Venturing into the world of vintage timepieces can be daunting. History makes for an unfathomably wide field, and one can only rely upon oneself to navigate it well. Is a piece genuine, is it worthwhile, is the condition fair, and so on. A trusted dealer is well and good, but this month the Swiss watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre is upping the stakes by offering a curated capsule collection 0f 10 vintage JLC timepieces that have come straight from the source: from the manufacture in the Vallée de Joux.
It’s part of The Collectibles, an initiative that started in 2023 on the occasion of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s 190th anniversary. Here’s how it works: as part of its own archives-building, the brand acquires a number of its own historical models from the open market, from avenues like auctions, estate sales or dealers. A very limited number of these watches are selected, primarily for good external condition, painstakingly restored by a dedicated team of 10 in Switzerland, and offered for sale in a capsule collection.
An important part of The Collectibles is a list of 17 key historical models, taken from the 1920s to ’70s, that have marked major evolutions in the Jaeger-LeCoultre story. 17 may sound like a lot, but consider that it’s a figure already heavily whittled down from the manufacture’s prolific output: in its 191 year history, it has designed and produced over 1,400 different calibres, and a whole smorgasbord of wristwatches, clocks and other timekeeping instruments to boot.
In addition to the watches itself, Jaeger-LeCoultre has also published its own collector’s guide to these significant vintage models in the form of a coffee table book. Inside, a trove of archival advertisements, diagrams, and photos that trace and tell the stories of these seminal pieces.
Some of the models in this list of 17 include the Duoplan, the two-tiered mechanical watch movement that allowed Jaeger-LeCoultre to miniaturise a timepiece and open up an original vernacular of dainty, and jewellery, watches. Or the inimitable Reverso, with its swivelling case design, that is one of horology’s greatest icons. To that end, all restored vintage watches offered in The Collectibles is a version of one of these 17 game-changing designs.
After two editions in Switzerland and Dubai, the brand is now bringing its third to Singapore—the first time that The Collectibles is gracing Asia. With it, a capsule collection of 10 vintage timepieces in beautiful condition. What’s key to the restoration process is that while the mechanics of the watch is restored so that it runs, parts like the dial and case that have patinated and shown the passage of time are left untouched.
The idea being that a Jaeger-LeCoultre watch—some of them over 80 years old—is indeed an object made to last. The upside of an initiative like this, it should be mentioned, is the unbeatable verisimilitude that Jaeger-LeCoultre itself can provide. When a piece from The Collectibles is sold, it is accompanied by an extract from the archives, a complimentary copy of The Collectibles the book, original box, papers, strap or bracelet where available, and a complementing new strap that symbolises a new life on a wrist.
Below, a look at the 10 timepieces in the Singapore edition of The Collectibles.
1 / 10
Memovox Automatic Calendar ref. E 855 in yellow gold
The brown dial and its lacquered pattern has earned this reference the nickname of ‘brownies’ among enthusiasts and collectors. In this 1969 model, the automatic Jaeger-LeCoultre calibre 825 with a date display and the Memovox line’s signature alarm function.
2 / 10
Powermatic ref. E 365 in yellow gold
In the early 1950s, Jaeger-LeCoultre launched the Powermatic, a line of automatic watches with an original power reserve indicator. The first of its kind and completely novel at the time, it translates spring tension into a visual display that tells you the watch is running, and how many hours are left on it.
This model, an early example of the Powermatic, is equipped with the calibre 481, the first movement to factor a power reserve indicator launched in 1948. An extra special fact: this is the first example a Powermatic model that’s been offered through Jaeger-LeCoultre’s The Collectibles capsule collection.
3 / 10
Memovox Polaris II ref. E 870 in stainless steel
While many of the 17 watch families in The Collectibles are there for horological or mechanical advancements, the Memovox Polaris II is more of a design shift. Launched in 1970, it bears a clearly different aesthetic from Jaeger-LeCoultre’s classical style. Bright, large and round, its bold design reflects the decade of its birth.
This 1970 model, of which only 1,120 units were produced, is powered by the high-frequency calibre 916. The dial signed ‘LeCoultre’ indicates that it was produced for the American market. It’s fitted on a stainless steel bracelet, and offered with an additional rubber strap.
4 / 10
101 Lady's Watch in yellow gold
Here’s a remarkable fact: the baguette-shaped calibre 101 created by Jaeger-LeCoultre in 1929 has never been usurped as the world’s smallest mechanical movement. It was developed off the advances made with the Duoplan movement, and like it is wound from the back. The brand even continues to produce 101 jewellery watches today using the same movement.
This 1938 model is crafted from solid yellow gold with an integrated bracelet and folding clasp. As to the absolute diminutiveness of the watch, notice how the 12 and 6 Roman numerals can only fit on the case itself, not the dial, so you can tell which way is up.
5 / 10
Reverso Lady in stainless steel
The Reverso is so iconic that in selecting a suitable model for The Collectibles, the most particular details must be considered. This model sports a coloured dial, a signature of the Reverso in its early days. While the rest of the watch industry made a norm of white and silver-toned dials, Jaeger-LeCoultre created Reverso with a signature black dial, and versions in brown, red and blue on request.
This model from 1934 also has a nice bit of history: inside it, the manual-winding LeCoultre Calibre Tavannes 051, which was one of the earliest movements equipped on Reverso watches.
6 / 10
Triple Calendar ref. 2721 in yellow gold
In the 1940s, wristwatches were being outfitted with more horological complications. Quite unlike today, when they are non-necessary features to be appreciated, complications at the time were a matter of function and utility.
Jaeger-LeCoultre introduced the Triple Calendar in the early ’40s with a timeless design—an extremely functional and legible dial layout with date on the chapter ring, windows for the month and day, and a seconds sub-dial with, at times, a moonphase complication.
This model in yellow gold from 1945 is fitted with elegant teardrop lugs, and the manual-winding Jaeger-LeCoultre calibre 484 originally produced from 1945 to 1949.
7 / 10
Reverso Small Seconds in stainless steel
During the ’30s and ’40s, white and silver dials were the norm. LeCoultre et Ci was one of a handful at the time to offer coloured dials, pitching a black dial for example as a design of the future.
Vintage Reverso watches can also be found in a staggering number of variations, with different dial colours, numerals and hand styles, and different kinds of seconds displays—which dictate correspondingly different calibres. This one is outfitted with the calibre 410, produced between 1933 and 1942, with a small seconds display.
8 / 10
Duoplan Coulissante in yellow gold
The stacked Duoplan movement design can be thought of as the dawn of Jaeger and LeCoultre, the foundations of its partnership. For Jaeger, the smallness of the calibre opened up creative avenues in design; and for LeCoultre et Cie, it sparked the transition from a producer of movements and components into a true manfacture.
The Coulissante model, French for ‘sliding’, features a sliding cover that protects the dial and offers a surface for engraving, and was made with 9″ movements for women and a slightly larger 11″ movement for men. This 1933 reference features the 11″ Duoplan calibre 409, which was produced from 1929 to 1962 in just 9,461 units.
9 / 10
Memovox Parking ref. 3161 in stainless steel
The alarm-equipped Memovox is an important part of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s history, recognisable by a second crown that controls the alarm function. It was first introduced in 1950, and the collection has been in continuous production since—making it one of the longest-running production models in the watches industry.
In 1958, the brand celebrated its 125th anniversary with three novelties. Among them, this interpretation of the Memovox with an alarm that can be set for 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes—a system to monitor the time limit on parking.
10 / 10
Master Mariner Deep Sea Barracuda ref. E 558 in stainless steel
Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Mariner Deep Sea Barracuda represents a moment when the trend and favour for watches turned to sporty, tool watches.
This reference E 558 from 1970, named the Barracuda, was produced between 1968 and 1971 with only 1,532 units. It’s perhaps most recognisable for its tonneau shaped case, a design dubbed Super Compressor that promised water resistance to 200 metres. Inside, the calibre 883 with date display.
The Collectibles by Jaeger-LeCoultre can be viewed at the brand’s Marina Bay Sands boutique, from 13 to 23 October 2024.
