- Presenting an entirely new ‘secret watch’ design in pink gold, set with more than 1,000 diamonds
- Known as the world’s smallest mechanical movement, Calibre 101 showcases the ingenuity and technical expertise of the Maison’s watchmakers
- New models highlight the skills of the gem-setters in the Manufacture’s Métiers Rares™ atelier
Jaeger-LeCoultre unveils three exquisite new High Jewellery timepieces that seamlessly blend remarkable gem-setting with the iconic Calibre 101. These watches, each a vibrant and distinct embodiment of femininity, reaffirm the limitless creative possibilities born from the fusion of this exceptional watch mechanism and high jewelry craftsmanship.
Introducing the 101 Secrets, an entirely fresh design adorned with nearly 27 carats of dazzling diamonds. This represents Jaeger-LeCoultre’s most precious Calibre 101 timepiece to date. The rivière-style bracelet features an innovative secret mechanism that allows the wearer to reveal the dial at her discretion, adding an element of intrigue to its allure.
The 101 Bangle, initially introduced in 2020, now sees reinterpretation in two exceptional one-of-a-kind creations. The first is crafted in pink gold, showcasing a red lacquer dial enhanced by diamonds. The second is presented in white gold, boasting a pristine snow-white lacquer dial adorned with sapphires and diamonds, offering a captivating play of colors and brilliance.
Originally conceived and developed for jewelry watches in 1929 by La Grande Maison, Calibre 101 marked a revolutionary milestone in women’s watchmaking. Its minuscule size and slender, baguette-shaped form unlocked new dimensions of artistic freedom for designers. Weighing just a mere gram, this petite, hand-wound caliber remains the world’s smallest mechanical movement to this day. Remarkably, it stands as one of the longest-running movements in continuous production by Jaeger-LeCoultre, a testament to its enduring legacy.
101 Secrets – A New Design with a Hint of Art Deco Spirit
Characterized by four rows of diamonds, comprising two outer rows of claw-set diamonds flanking a double row of grain-set diamonds, the 101 Secrets creates a continuous stream of luminance and brilliance that gracefully encircles the wrist, concealing the timepiece it houses beneath.
The tradition of secret watches traces its origins to the 19th century when pocket watches, worn by both men and women, featured hinged covers, often lavishly adorned with enamel and gemstones, which would discreetly shield the watch dial, safeguarding the glass from unsightly scratches. As women embraced wristwatches in the early 20th century, it was believed that a lady need not constantly display the time. In the present day, secret watches serve as a creative canvas where jewelry and watch design converge to craft pieces of extraordinary beauty and practical utility.
The use of “Secrets” in the name of this exquisite timepiece in its plural form alludes to two concealed marvels. The first secret is its dual nature as both a timepiece and a jewelry piece, with the dial discreetly hidden until the wearer chooses to reveal it. The second secret lies within the rows of diamonds, housing a micro-mechanical marvel so minuscule that it remains nearly imperceptible, its position known solely to the woman adorning the watch. With a gentle press on the concealed ‘button,’ a discrete section of the bracelet elegantly unfolds, akin to the pages of a book, unveiling a radiant mother-of-pearl dial displaying the time. Upon release of the button, the dial vanishes, returning the bracelet to its captivating state as an unending cascade of diamonds.
For the two outer rows of diamonds, master gem-setters employed the claw setting technique, a time-honored method that elevates the stones slightly above the gold’s surface, allowing light to permeate them from all angles, thereby accentuating their brilliance. The larger diamonds, subtly graduated in size and arranged with precise symmetry, stand as a testament to the gem-setters’ exceptional craftsmanship. The grain-setting employed for the inner diamond rows creates a visual foundation for the larger gemstones and, in concert with the diamonds bordering the dial, which become visible when the watch is open, emphasizes the Art Deco-inspired geometry of the design. Elevating the piece’s radiance further, the bracelet’s profile is also adorned with diamonds.
With an impressive total of 1,024 diamonds, amounting to 26.75 carats, the 101 Secrets represents an awe-inspiring 182 hours of painstaking gem-setting craftsmanship, all meticulously executed within Jaeger-LeCoultre’s prestigious Metier Rares™ workshop.
101 Bangle – Introducing Colour in Two One-of-a-Kind Reinterpretations
The inspiration for the 101 Bangle, initially introduced in 2020, draws from the graceful contours and bold lines of Art Deco and 20th-Century Modernism in Jaeger-LeCoultre’s design philosophy. Adorned with nearly 1,000 precious stones, this bracelet elegantly embraces the wrist without the need for a clasp, thanks to an ingenious concealed lock that facilitates effortless opening and closing.
In 2023, the Maison introduces a vibrant dimension to the 101 Bangle, unveiling two unique interpretations, each a one-of-a-kind masterpiece.
On a pink gold bracelet, a delicate red lacquer dial creates a striking contrast against the white diamonds, harmonizing with the warm hue of the precious metal. To accentuate the three-dimensional aspect of the design, the 996 diamonds, totaling 19.7 carats, are meticulously graduated in size, employing both griffe- and grain-setting techniques to maximize the interplay of light on these precious gemstones. To amplify the brilliance further, diamonds adorn the bracelet’s profile.
For the white gold bracelet, a first for the 101 Bangle, the graceful curves of the design are enhanced by a row of brilliant-cut sapphires, graduating in size and encircling the wrist. The blue hues of the stones are intensified by a row of sapphires nestled within the bracelet’s profile, further accentuated by the cool tones of white diamonds, white gold, and a pristine snow-white lacquer dial. With a total of 347 sapphires, amounting to 10.29 carats, and 645 diamonds totaling 10.99 carats, this rendition of the 101 Bangle boasts a sumptuous 21.28 carats of exquisite gemstones.
A Rich Heritage of Creativity and Technical Prowess
Infused with the pioneering spirit of its founder, La Grande Maison embarked on a journey to create watches for women during its early years. From the outset, the Maison recognized the immense potential of timepieces that could double as both jewelry and accessories, embracing both aesthetic and technical possibilities. As the years passed, along with evolving social dynamics that shaped fashion, style, and the very concept of femininity, the Manufacture dedicated itself to crafting watches tailored specifically for women. These timepieces seamlessly blend technical sophistication with innovative design and captivating aesthetic charm, offering an array of expressions.
In the pursuit of demonstrating that precision and miniaturization could coexist harmoniously, the Maison introduced Calibre 101 in 1929. Long before the advent of computer-aided design and production technologies, this achievement in miniaturization stood as an extraordinary feat and gained recognition as the world’s smallest mechanical movement. Throughout the decades, this mechanism has evolved with advancements in materials and machining, yet its fundamental dimensions and architecture have remained unaltered. The current generation of Calibre 101 comprises 98 components (compared to the original 78), measuring 14 mm x 4.8 mm, with a thickness of 3.4 mm (occupying a mere 0.2 cm3) and weighing scarcely a single gram.
Due to the minute scale of this mechanism, every component must be custom-crafted and meticulously adjusted, resulting in each Calibre 101 being essentially one-of-a-kind. Only a select group of skilled watchmakers within the Jaeger-LeCoultre Manufacture have acquired the expertise required to produce and assemble movements at such microscopic levels. Consequently, only a limited number of these extraordinary timepieces can be crafted each year.
Continuing the remarkable legacy of Calibre 101, the three new timepieces showcased here exemplify Jaeger-LeCoultre’s extraordinary proficiency in miniature watchmaking, alongside the artistry of the Maison’s gem-setters. With designers, watchmakers, and jewelers collaborating under a single roof at the Manufacture, these timepieces represent a unique fusion of technical excellence, innovative design, and captivating aesthetic allure.
For more information, please visit Jaeger-LeCoultre.com.