FOURTH CAPSULE COLLECTION OF 10 EXCEPTIONAL VINTAGE TIMEPIECES COMPLEMENTED BY THE COLLECTIBLES BOOK

Jaeger-LeCoultre is delighted to present the fourth capsule collection of The Collectibles, a meticulously curated selection of 10 rare and sought-after timepieces created by the Manufacture during the ‘golden age’ of 20^th-century watchmaking (1920s–1970s). To be introduced in June, the fourth capsule collection pays tribute to the ground-breaking Duoplan movement, marking the centenary of its invention. Jaeger-LeCoultre will unveil the latest edition of The Collectibles in Paris – the home city of Edmond Jaeger, whose long collaboration with Jacques-David LeCoultre led to the formal merger of the two Maisons in 1937.

THE COLLECTIBLES PROGRAMME: EXCEPTIONAL TIMEPIECES AND A MASTER REFERENCE BOOK

The Collectibles was conceived for collectors wishing to acquire one of La Grande Maison’s most emblematic timepieces and enthusiasts seeking to deepen their knowledge of a highly significant period, not only for the advances made by the Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre but also for the development of watchmaking as a whole.

All watches offered under The Collectibles programme are drawn from the 17 models represented in The Collectibles coffee-table book. The definitive reference to the 17 most significant models produced by the Manufacture between the 1920s and 1970s, the bookshines the spotlight on such ground-breaking innovations as the Duoplan, Reverso, Memovox, Futurematic and Geophysic. A full chapter is devoted to each of the 17 models and includes such essential data for collectors as the number of calibres produced; the movements used; case metals employed; dial variations and more. Background stories place each model in the historical and cultural context in which it was born, offering a broader understanding of the evolution of the modern mechanical watch.

REVOLUTIONISING FEMININE WATCHMAKING FOR 100 YEARS

The 10 watches offered in the fourth capsule collection are all fitted with a Duoplan movement. Invented and patented in 1925, the Duoplan movement enabled an unprecedented degree of miniaturisation, answering the watchmaking conundrum that reducing the size of components almost invariably comes at the cost of robustness and reliability. LeCoultre’s solution was a rectangular movement with a two-level architecture, enabling larger components to be housed in a smaller space.

This had a very significant impact on the design of women’s watches in particular. The Duoplan family of movements comprised four calibres, including Calibre 101, introduced in 1929 and today the oldest calibre still in production. Initially supplied to watchmakers and jewellers to power their watches, the Duoplan opened new creative horizons and quickly became a core line under the Manufacture’s own name.

By 1931 – when Cesar de Trey and Jacques-David LeCoultre founded Spécialités Horlogères SA to commercialise Jaeger and LeCoultre’s products – LeCoultre & Cie had been collaborating with the Paris-based firm of Edmond Jaeger for almost three decades. Featuring Duoplan and Reverso models, the 1934 edition of the Spécialités Horlogères catalogue was the first catalogue to feature products created under this collaboration and so, although the two firms did not merge until 1937, it could be said to be the first “Jaeger-LeCoultre” catalogue. Depending on where a watch was distributed, the dial was signed either Duoplan, LeCoultre or Jaeger – and sometimes Duoplan together with one of the two names. Imitating the distinctive two plan architecture of the calibre, the lettering of the Duoplan logo itself is arranged on two levels.

The fourth capsule collection of The Collectibles shines a spotlight on Jaeger-LeCoultre’s rich heritage in watchmaking for women. Since its earliest days, the Manufacture combined its commitment to technical sophistication and miniaturisation of components with an exploration of new aesthetics and different ways of wearing the time. One of its first wristwatches, created in 1865, was a woman’s wristwatch set with diamonds and rubies. Sixty years later, the Duoplan was to have a significant impact on the future of the Manufacture and what was to become the Jaeger-LeCoultre brand, as well as influencing the way women wore watches. Combining function and advanced mechanics with sophisticated design, a Duoplan watch was a fashion statement as much as a timekeeping instrument. Their lightness and ease of wearing were perfectly in tune with the spirit of feminine emancipation from the 1920s onwards.

A CENTURY OF DUOPLAN: CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF MINIATURE MASTERY

The timepieces selected in the fourth capsule collection are ranging from diamond-set Art Deco cocktail watches to design-forward pieces from the 1940s and ’50s. Among these boldly styled pieces is a Duoplan Tubogas secret watch in 18K (750/100) yellow gold from c.1950, its distinctive geometry defined by strong vertical and horizontal ribs, and, from c. 1941, a Duoplan Chaine set on a bracelet of broad, yellow gold links. Clearly demonstrating the shift in tastes over the decades of the mid-20^th century, a 1960 High Jewellery secret watch is set into a white gold bracelet of diamonds and sapphires set in rivière style, and fitted with Calibre 101, the smallest movement in the Duoplan family.

Also on offer is a rarely seen version of the Duoplan Tuile collection, named after the convex dial glass reminiscent of the tunnel-shaped roof tiles used on traditional Mediterranean houses. This 1939 model features a rectangular case and dial set at 90 degrees, rather than vertically across the wrist. The horizontally mounted case also features on a steel 1930s Duoplan Driver with white numerals and hands on a black dial. Named for its angled case, which allowed drivers to read the time without removing their hands from the steering wheel, the ‘Driver’ is a fine example of a Duoplan model designed with functionality in mind.

FULLY AUTHENTICATED AND IMMACULATELY RESTORED

Every piece offered for sale through The Collectibles is thoroughly vetted by Jaeger-LeCoultre’s historical experts and fully serviced and restored by the specialised watchmakers of the Manufacture’s restoration workshop. Currently numbering 10 restoration watchmakers, the restoration workshop’s team has access to archives containing the blueprint of every piece ever made, as well as original spare parts in some cases. If there no component is available, the watchmaker can make an identical component from scratch, using one of the thousands original swages or stamps. Because the Manufacture is fully integrated, the entire process can be carried out in-house. While some pieces may require significant mechanical restoration, the intervention on the case and dial must be kept to a minimum, since too much work would alter the historical nature of the piece for collectors; therefore, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s acquisitions team seeks watches that are as close as possible to their original condition.

Every timepiece offered under The Collectibles programme is presented with an extract from the Jaeger-LeCoultre archives and a complimentary The Collectibles book, as well as a new leather strap chosen to complement the style of each watch, except in cases where the model has an integrated metal bracelet. In addition, when available, the original box and papers, and original strap or bracelet will be included.

The fourth capsule collection of The Collectibles will be launched in Paris on June 13^th, 2025. The collection will be presented, along The Collectibles book, at the Jaeger-LeCoultre boutique at 7 Place Vendôme, from June 13^th to July 27^th, 2025. The timepieces will be available to purchase through jaeger-lecoultre.com, by appointment at the boutique bit.ly/BoutiqueAppointmentVendome, as well as during the Paris presentation.