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Will Clem

Jaeger-LeCoultre constantly aims to outdo its achievements

It may be one of Switzerland's most respected watchmakers, but Jaeger-LeCoultre is not about to rest on its laurels. The brand has made a name for itself for pushing back the boundaries of watchmaking possibilities.

'This year we have a very full and rich collection crossing the whole scope of watchmaking,' said Daniel Rogger, the brand's managing director in Hong Kong. 'A lot of innovation has gone into this collection.'

In the field of haute horlogerie, the success of last year's Gyrotourbillon left the brand with a hard act to follow. Mr Rogger said the brand aimed to outdo itself this year by producing an exceptional minute repeater, the Master Minute Repeater Antoine LeCoultre. (See page 2)

'We didn't want to make just a minute repeater,' he said. 'We decided to go one step further.'

The minute repeater is a challenging complication for even the most skilled watchmakers, but Jaeger-LeCoultre chose to make its watch out of platinum - rather than the standard gold - and to make the case watertight.

This complicated the task to the extent that it was like trying to get a sound 'out of a strongroom safe', Mr Rogger said.

Having consulted a host of university professors, musicians and other experts, the brand eventually invented a  gong that chimes at 50 decibels.

'But still we wanted to go one step more,' Mr Rogger said. 'The watch has a 15-day power reserve. That is quite a huge step forward in watchmaking.'

He said that the next best power reserve on the market that he was aware of  lasted for 10 days.

The watch is a limited edition of 200 pieces.

Jaeger-LeCoultre also unveiled two chronographs at this year's show - the Compressor Chronograph and the Compressor World Chronograph - both boasting  new movements.

'Despite the number of chronographs, there are relatively few new movements. Most are 15 years old or more,' Mr Rogger said. 'As a manufacturer, we felt it was about time we did one.'

The brand pulled out all the stops in the design, not just of the movement but for the rest of the watch as well. The Compressor World Chronograph is the subject of no fewer than seven patent applications, including a triple gasket that seals the crown from water and dust, heavy duty push-button release straps and a shock absorption system to protect the movement.

'This watch can definitely be worn for playing golf,' Mr Rogger said. But most unusual for a chronograph is the world time function. All 24 time zones are marked on the edge of the bezel, and a thin ring rotates between it and the time dial.

Following the current fashion, this is a big watch, measuring 46.3mm in diameter. 'The trend for bigger watches is not yet finished,' Mr Rogger said.

The Calibre 101,  the tiny mechanism that has been powering the brand's delicate jewellery watches since the 1920s,  is being used as the focal point for a larger watch this year.

For the first time, Jaeger-LeCoultre is putting the 101 inside a Grande Reverso case. Suspended beneath a sapphire crystal dial surrounded by a sea of the brand's signature invisible setting diamonds, the movement is laid bare in all its miniature mechanical glory.



Pushing the boundaries