RENDEZ-VOUS BY JAEGER-LECOULTRE - A feminine and distinctly horological collection that meets all expectations
RENDEZ-VOUS BY JAEGER-LECOULTRE - A feminine and distinctly horological collection that meets all expectations
Doubtless a sign of the times, functions such as chronographs, moon phases and calendars, which formerly tended to stir essentially masculine enthusiasm, no longer hold any mysteries for women who have developed a keen interest in horological complications.
In 2012, the Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre with its substantial watchmaking expertise was in a perfect position to respond to the expectations of this new and enlightened audience – whose desires were met with a new collection embodying a perfect blend of Haute Horlogerie and femininity. The Rendez-Vous watch was born.
Seduction is now exploring new paths through a beauty that is forged in step with time rather than in a battle against it. Shaped by this philosophy, the Rendez-Vous watch lends its unique nature to the role of embodying contemporary women. Jaeger-LeCoultre has chosen to endow the collection with all the innovations developed by the Manufacture in the Vallée de Joux. Each technical breakthrough and each astonishing function enriches the horological heart of this collection pervaded by an intensely refined aesthetic.
Birth of an iconic line
The origins of the Rendez-Vous watch were inspired by the classic Brand codes, from which Jaeger-LeCoultre has successfully drawn the very essence in exalting the onward march of time. The collection has adopted the style vocabulary and syntax of a period with its penchant for an intense, pure approach to design. The characteristic hour numerals feature an elongated contemporary shape that infuses the watch with an elegant sense of assurance. The gaze is irresistibly drawn to the guilloché motif crafted according to the ancestral traditions of this decorative art. It reveals the exquisite finesse of its ornamentation to those who come close enough to the dial to perceive the subtle nature of its softly raised effects.
The aesthetic of this collection forms a bridge between the hand-crafted expertise of the Grande Maison and its creative freedom. Perfect equilibrium is achieved when time has no hold on a watch. Delightfully expressive and immediately recognisable, each new Rendez-Vous watch has the power to both surprise and reassure the woman who discovers it.
Horological in mind and spirit
Beneath the graceful figure of the Rendez-Vous beats an impeccably regular mechanical automatic movement. The oscillating weight may be admired through the sapphire crystal case-back. The movement reveals remarkable yet unostentatious finishes crafted in the finest Haute Horlogerie traditions and further enhancing the sophistication of the watch.
Invention is a constant leitmotif for Jaeger-LeCoultre. From traditional functions to the most prestigious complications, alongside innovations crowning years of research conducted inside the Manufacture, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s watchmaking creativity naturally spills over onto the Rendez-Vous line. It embodies a refusal of any compromises and a determination to uphold one single overriding principle: ideal harmony between aesthetics, functions and technical feats.
A watch for living
The Rendez-Vous watch is a constant companion that sets the stage for daily living in a fascinatingly masterful and confident manner. Readable displays are a must for active women. Each item of information provided by the watch in its various models is simultaneously interpreted in terms of both functionality and pleasure. Witness the delicate expression of the day/night indicator, or the moon phase offering women a chance to live in step with the most feminine of all celestial bodies. Be it through ergonomic push-pieces ensuring fingertip-friendly handling, or smoothly adjustable straps or bracelets, the constant concern for detail is dedicated to ensuring perfect osmosis between the watch and its wearer.
Jaeger-LeCoultre and women, a long-running love story
Wearing a watch is true art for women, and has indeed been since the 16th century. Whether as an earring, a ring or a pendant hanging along with its key at the end of a chatelaine necklace, jewellery watches were a token of belonging to the highest echelons of society.
Jaeger-LeCoultre has always devoted particular attention to feminine creations, in terms of both their aesthetic elegance and their mechanisms. This genuine interest became apparent from the early 1880s onwards, when the Manufacture developed the first round movements with diminutive diameters, such as the LeCoultre Calibre 7HP. The latter was used to power various ornamental watches that were enamelled, sometimes set with diamonds and pearls, and worn around the neck.
The 19th century saw the emergence of the wristwatch, as the sleeveless dresses of the Directory and Empire periods bared ladies’ arms and inspired visionary jewellers to adorn dainty wrists. Some of them even incorporated a watch mechanism into these jewellery creations. This style-driven effect in turn sparked a revolution. While initially mostly worn by women, the wristwatch soon won men over too.
Above all, it became a means of self-expression. The ultimate accessory, it plays a quintessential role in conveying everything one needs to know about the person wearing it.