A visit to the Jaeger-LeCoultre manufacture for six members of L'Orologio Club who, on 11 and 12 February, had the opportunity to cross the threshold of one of the most prestigious and emblazoned brands on the watchmaking scene. It was a rare opportunity to experience first-hand a unique environment, as this is where the entire production process of a watch takes place: from the design of the first prototypes to the actual production, through to mass production and, finally, maintenance. Not to be missed is a tour of the movement production department of the Maison, where raw metal pieces are transformed into what will become the movement support after many steps. Immediately after leaving the machines, the blanks are taken over by the people in charge of the different types of finishing (mirror polishing, perlage, soleil, côtes de Genève), which have the dual purpose of beautifying the movement and catching any dust grains between the microgrooves. All the finishing and adjustment steps are carried out by hand and in some cases there is only one technician who is able to intervene thanks to expertise gained over the years. In order not to dissipate its invaluable historical heritage, Jaeger-LeCoultre has created the Maison Heritage & Rare Pieces department headed by Stéphane Belmont, who after years in the company has taken over the leadership of a key sector on which the archive, the Heritage Gallery (a veritable museum) and the service for vintage pieces depend.
