The new boutique of Jaeger-LeCoultre on Place Vendôme

Over 1,000 different calibres, 400 patents, 40 professions, a significant number of major horological inventions as well as many records in terms of miniaturisation and precision: since its creation by Antoine LeCoultre, the Swiss Manufacture born in 1833 in the legendary Vallée de Joux has firmly established itself as one of the main benchmarks in Fine Watchmaking.

2012 sees the Manufacture further amplify its international deployment in order to continue sharing its horological passion on a truly global scale. Paris, Geneva, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, London, Milan, Moscow, Dubai, Singapore, Macao and soon Las Vegas… In all these worldwide capitals of luxury, Jaeger-LeCoultre turns its boutiques into must-see meeting places for watchmaking enthusiasts.

To date, 46 Jaeger-LeCoultre boutiques around the world perpetuate the spirit of the Manufacture and its innovation-based values.

In 2005, Jaeger-LeCoultre had decided to establish itself on the Place Vendôme, the vibrant heart of French-style luxury, a legendary place where prestigious Houses and palace hotels sparkle and beckon. There, in the splendid Hôtel de Villemaré designed in the 17th century by Mansart, the favoured architect of Louis XIV, the brand has found an ideal showcase in which to present its latest creations and its iconic models.

On the eve of celebrating the 180th anniversary of its Manufacture, Jaeger-LeCoultre has chosen to transform this Parisian boutique at No. 7, Place Vendôme, in order to express its expansion through a considerably enlarged area that thus becomes the new brand flagship.

An impressive 500 m2 area will now be devoted to the watches from the Manufacture, amid a revamped interior design pervaded by a sense of discreet luxury, serene intimacy and elegant refinement entirely in tune with current tastes. A warm, luminous space where Jaeger-LeCoultre will be to convey at once its past, its present and its future…

As one of the greatest international watch manufacturers, the Maison has woven genuine ties with connoisseurs of Fine Watchmaking. This is precisely why this new space has been designed as a place of hospitality where loyal brand lovers, collectors and all devotees of high-end watches will receive a warm welcome.

Because watchmaking is above all a question of passion, Jaeger-LeCoultre has decided to make its new boutique on the Place Vendôme far more than just a sales room, since visitors to No. 7 Place Vendôme will now be offered a range of authentic horological experiences.

The first pleasing sensations will be elicited by the beautifully curved and light-filled rotunda-style reception area. The visual discovery will begin with the very first look at the mezzanine area where pieces from the historical heritage of the Manufacture will be on display. A giant mechanism adorning the ceiling will set visitors off on their journey to the heart of Fine Watchmaking by evoking one of the latest horological inventions from the Manufacture: the Duomètre Sphérotourbillon.

Beyond the reception lounge, a first area will serve to present the current collections. In order to satisfy a broad spectrum of expectations and curiosity, the watches will be grouped by theme: classic, feminine, technical, Grande Complication models…

As a reminder of the more than 1,000 calibres created by the Manufacture over almost 180 years, an entire wall of watch movements will be on show at ground-floor level, symbolising the diversity of expertise cultivated by Jaeger-LeCoultre, which still produces under its own roof around 40 calibres per year – from the world’s smallest mechanical movement, Calibre 101, to the most complicated mechanisms housing up to 1,200 parts.

On the upper floor, two spacious rooms featuring a warm, refined interior design will showcase the Grande Complication or Haute Joaillerie watches from the Manufacture and will provide an ideal setting for temporary exhibitions devoted to new releases, as well as to horological icons such as the Reverso, the Atmos or the Deep Sea watch…

A second adjoining room will offer the refinement of a VIP lounge and the appeal of an exceptional view over the Place Vendôme. The circular gallery opening up on to the rotunda will subsequently provide an opportunity to discover various artistic crafts exercised in the Manufacture (gem-setting, enamelling, engraving, mastery of horological complications), as well as the legendary Atmos clocks.

Moreover, because the new Jaeger-LeCoultre boutique is intended to be a place brimming with life and passion, it is well worth visiting the land of the watchmakers. The entire area will be reserved for workshops where specialists will handle maintenance, repairs and other interventions on any watches with which they may be entrusted. As a bonus, cameras will offer a chance to observe their work on a broad screen enabling viewers to plunge into the heart of the watch movements in their care. A team member will always be on hand to provide explanations and answer visitors’ questions. It is also an invitation to share the history of Jaeger-LeCoultre, since visitors will be able to enjoy a close-up look at a wealth of historical treasures rarely revealed to the public at large: horological instruments invented by Antoine LeCoultre such as the Millionometer, historical pocket-watches presenting the most beautiful complications, and Atmos clocks.

Presentation rooms, lounges, workshops: each of the various areas will provide a setting for distinctive discoveries: exceptional pieces from the Jaeger-LeCoultre heritage, a “Cabinet of Curiosities dedicated to horology, examples of theme-based scenography, close-up looks at artistic crafts and skills exercised within the Manufacture, etc…

Each square metre of the new boutique will be truly dedicated to horological passion in all its forms, and will vividly reflect the prestige of the Grande Maison.

For its iconic new boutique on Place Vendôme, Jaeger-LeCoultre wanted to convey its vision of luxury and to express its personality by entrusting the finest specialists with the mission of imbuing this highly original place with a sense of pleasure and well-being.

This quest is translated first of all through the choice of materials. On the ground level, the flooring is covered with paving stones quarried from Sainte-Croix-de-Mareuil, France. On the upper floor, the Versailles parquet floor made of oak from controlled forests creates an appealingly contemporary touch.

In reference to the historical roots of the House, Art Deco is reinterpreted through discreet reminders of the brand’s aesthetic identity codes, such as the famous gadroons on the Reverso.

Although white definitely dominates the scene, the light grey shade of certain velvet silk wall hangings, and the black hue of the brushed oak woodwork, endow the interior design with a blend of visual rhythm and refinement.

The most truly one-of-a-kind feature in the new Jaeger-LeCoultre boutique on Place Vendôme is undoubtedly its splendid elevator, which appears to have been carved from a block of translucent alabaster. As if lit up from inside, this white stone typical of the Art Deco era reveals its veins and its mottling, enhanced by wrought-iron elements. The satin-brushed effect of the black nickel calls for difficult and accurate work on polished, waxed and patinated brass. The alliance of stone and metal make this elevator a genuine work of art in its own right.

The lighting has been carefully designed to provide subtle alternations between softer and more brightly lit areas. The light from the understated ceiling, from hand-crafted wall lamps, or from the elevator and the staircase, make this new boutique a particularly warm space dedicated to presentation, exposition and visitors. Glass furniture and display windows hosting the watches; dark leather armchairs and sofas: everything combines to create a welcoming, serene and refined atmosphere.

All the new Jaeger-LeCoultre boutiques worldwide will be created in this spirit, intermingling the roots of the Manufacture with local hand craftsmanship skills, so as to respect the values of Fine Watchmaking along with local cultures and the environment. And of course to provide the watches from the Manufacture with the noble backdrop they so richly deserve.

Let’s set a rendezvous at the Place Vendôme…