The watchmakers at Jaeger-LeCoultre have long been inspired by the exceptional scenery offered by the Swiss Jura Mountains. Working from the Jaeger-LeCoultre in the Vallée de Joux, watchmakers, engineers, designers and artisans work in unison to give birth to fine watchmaking creations that are loved by many around the world.
The Home of Fine Watchmaking regularly invites its guests to make stopovers in its different ateliers, and to discover the restoration workshop as well as the Heritage Gallery.
The Manufacture, which has stood since 1833, recently underwent renovations works for five months that restored the historic building’s appearance. For this, the Luc Chappuis Maison carried out substantive design operations: new lime plaster, new window
frames made of Jura stones, bush-hammer technique.
Within the walls of this historic building lies the restoration workshop where antique watches, pocket watches and other treasures are entrusted to skilled watchmakers. Their proximity with Heritage Gallery allows them to access the originals plans of the watches to reproduce components that would be otherwise impossible to repair or replace.
There is also a rich collection of nearly 6,000 stamps or swages, manufactured by the Maison for their unique movements and preciously preserved at the Manufacture, is also available for this precise watchmaking work.
A Place of History and Inspiration
The aforementioned Heritage Gallery was redesigned between 2016 and 2017. It presents the iconic timepieces and collections of Jaeger-LeCoultre. It offers visitors a unique, connected experience as well as a close look into the key stages of the Maison’s history and the art of watchmaking.
Split across two levels are massive display cases that showcase the Maison’s archives which contain written records of technical plans, patent, drawings, old books, client registries, advertisements and catalogues.
Besides their historical interest, these archives constitute a constant source of inspiration for the creation of new timepieces.
A nod to the past comes in the form of a workbench, similar to the one used by Antoine LeCoultre, the founder of the company.
The gallery also contains many of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s past achievements including a transparent wall that exhibits 340 of the over 1,200 mechanical movements designed, created and assembled by the Jaeger-LeCoultre Manufacture. Among them is the world’s smallest movement, the 1929 developed calibre 101 which barely weighs one gramme.
Upstairs, visitors will find an intimate atmosphere where aesthetic masterpieces and exceptional pieces are set side by side
without overshadowing each other in individual display cases. There is also the opportunity to admire the renowned Hybris Mechanica collection.
At the end of the visit of this building filled with history, each guest enjoys a unique watchmaking journey to the heart of the Grande Maison, where the past illuminates the present to better reveal it and set off from the Vallée de Joux with sparkles in their eyes.
