Schweiz · Gegründet 1833
Jaeger-LeCoultre
Its Calibre 101 of 1929 is still the smallest mechanical movement, weighing about a gram.
Redaktioneller Text auf Englisch.
Manufacture in Le Sentier in the Vallée de Joux, founded by Antoine LeCoultre in 1833 and fully owned by Richemont since 2000. It has developed more than 1,200 calibres and is best known for the Reverso, the Master and Polaris lines and the Atmos clock. Most steel models cost EUR 7,000–15,000.
Geschichte
Antoine LeCoultre set up his first workshop in Le Sentier in 1833, after inventing a machine to cut watch pinions from steel. In 1844 he built the Millionomètre, the first instrument able to measure to the micron, and in 1847 a keyless winding and setting system worked by a push-piece. In 1866 he and his son Elie brought the valley's scattered crafts under one roof as LeCoultre & Cie, the first full manufacture in the Vallée de Joux. It won a gold medal at the 1851 Great Exhibition in London, and by 1870 it employed 500 people and was known as the 'Grande Maison' of the valley.
By 1900 LeCoultre had created more than 350 calibres, 128 with chronographs and 99 with repeaters, and from 1902 it supplied most of Patek Philippe's movement blanks for about 30 years. In 1903 the Paris-based Edmond Jaeger challenged Swiss makers to produce his ultra-thin designs. Antoine's grandson Jacques-David LeCoultre took it on, and in 1907 the Calibre 145, 1.38 mm thick, became the thinnest pocket-watch movement. Many Jaeger movements made by LeCoultre went into Cartier watches under an exclusive agreement.
The interwar years produced the brand's best-known designs. The Duoplan of 1925 built its movement on two levels, and the Calibre 101 of 1929, with 74 parts in its original form, remains the smallest mechanical movement. The Reverso followed in 1931 after polo players asked for a watch that could survive a match; French engineer René-Alfred Chauvot designed its swivelling case. In 1936 and 1937 the company took up the patents for Jean-Léon Reutter's Atmos clock, and in 1937 the name Jaeger-LeCoultre was adopted.
Post-war models included the Memovox alarm watch of 1950, the Futurematic of 1951 and the anti-magnetic Geophysic of 1958. Queen Elizabeth II wore a Calibre 101 watch at her coronation in 1953. In the United States, watches were sold as LeCoultre until the mid-1980s. Richemont took full control in 2000. The Gyrotourbillon 1 of 2004, the Duomètre of 2007 and the 26-complication Hybris Mechanica à Grande Sonnerie of 2009 gave the brand a place in high complications.
Gründer
- Antoine LeCoultre
- Founder · 1803–1881
- Inventor and watchmaker from Le Sentier who founded his workshop in 1833. His Millionomètre of 1844 measured to the micron, and his push-piece keyless system of 1847 was never patented.
Meilensteine
1833
Workshop founded in Le Sentier
Antoine LeCoultre starts his workshop after inventing a pinion-cutting machine.
1844
Millionomètre
LeCoultre's instrument measures to the micron, allowing parts to be made to consistent tolerances.
1866
LeCoultre & Cie manufacture
Antoine and Elie LeCoultre gather the crafts under one roof, the first full manufacture in the Vallée de Joux.
1907
Calibre 145, 1.38 mm
The thinnest pocket-watch movement of its time, developed in response to Edmond Jaeger's challenge.
1929
Calibre 101
A rectangular movement of about one gram, still the smallest mechanical movement.
1931
Reverso
A swivelling case protects the dial and crystal during polo matches.
1937
Jaeger-LeCoultre name adopted
The long collaboration between Jaeger in Paris and LeCoultre in Le Sentier is formalised under one name.
1950
Memovox
An alarm wristwatch whose name means 'voice of memory'; the first automatic version follows in 1956.
2000
Richemont takes full control
Richemont buys Les Manufactures Horlogères and the remaining 40 percent of Jaeger-LeCoultre.
2009
Hybris Mechanica à Grande Sonnerie
A wristwatch with 26 complications, among them a grande sonnerie playing the Westminster chime.
Drei Dinge, die Sammler wissen
Patek Philippe's movement supplier
From 1902 and for about 30 years, LeCoultre produced most of the movement blanks used by Patek Philippe in Geneva.
A clock that runs on air
The Atmos draws energy from temperature changes: a shift of 1 °C stores enough for about two days. The Swiss government has given Atmos clocks as official gifts since 1950.
Sapphire in 1929
The Duoplan is credited with the first sapphire crystal in a watch, in 1929, and came with a replacement service insured by Lloyd's of London.
Wichtige Modelle
- Reverso1931
Art Deco rectangular case that swivels to protect the dial; offered today with one or two faces.
- Memovox Polaris1968
Diver's alarm watch with a triple caseback; the name returned as the Polaris collection in 2018.
- Master Control1992
Round everyday line launched with the brand's 1,000 Hours Control testing programme.
- Duomètre2007
Dual-Wing movements with separate energy supplies for timekeeping and the complication.
Fragen
- Who owns Jaeger-LeCoultre?
- Richemont. In 2000 it bought Les Manufactures Horlogères, which held a majority, together with the remaining 40 percent of Jaeger-LeCoultre. Sister brands include Vacheron Constantin, A. Lange & Söhne and Cartier.
- How do you pronounce Jaeger-LeCoultre?
- The French pronunciation is roughly zhay-ZHAIR luh-KOOL-truh. 'YAY-ger' is common among English speakers but is not the French form.
- Why is Jaeger-LeCoultre called the watchmaker's watchmaker?
- Because for much of its history it supplied movements to other houses, including blanks for Patek Philippe from 1902 and movements for Jaeger watches sold by Cartier. It has developed more than 1,200 calibres.
- Who invented the Reverso?
- The Reverso was launched by LeCoultre in 1931. Watch dealer César de Trey passed on a request from polo players, and French engineer René-Alfred Chauvot designed the case that slides and flips in its carrier.