Jaeger-LeCoultre Watches

Jaeger-LeCoultre Watches

Jaeger-LeCoultre is one of the most famous luxury watch brands in the world, and for very good reason. Since its founding in 1833, the manufacturer has continuously worked toward advancing the art and science of horology. The brand was founded by Antoine LeCoultre in the Swiss village of Le Sentier. It has produced over 1,000 unique movements and filed hundreds of patents. Among the plethora of watches and clocks it has produced, the Atmos, Reverso and Joaillerie 101 are considered the most notable. Today, the brand is owned by the Richemont Group and continues to produce some of the finest mechanical timekeepers found anywhere.

Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Amazing Atmos Clock

When Jaeger-LeCoultre introduced its Atmos clock in 1928, it stunned the horological world. Today we know that a perpetual motion device is not possible to build, but the Atmos clock could fool even the most astute observer into thinking otherwise. The Atmos clock features a sealed capsule with a mix of gases that expands and contracts with even the slightest atmospheric variations. This causes the movement to wind, which in turn gently impulses its massive balance wheel. The balance wheel on the Atmos clock is especially hypnotic, as it oscillates at a stately 120 oscillations per hour. Even a 1 degree change in temperature will keep the Atmos clock running perfectly for two days. The mechanics of the Atmos clock have largely remained the same since its introduction in 1928, but its design has definitely kept up with the times. Today, Jaeger-LeCoultre offers a variety of Atmos clocks, with some made in collaboration with famous contemporary artists. The Atmos clock is more than a timekeeper. It is also the official gift of the Swiss Federation and has been gifted to many visiting officials over the decades. 

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso: An Art Deco Icon

The story of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso is fascinating, as it was developed to solve a real-world problem. In 1930, a Swiss businessman named César de Trey was traveling in India and attended a polo match for an afternoon diversion. After the match, one of the players complained about the crystal of his watch, which had broken in the match. At the time, crystals for watches were made from mineral glass, which was very easy to break. The player challenged César de Trey to build a watch strong enough to survive a rough polo match. César de Trey brought the idea of this challenge back with him to Switzerland and discussed it with Jacques-David LeCoultre. From this challenge, the Reverso was born. The case of the Reverso has an ingenious mechanism that allows it to be flipped over while on the wrist. The idea was that if you were about to partake in an activity that could put the delicate watch crystal at risk, you could quickly flip the watch over to protect it. The Reverso turned out to be a very popular timekeeper that endures even to this day. It is interesting to consider that when it was introduced, the Reverso was meant to be a sports watch. Today, because of its smaller size and Art Deco style, it is often considered to be a dress watch. 

Caliber 101: A Watch Movement Fit for a Queen

One of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s most notable inventions is its Caliber 101. The mechanical watch movement is the smallest in the world, measuring 14mm long by 4.8mm thick and 3.4mm wide. It is small enough to be included inside a bracelet and barely be noticeable. The Caliber 101 was first produced in 1929 and remains in production to this day. Making a movement this size function reliably is an incredibly difficult task. Consider the size of the teeth on each gear. To fit the gear train in these dimensions, each tooth had to be miniaturized from what we would see in a normal watch. Manufacturing at this scale creates challenges that otherwise would not be considered. The Caliber 101 has made its way into beautiful watches on many famous wrists. However, Queen Elizabeth II is probably the most famous person to wear a watch powered by Caliber 101. The most well-documented occasion that Queen Elizabeth II wore a Caliber 101 watch was during her coronation in 1953.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox Is a Watch to Wake Up With

In 1956, Jaeger-LeCoultre introduced the Memovox, which is a watch that features a mechanical alarm device. Although the Memovox was not the first mechanical alarm wristwatch, it was the first that featured an automatic winding device. The Memovox alarm has a distinctly analog sound, which is created by a small hammer inside the watch repeatedly striking the case. This also creates a slight vibration to the watch, which can awaken the wearer from sleep. In 1959, Jaeger-LeCoultre took the Memovox watch to new depths. The watchmaker equipped a dive watch with this alarm mechanism and named it the Memovox Deep Sea. For this version of the Memovox, the alarm is used to remind the diver that it is time to ascend to the surface.

In addition to the Reverso, Atmos and Memovox, Jaeger-LeCoultre has produced many memorable timekeepers over the decades. Be sure to look for the Swiss brand’s other popular models, including the Master Control (4018420), Duometre (6042421), Geophysic (Q8008520) and Rendez-Vous (3408530).