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Swiss watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre, the inventor of the Vallee de Joux and reference in fine watching since the 19th century, and Sri Lankan partner Chatham Luxury, hosted an exclusive viewing of its 2014 collection at the Chatham Luxury Boutique at Galle Face Court.
The collection, including its exceptional Hybris Mechanica and Haute Joaillerie creations, is available for public viewing from the 20-22 August at the Chatham Luxury Boutique. The impressive showcase marked the first time a collection of this nature has been on display in the country and offered audiences a rare insight in to the exquisite and elaborate craftsmanship involved in Haute Horlogerie and Grandes Complications.
“Since 1833 Jaeger-LeCoultre has always pushed the boundaries of innovation whilst staying true to its rich heritage and tradition. We are thrilled to be in Sri Lanka to showcase our latest collections and reveal a snapshot in to more than 181 years of history and the extensive array of our craftsmanship that takes place at ‘La Grande Maison’ under one single roof,” Jaeger-LeCoultre Country Manager Dinesh Aswani stated. “As our partnership with Chatham Luxury continues to grow, we look forward to an even stronger presence in the market,” he added.
Extreme innovation
Think-tanks composed of insatiable visionaries and tireless developers: such is the very nature of the teams at Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre, it enables them, to remain an authentic pioneer in the field of Grandes Complications.
The Hybris Mechanica collection which features 11 watches that are true technical feats reflects the expertise and innovation of the Manufacture, and a selection of these exceptional pieces takes pride of place at this event.
A selection of timeless classics
During the showcase Jaeger-LeCoultre presented the latest in its collections of timeless classics including the Reverso, the Rendez-Vous and the Duometre.
Over the years, the Reverso has appeared in a number of different guises and been enriched with various unusual sizes and new Horological complications – all the while remaining loyal to the spirit of the watch with two faces.
On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of this timepiece, which has become a cult object, Jaeger-LeCoultre chose to return to the very origins of a legend by presenting the Grande Reverso Ultra Thin Tribute to 1931, directly inspired by the aesthetic codes of the historical model. This creation, distinguished by an ultra-thin case, contemporary dimensions and remarkable faithfulness to the original, was enthusiastically received by devotees of the Reverso and by watch connoisseurs.
The 2014 Haute Joaillerie collection
The showcase in Sri Lanka also featured the latest in Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Haute Joaillerie collection, which crystallises within its creations the encounter between fine watch making and fine jewellery, dreaming up models that become an intimate part of daily life, loyal confidantes at night and faithful companions of exceptional moments.
This year, the Rendez-Vous and Reverso collections are reinventing themselves in order to further enhance their appeal while the exceptional character of complications in Master Grande Tradition and Master lines is further underscored by the exquisite diamond setting.
“We are thrilled to have one of the leading brands in the global watch industry represented in Sri Lanka by Chatham, and are keen to develop awareness of the rich history and cutting edge design of Jaeger-LeCoultre. Having recently completed one year in operation, we are excited about the interest shown in the Sri Lankan market and we will be continuing to invest in developing this potential by expanding our retail operations in delivering the world’s best watch brands at the most competitive prices in the region,” Chatham Luxury Watches Director Vinod Hirdaramani noted.
This special viewing featuring over 40 unique timepieces from one of the most inventive companies in the watch industry is on display only for a limited time period at Chatham Luxury Watches.
Pix by Lasantha Kumara
“We found the right partner in Chatham Luxury Watches”
Following are excerpts of a brief Daily FT interview with Jaeger-LeCoultre Country Manager Dinesh Aswani
Q: What are the current trends in the timepiece market?
A: People are moving into classic and understated designs with the boom in the economy. Ladies are taking a keen interest in acquiring the knowledge behind watch making; nowadays they not only want a timepiece as a piece of jewellery, but are also interested to know about the process behind the design. We notice that amateur watch enthusiasts want to become connoisseurs.
Q: Is Sri Lanka becoming a hot market for luxury watches? Why and how successful have you been in the market?
A: Sri Lanka is not only catering to Sri Lankans but also to visiting tourists from Japan, China and Arabian countries. There is a rapid growth in tourism as well as the luxury market in Sri Lanka, which makes a lot of sense for our presence. The friendly nature and homely atmosphere of Sri Lanka was appealing for us to establish a service and retail point with our partner Chatham Luxury Watches.
With the introduction of luxury brands tourists can not only sightsee in Sri Lanka but can also shop for branded products. Success in the market can be looked at in a commercial aspect as well as a knowledge aspect. We see that more and more clients are showing great interest in knowing about the history, where the components originate from and are going deeper in to the aesthetics.
Q: What were the key areas you considered when partnering with Chatham Luxury Watches?
A: In the recent past we have been getting a lot of inquiries to establish a servicing centre in Sri Lanka for Jaeger-LeCoultre timepieces. We wanted to partner up with an organisation that had a rich heritage and history and were open for refreshing and innovative ideas. Chatham Luxury Watches suited our needs and we found the right partner in them.
Chatham Luxury Watches
Sri Lanka’s first multi-brand watch store, Chatham is the authorised retailer for a select group of the world’s finest watch creators. Each of the carefully selected brands available at Chatham come with a 100 plus year pedigree and are considered the most magnificent of Swiss timepieces.
In addition to the collection carried in-store customers can also order any watch from the range offered by these brands. The exquisitely designed flagship store is located at Galle Face Court in Colombo, and offers the ultimate experience in luxury shopping. Visit www.chathamluxury.com for more information.
Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre
Established in 1833 Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre is based in the Vallee de Joux (Switzerland) and currently houses the 180 skills required to entirely develop and produce the most prestigious timepieces.
Driven by a uniquely inventive spirit, Jaeger-LeCoultre perpetuates the tradition of Grande Complication models illustrated by extraordinary creations and legendary watches such as the Reverso, the 101 watch, the Geophysic, the Memovox, the Master Control, the Gyrotourbillon, as well as the Atmos clock.
Building on a vast heritage comprising 1,249 mechanical calibres and around 413 registered patents, Jaeger-LeCoultre remains the reference in the field of Fine Watch making. Visit www.jaeger-lecoultre.com for more information.
