On two occasions in October (3rd and 4th) and November (7th and 8th), we visited the Jaeger-LeCoultre ateliers in the company of L'Orologio Club, accompanying fourteen enthusiasts to discover the many ancient crafts jealously handed down by the Grande Maison. Our visit to Jaeger-LeCoultre begins in the workshop where the most complicated movements and watches come to life. Christian Laurent, in charge of the workshop, introduces us to the mysteries of complicated movements, examining some of the most exclusive watches produced by Jaeger-LeCoultre, from the Gyrotourbillon 1 to the Reverso Grande Complication à Triptyque, of which we have the opportunity to view an example, returned to the manufacture for an overhaul. Here, our members have the opportunity to ask a few questions about the performance and special features of the company's tourbillons. With the help of a high magnification video camera and an LCD screen, Christan Laurent demonstrates the complex workings of the double cage of the Gyrotourbillon 1, explaining that together with the Triptyque, it is the most complicated watch currently produced by the Manufacture: with over 700 components and a good two months' work to assemble it, it is more complex than even the Gyrotourbillon 2. The tour of the Manufacture continues with the wheel and pinion production department, one of the best equipped in Switzerland. We then move on to the workshop for moulding blanks for bridges and plates, where we can view some of the moulds jealously preserved by the company and which constitute its most important historical heritage. Having an archive of moulds for the production of ebauche means being able to make ex-novo calibres that are no longer in production and, therefore, to restore antique watches, providing an important support to collectors of the brand. From here, a brief stop to observe the Atmos of the Millennium, walled into a column in the new wing of the manufacture when the site was enlarged, which will function for years to come without requiring any external intervention. The visit at Jaeger-LeCoultre continues with the most artistic crafts handed down at the Manufacture, from finishing the movement components to decorating the cases. We end the day with a quick visit to the Heritage Gallery, on the top floor of the Manufacture, where an exhibition tour allows us to retrace the evolution of the House through its most emblematic watches. The historical insight is followed by the opportunity to view and try on the wrist all, but really all, the models of the latest collections presented at the Sihh in January. An unparalleled opportunity for an enthusiast, complete with souvenir photo.
