Supernova: Jaeger-LeCoultre Presents Two New Takes On The Rendez-Vous at Watches & Wonders 2022
We recently wrote about how Jaeger-LeCoultre’s 2022 novelties are inspired by the cosmos. But did we mention that these novelties are super fun? In particular, the new Rendez-Vous Star and the Rendez-Vous Dazzling Star, which are inspired by shooting stars.
Presented last week in Geneva at Watches & Wonders, you can see these celestial beauties at Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Stellar Odyssey exhibition around the world. The exhibition features immersive multi-media installations, including a special collaboration with the French artist Guillaume Marmin that will take visitors on a virtual journey to the cosmos.
But until the tour comes to a town near you, let’s take a look at two of the brand’s newest stars.
Rendez-Vous Dazzling Star
Some of our favorite complications are those whose only purpose is to delight. The Rendez-Vous Dazzling Star is one of those watches.
Despite knowing that what we call a shooting star is really a meteor streaking across the sky, creating a trail of light as it enters Earth’s atmosphere does nothing to diminish their magic. They are unpredictable and mysterious, appearing and disappearing in the blink of an eye.
The Rendez-Vous Dazzling Star aims to recreate this celestial phenomenon thanks to an entirely new Jaeger-LeCoultre automatic calibre 734 mechanism conceived and created by the brand. Activated by wrist movement, a shooting star appears from beneath the aventurine dial at random moments – usually four to six times per hour. The unpredictable nature makes the effect even more enchanting (although it can be summoned by turning the crown several times).
And to complete the starry look of the heavens above, the dial and case are decorated with diamonds (reference Q3642470 has 181 diamonds with a total weight of 3.48 carats, and reference Q3642371 has 617 diamonds totaling 8.36 carats in weight). To accentuate the feeling of movement, the 36mm pink gold watch caries all the codes of the Rendez-Vous collection including the floral font, applied hemispherical hour markers, and golden floral hands.
Rendez-Vous Star
Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Rendez-Vous collection appeals to an audience that appreciates both the watchmakers’ and jewelry designers’ particular skills. And the Rendez-Vous Star is a fine example of the adage that gem setting is another complication.
The Rendez-Vous Star offers the calibre 734 shooting star complication in two stunning variations: a white gold case with a dial presented in silvery blue and a pink gold case with a soft golden-brown dial.
Impressively, the artisans of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Métiers Rares have harnessed many techniques to portray the beauty and mystery of the night sky. For example, by using transparent sapphire glass, the dial employs three layers – either sprinkled with stars or hand-painted with clouds and a crescent moon.
Beneath this sky is a rotating circular titanium disc in an intense night blue for the white gold version and a dark taupe color for the pink gold version. This layer features a cut-out of a shooting star, artfully concealed by the clouds, stars, and moon when it is inactive.
This cut-out reveals the deepest layer of the dial – a fixed disc of silvery or golden metal with a glowing gradient finish that enhances the sensation of the star soaring across the sky. The trajectory of the tail – a three-quarter circle of diamonds set into the sapphire glass dial – is achieved by integrating fine gold threads into the glass to hold the diamonds in place.
Both variations are 36 mm x 11.16 mm and feature a halo of diamonds on the bezel. The upper surfaces of the lugs and the top of the crown are also diamond-set. They come presented on an alligator leather strap with a glowing, pearlized finish, matched to the dial color and atmospheric ambiance.
Pricing and Availability
While the Rendez-Vous Dazzling Star (ref. Q3642370) is available on the brand’s website (price upon request), neither the Rendez-Vous Dazzling Star (ref. Q3642371) nor the Rendez-Vous Star references seem to be available as of this writing.
For more information, visit the Jaeger-LeCoultre website.
(Photography by Liam O'Donnell)