Jaeger-LeCoultre presents two new interpretations of the Rendez-Vous Celestial, inspired by the beauty of the Aurora Borealis

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For the Jaeger-LeCoultre Manufacture, the night skies are eternally fascinating, not only for their magnetic beauty but because they hold the key to mankind’s ability to measure time. Our days, nights and seasons are determined by the movements of the stars and phases of the moon, and watchmakers rejoice in the challenge of capturing the vastness of the cosmos within the tiny dimensions of a wristwatch. Revisiting its much-loved celestial theme on the occasion of 76^th Venice International Film Festival – La Biennale di Venezia, Jaeger-LeCoultre is delighted to present a magnificent new interpretation of its alluring Rendez-Vous Celestial watch for women.

RENDEZ-VOUS CELESTIAL

The Northern Lights: Aurora Borealis. Named after the Ancient Roman goddess of the dawn, and visible only on the darkest nights near the Arctic Circle, this awe-inspiring phenomenon has fascinated mankind since the beginning of time. Of all the mysteries of the cosmos, none seems more enigmatic than this.

A pair of beautiful Rendez-Vous Celestial jewellery watches pays homage to this otherworldly spectacle, capturing the vivid greens, purples, pinks and blues that stream and dance across the sky.

When Jaeger-LeCoultre introduced the Rendez-Vous in 2012, it was a rare example of a high-complication watch created specifically for women; since then, this mechanically sophisticated and visually entrancing timepiece has been reinterpreted several times, in different materials. In this new ‘Northern Lights’ edition, mother-of-pearl and multi-coloured sapphires take centre stage, uniting two of the Metiers Rares® that Jaeger-LeCoultre has so thoroughly mastered – gem-setting, and hand-painting.

Asymmetrical in composition, the dial is formed of two sections, set at different heights. On the upper section, the curvy Floral numerals – a signature of the Rendez-Vous collection – are graduated in size, to form a crescent that hovers above the lower dial. Outlined by an elliptical band of pink gold that draws the eye deeper into it, this lower section carries a hand-transferred imprint of a star chart, together with the signs of the Zodiac and names of the months. Displaying the night sky as it appears above Jaeger-LeCoultre’s home in the Vallée de Joux, the star chart shows the changing positions of the constellations in real time. The automatic mechanical movement Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 809/1 turns the disc counter clockwise in relation to the stars, almost imperceptibly, in step with the rotation of the Earth in 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds.

For the ‘Northern Lights’ edition, both sections of the mother-of-pearl dial are hand-painted with swirls of colour that reproduce the ethereal patterns of the Aurora Borealis – flowing seamlessly from the upper to lower dials. Shades of green and turquoise set the tone for one model; purples and blues dominate on the other – the colours intensified by the glowing mother-of-pearl beneath them. As the sky disc turns, the pattern of the background colours gently shifts, in a subtle echo of the dancing movement of the aurora.

A hand-polished golden star – emblem of the Rendez-Vous collection – is set on the edge of the dial; by turning the second crown, it can be moved into position to mark the time of a special rendezvous.

The rich tones of the dial are echoed on the bezel, which is set with a dazzling, colour-graduated circle of 64 baguette-cut sapphires. To complete the gem-set case, the lugs and two crowns are highlighted with diamonds. A matching alligator strap in turquoise or violet completes these rare timepieces.

This joyful expression of the cosmic world is brought to life by Calibre 809/1, a self-winding movement developed and produced within the Jaeger-LeCoultre Manufacture. Created specially for the Rendez-Vous Celestial, this technically sophisticated movement incorporates a calendar mechanism to rotate the celestial disc in cadence with the changing night sky.

While the complex movement is testament to the precision and technical skills of La Grande Maison’s finest watchmakers, the finishing and decoration of the movement, displayed beneath the transparent sapphire case-back, reveals their artistry. Fine decoration and finishing includes such details as blued screws, circular graining, Côtes de Genève and the pink gold signature winding rotor with Côtes de Genève decoration

Offered in a limited edition of 18 pieces of each model, the new Jaeger-LeCoultre Rendez-Vous Celestial brings together La Grande Maison’s artistic skills and technical acumen in a fitting tribute to the beauty of the night sky.