Jaeger LeCoultre Master Grande Reveil Watches

In 1803, Le Sentier saw the nativity of a boy who was to make the name LeCoultre world-renowned. Descendant of Pierre LeCoultre who settled in Le Sentier in 1559, Antoine LeCoultre was the son of Henri-David, owner of a forge, which produced mechanical instruments. It was here that he completed his apprenticeship and specialized in metallurgy and gear-mechanisms. In 1833, Antoine left the family workshops and founded a employment manufacturing clock gearing with his brother Ulysse in Le Sentier. Antoine invested his energy and engineering talent in the development of new production processes and methods.His Millionometer of 1844 was the first instrument capable of measuring components to the nearest micron - a millionth of a metre. The growing business made watch-blanks as well as precision parts, and beside 1860 was employing 100 people. Antoine LeCoultre’s sons, Elie, Paul and Benjamin, followed him in the business. LeCoultre became an early source for complicated movements, creating repeaters, chronographs and calendars. By the time Elie’s son, Jacques-David, joined the business in 1899, it had become the Vall��e de Joux’s dominant manufacturer. 1903: Jacques-David LeCoultre entered into a business relationship in Paris with the chronometer-maker Edmond Jaeger. This partnership opened the way into the luxury market for LeCoultre and resulted in the name of Jaeger-LeCoultre, which was to become synonymous with high-grade watch making. 1833: The year Eug��ne Delacroix paints “Fantasia Arabe”, Antoine LeCoultre establishes a watch making workshop in Le Sentier. It is still a Manufacture today, where the components of the watch are made, hand-finished and assembled in a single complex of specialized workshops. It is an extremely time-consuming way of making watches, but without it, the watchmakers would be unable to express their love of their craft by finishing and decorating each detail of the watch to perfection. 1844: Samuel Morse makes the world smaller with the first telegraph link. At the same time, Antoine LeCoultre’s Millionometer reduces the smallest measurable distance to one thousandth of a millimetre, thus introducing watch making to a higher level of precision. 1847: In Le Sentier, LeCoultre & Co. produce the first movement with a crown winding and setting system, making the key-wound watch obsolete. In Mauritius, the first philatelic mistake is made when postage stamps are printed with the words “Post Office” instead of “Post paid”. 1851: The Great Exhibition opens in London where Antoine LeCoultre wins his first gold medal for a gold chronometer with the new keyslighter winding and setting system. 1903: The Wright Brothers take off on the first powered flight. Closer to the ground, LeCoultre & Co. unveil the world’s flattest pocket-watch calibre. The 1.38 mm-high movement still holds the record. 1925: The year Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse is born also sees the introduction of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Duoplan watch - way ahead of its time for its modular construction and accurate timemaintaining. 1928: An engineer called J.L. Reutter invents a remarkable clock while Maurice Ravel composes his Bolero. The Atmos table-clock never has to be wound. It creates all the power it needs from tiny changes in the air temperature. Built in Le Sentier since 1936, Atmos clocks are frequently presented to distinguished foreign representatives in Switzerland. 1929: The year the stock-market crash brings reduced circumstances around the world, Jaeger-LeCoultre reduces the mechanical watch movement to its smallest ever. The Calibre 101, measuring 14 x 4.8 x 3.4mm, comprising 98 parts and weighing less than a gram, remains the world’s tiniest watch movement. 1931: Auguste Piccard goes higher than man dreamed possible in his hydrogen balloon. Far below, in Le Sentier, Jaeger-LeCoultre starts building the Reverso, a wristwatch with a swivel case that turns its back to shocks to protect the delicate mineral glass. It perfectly captured the Art Deco style for posterity. 1932: Jaeger-LeCoultre creates a movement of heart-stopping beauty (coinciding with the development of the pacemaker in the United States). The harmonious linear arrangement of the Baguette clock movement is always presented in a glass case. 1953: While Hillary and Tensing checkmate Everest, Jaeger-LeCoultre completes the first fully automatic watch. The Futurematic needed no winding crown, but it had a power-reserve indicator. 1956: Brigitte Bardot incarnates dreams in “and God created Woman”. Memovox, the first automatic alarm wristwatch from Jaeger-LeCoultre, brings thousands back to reality. 1982: Jaeger-LeCoultre wins the contest for the smallest quartz movement; in the year Italy wins the world cup. The calibre 601 movement, with a diameter of 11.7 mm, is only 1.8 mm thick. It renews Jaeger-LeCoultre’s quest for improved timekeeping and increased miniaturization. 1987: Vincent Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” grabs world attention for the price it fetches at auction. Jaeger-LeCoultre concentrates on making the smallest complete chronograph movement. The calibre 630 meca-quartz combines the complexity of a mechanical chronograph with quartz precision. 1989: The Manufacture produces the Grand R��veil. It’s a self-winding perpetual-calendar wristwatch with moon-phase and a unique feature - an alarm-bell struck by a hammer. Meanwhile, astronomers discover a new moon orbiting Neptune. 1991: Jaeger-LeCoultre celebrates the 60th birthday of the world’s longest-running watch model -the Reverso - with a special limited edition of 500 of the celebrated watch, a travelling exhibition, “Journey to the Centre of Time” and a lavishly illustrated book, “Reverso, the Living Legend”. In the same year, Switzerland looks back on seven centuries as a nation. 1992: The eyes of the world are on the Earth Summit at Rio de Janeiro. In Le Sentier, watchmakers are putting the most thoroughly tested production wristwatch of its era through its paces. The Master Control 1000 Hours sets a new standard for mechanical reliability. 1993: Advanced measuring systems from Switzerland shrink the world’s highest mountain by two metres, putting Everest’s official height at 8846 m. The same concern for absolute precision inspires the Reverso Tourbillon with power-reserve indicator in a limited edition of 500 pieces. 1994: The Stones keep rocking. The doyen of rock-bands thrills millions on its explosive US Tour. In Le Sentier, the small, clear sound of tiny hammers striking acoustic-steel gongs is heard from the first of 500 Reverso R��p��tition Minutes. 1996: Germany wins the European soccer championship, while Jaeger-LeCoultre accumulates watch making distinctions. The Master Geographic is awarded the title Watch of the Year by Swiss public, while the Reverso wins the Grand Prix of the Vicenza fair, a prize willingly accepted by Giorgio Corvo, the greatest Reverso admirer of all time. 1997: Watch out, surprises are on their way! The Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre is currently developing many horological innovations, ready to make a sensational entry onto the markets on the threshold of the 21st century.Jaeger Le Coultre Replica Watches

(Store manager, Stephanie M. and co-worker Jason G.)In the summer of 2009 I visited the Jaeger-LeCoultre flagship boutique in Beverly Hills. The store is modest in size, like many boutiques, but the assortment is not. This store has the most complete Jaeger-LeCoultre collection in country (the only JLC run boutique in North America). Including some exclusive "boutique only" timepieces. This boutique is right off of Rodeo Drive, sitting in between Richemont owned Panerai and IWC, in one of the most exclusive zip codes in the country, 90210. Within the immediate proximity there are also Breguet, Omega, Chopard, Chanel, Gucci, Cartier and LVMH boutiques. For my visit, I met with boutique manager Stephanie Moulard. She is extremely friendly and very knowledgeable. I suggest contacting her if you have any purchase questions regarding Jaeger-LeCoultre timepieces. (Contact info below.) Stephanine presented to me about ten watches from the collection. The "boutique only" platinum Duom��tre Chronograph, featuring dual movements, was my favorite. The Reverso Squadra Polo Fields Worldtimer/Chronograph was very impressive as well. I will post some photographs and impressions of the Duom��tre, Extreme Tourbillon, Master Compressor Alarm "Valentino Rossi" and two Reverso watches - throughout the week. (Signature JLC door handles) (JLC boutique in between IWC and Panerai) (Intersection of Brighton Way and Rodeo Drive)Five watches I viewed and photographed during my visit to JLC's boutiqe:Master Compressor Extreme Tourbillon ByblosReverso �� EclipseMaster Compressor Extreme Alarm Valentino RossiReverso Squadra Polo Fields World ChronographDuom��treJaeger-LeCoultre Boutique9490B Brighton WayBeverly Hills, CA 90210Tel: (310) 734-0525Email: [email protected] 10am - 6pm