“Some of the most coveted luxury watches today are those that not only tell time but also tell tales from another era.”
In January 2023, Jaeger-LeCoultre celebrated its 190th anniversary in style by introducing “The Collectibles” collection. This is the brand’s way of restoring its vintage timepieces from the 1920s to 1970s, the golden age of watchmaking. As we know, Jaeger-LeCoultre created some impressive-looking timepieces with equally impressive movements during this period, so bringing some of this history back into the modern world of horology is certainly special.
“The Collectibles provides a unique service to enthusiasts and fine watches collectors who wish to acquire a piece of history from La Grande Maison. The Collectibles presents a meticulously curated capsule collection of rare and sought-after timepieces representing high-water marks for both Jaeger-LeCoultre and 20th-century watchmaking.”
When I was in Switzerland for Geneva Watch Days recently, I had the opportunity to visit Jaeger-LeCoultre Manufacture with the Watch Advice team, where we were given a tour of their facilities and all things watchmaking. One of the sections of the Manufacture was the archives. In this section we say almost everything related to the brand’s history, including their vintage timepieces. This is one area of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Manufacture that certainly stood out, as we were indeed incredibly lucky to see these vintage watches up close.
Related Reading: A Day Out At The Jaeger-LeCoultre Manufacture
As we went through the Jaeger-LeCoultre Manufacture, we also saw where the watch restoration of vintage pieces was done. This shows that Jaeger-LeCoultre already has the means and capability to carry out restoration works. It is said that there are 10 specialised restoration watchmakers at the Manufacture. These watchmakers have access to all the necessary parts to restore the vintage timepieces. We were given a brief snippet into this through our visit to the archives, where we saw a whole shelf of spare parts of historic Jaeger-LeCoultre movements and cases. Even if the spare part of a historic Jaeger-LeCoultre calibre movement doesn’t exist, the restoration watchmakers will certainly be able to create a new one.
So, seeing Jaeger-LeCoultre bring some of its historic models back to life is more than simply restoring vintage timepieces. They are bringing back a piece of history, with watches that not only defined their own watchmaking, but playing a pivitol role in the history of horology.
“Scarcity, desirability, condition. The three reasons behind the thrill of the chase. Pursuing a rare vintage piece can sometimes escalate into a genuine quest.”
Jaeger-LeCoultre is releasing these vintage timepieces through what’s called “Capsule Collections”. As mentioned earlier, the first of these Capsule Collections was unveiled in January last year, and it featured 12 timepieces that were restored and could be bought. As a part of this Capsule Collection, Jaeger-LeCoultre also released a book called “The Collectibles”, which featured all the references that were up for potential restoration. I say potential because the book has seventeen references in total, while only twelve were part of the first Capsule Collection. The reason why Jaeger-LeCoultre didn’t restore all seventeen at the time was because they were not able to source perfect examples of the five remaining timepieces.
In June 2023, Jaeger-LeCoultre presented the second series of the Capsule Collection in Los Angeles, this time offering eleven historic timepieces for sale. If you look at Jaeger-LeCoultre’s website now, you’ll see that every single one of the historic pieces from the Capsule Collections has been sold, which is not a big surprise, even with some of the said watches fetching over AU$50,000.
The watches that form the two Capsule Collections include some of the most iconic timepieces from Jaeger-LeCoultre’s extensive history. Watches like the 1933 Reverso, Duoplan Jewellery, the Triple Calendar, Futurematic, the Deep Sea and a fair few Memovox timepieces. The watches in the Capsule Collections vary in style and design, showcasing the different Jaeger-LeCoultre collections. Below are twelve timepieces we picked from the two Capsule Collections!
Jaeger-LeCoultre Duoplan Jewellery
When the partnership between Jaeger and LeCoultre first started, they created a timepiece called the Duoplan, which was an industry revolution at the time. The timepiece was the groundwork for both Jaeger and LeCoultre to impress the world of horology with their creative and beautiful designs. The creation of the Duoplan also allowed LeCoultre & Cie to go from a movement manufacturer to a full-time watch manufacturer.
1933 Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Special Edition Rouge
This ultra-thin Reverso paid tribute to the historic original Reverso 201 model, which houses an extra-slim calibre 822 movement. The special thing about this timepiece was the standout red lacquer rouge dial, which was certainly an uncommon sight in the era of the Great Depression in which it was released.
1946 Jaeger-LeCoultre Triple Calendar
Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Triple Calendar was created in the early 1940s and features a classic horological complication. It was created with timeless elegance in mind while also bearing useful function, bringing together form and function. It was one of the first complications designed explicitly for a series-produced wristwatch, it has left an indelible imprint on the history of the Manufacture, but also on the history of watchmaking as a whole.
1958 Jaeger-LeCoultre Geophysic
As part of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s 125th anniversary celebrations in 1958, the brand released three timepieces, one of which was the Geophysic. As Jaeger-LeCoultre states, “The objective was to produce “a watch model able to withstand even the toughest conditions and meet the highest standards, particularly in terms of water resistance, anti-magnetism, and precision timing. “Subsequently, it became a symbol of excellence for the Manufacture.
1957 Jaeger-LeCoultre Futurematic
Nicknamed the “Porthole,” the Jaeger-LeCoultre Futurematic was created in the 1950s. It was a watch that was well ahead of its time, hence the name “Futurematic.” The watch came with no crown but rather an adjustable wheel found on the case back to adjust the time as needed. The dial also featured two “portholes,” with the 3 o’clock porthole indicating the seconds, while the 9 o’clock porthole indicates the power reserve.
1961 Jaeger-LeCoultre Geomatic Chronometer
Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Geomatic Chronometer was an inspired creation from the brand’s Geophysic timepiece. At the time of it’s creation in 1961, the Geomatic brought together all the knowledge of the watchmakers from the Vallée de Joux. The watch was incredibly precise, symbolising the ultimate combination of state-of-the-art technology and understated elegance, all thanks to the timepiece’s chronometer-certified movement.
1968 Jaeger-LeCoultre Deepsea Barracuda
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Deepsea Barracuda was launched in 1968 in response to the popularity of deep-sea diving watches. The Barracuda can be easily recognised thanks to the truncated tonneau case and the inner sporty diving bezel, which measures diving times. As highlighted by the Master Mariner and Deep Sea signatures at 6 o’clock, a symbol of its rich legacy, it is the perfect union of style and performance.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Small Seconds
This Reverso Small Seconds was released during a time when white and silver-toned dials were the norm, making it stand out beautifully. Jaeger-LeCoultre was one of the few Maisons to offer coloured dials, giving timepieces like the Reverso added character. Even though the Reverso was made in coloured dials, colours like red, brown and blue were made on request, making the timepiece even more rare.
1970 Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris II
Jaeger-LeCoultre first introduced the Polaris II in 1970, with the timepiece representing a clear difference in design and style from the previous versions of the Polaris. The timepiece featured iconic 1970s design cues, such as the bright colours and the large case size with rounded shapes. The Polaris II also came with Jaeger-LeCoultre’s latest developed movement calibre, giving the Polaris a totally new look.
1970s Jaeger-LeCoultre “Shark” Deep Sea
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Shark Deep Sea was created on the back of Maison’s successful diving watches produced since 1959. This deep sea timepiece, however, was unlike anything Jaeger-LeCoultre had created before. The timepiece came with two core features that made it stand out from any other divining watch on the market at the time. The first was the chronograph, which was a first for Jaeger-LeCoutlre for a diving watch. The second was the bezel interchangeability, allowing you to change the bezel from diving and telemeter to world time (featured in the picture above).
1972 Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox Speed Beat GT
The Memovox Speed Beat GT was released in 1972, with the timepiece being produced only for that year. Jaeger-LeCoultre called “Speed Beat GT” because of the size of the oval case (GT stands for Grande Taille), while Speed Beat is meant for the high-frequency movement that’s beating inside. As stated in Jaeger-LeCoultre’s 1970s ad, “For the man who lives a busy and fast-paced life, the Memovox Speed Beat GT is the perfect companion.”
Jaeger-LeCoultre Automatic “Lapis”
An iconic timepiece in Jaeger-LeCoultre history is the Automatic “Lapis.” The watch was nicknamed “Lapis Lazuli” by enthusiasts and collectors alike due to the blue-coloured dial and the pattern in which the lacquer has been applied to create subtle nuances on its surface. This gives the dial an aesthetic appearance of ornamental stone. The beauty of this dial is that due to how lacquer is applied, it gives varying shades of sky blue, navy blue and black, meaning that each Automatic Lapis timepiece will have a different appearance. This makes the timepiece unique, and in the case of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s “Collectibles”, a highly prized find for collectors and enthusiasts.
Third Capsule Collection
Jaeger-LeCoultre will continue its Collectibles project with the unveiling of the third Capsule Collection, which will be released soon. While it’s unclear as to exactly which vintage timepieces will be on display, what we can certainly expect from the brand’s previous Capsule Collections is that they will have played a vital importance in Jaeger-LeCoultre’s history. If you want to be among the first to see which timepieces will be part of the third Capsule Collection, sign up for Jaeger-LeCoultre’s newsletter here!
