanshu Saini, collaborations under the Made of Makers programme
• Historic timepieces and archive materials, star models from Watches and Wonders Geneva 2024, and the global launch of two new limited-edition high-complication timepieces

Beijing, September 14, 2024 - Swiss watchmaking Maison Jaeger-LeCoultre celebrated the Asian premiere of ‘The Precision Pioneer’ exhibition at The Green, Wangfujing Central in Beijing. Showcasing almost 200 years of heritage and innovation, the exhibition invites the public to discover how the pursuit of precision has advanced the art and science of fine watchmaking.

A Night to Remember

To open this remarkable exhibition, Jaeger-LeCoultre was honoured to welcome global Ambassador Jackson Yee and Friend of the Maison Wang Shun, as well as acclaimed Zhang Ziyi, Gigi Leung, Chilam Cheung, Zhu Zhu, Wang Xingyue, Karena Ng, during a private celebration.

Honouring Precision through Art and Cuisine

Adding to the opening night celebration, Chinese street light-painting artist Roy Wang performed a live light-painting show with one of his signature motifs – the dragon. During his live demonstration, a spectacular light show accompanied the performance, setting the stage for an immersive experience. This light show will also be featured every evening throughout the exhibition’s duration. Four specially commissioned artworks by Roy Wang will also be displayed during the exhibition, in a standalone installation on Wangfujing Street.

The Maison also commissioned the two-Michelin-starred chef Himanshu Saini to create a special menu of tasting bites paired with perfectly matched beverages, inviting guests to embark on a culinary journey blending ingredients of the Vallée de Joux with flavours from the subcontinent at the Precision Atelier.

Both collaborations were commissioned by Jaeger-LeCoultre under its Made of Makers programme – a series of artistic partnerships that expands the dialogue between watchmaking and other art forms.

Two New Limited-Edition Timepieces Revealed

The exhibition also marks the global launch of two new limited-edition, high-complication watches that showcase exquisite decoration by the craftsmen of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Métiers Rares™ atelier.

The Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945, features a hand-engraved bezel and three-dimensional dragons on the dial, complementing the Northern Hemisphere sky vault, the Cosmotourbillon that orbits the dial in one sidereal day, and an integrated minute repeater. The Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 184 reinterprets the Gyrotourbillon 5 with a new dial design featuring black Grand Feu enamel with a pattern of fine golden lines, and a smoky black, semi-transparent sapphire that allows an intriguing glimpse of the discs of the perpetual calendar.

A Journey Through Time and Precision

Created by Jaeger-LeCoultre as part of its mission to expand the cultural conversation around fine watchmaking, ‘The Precision Pioneer’ offers visitors a deep immersion into the art and science of precision in fine watchmaking. The story of precision reveals the depths of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s rich heritage, craftsmanship and pioneering spirit, from the invention of the first pinion-cutting machine to the development of the Duometre concept. Visitors are invited to discover La Grande Maison’s quest for precision in four chapters: The Precision of Production and Decoration, The Precision of Chronometry, The Precision of Regulating Organs and The Precision of Complications.

A Celebration of Craftsmanship and Hands-on Watchmaking Experiences

A cinema space within the exhibition is dedicated to the 180 skills mastered within Jaeger-LeCoultre’s fully integrated Manufacture, showcasing essential aspects of the art and craft of watchmaking that have particular relevance to the theme of precision. In the Making is a series of short films that take viewers behind the scenes at the Manufacture, each focusing on a single craft: design, production, finishing, assembly and ornamentation.

In addition, visitors can watch live demonstrations of two key skills: perlage and movement assembly, and those who wish to try their own hand at these skills will be invited to do so. For those seeking an even deeper understanding of watchmaking, ‘The Precision Pioneer’ offers hands-on educational workshops at the Atelier d'Antoine in the newly opened flagship boutique, located just three minutes’ walk from the exhibition. Discovery Workshop sessions at the Atelier d'Antoine are available to all visitors by appointment.

Location, Opening Hours and Admissions

‘The Precision Pioneer’ will take place from 14 September until 3 October 2024 at The Green, WF Central in Dongcheng, Beijing and is open to the public free of charge from 11.00AM to 08.00PM from Monday – Thursday and from 10:00AM to 10:00PM on Friday – Sunday and on holidays. Visitors may book guided tours on-site at the exhibition via a staff representative. Appointments for the Atelier d’Antoine Discovery Workshop should be made via a Sales Associate at the WF Central Boutique.