Jaeger LeCoultre was founded in 1883 by Antoine LeCoultre. The company is based out of Le Sentier, Switzerland and has created hundreds of unique calibers, which includes the smallest caliber in the world. The company also invented the most complicated watch on the planet and a watch that features near-perpetual movement. Antoine LeCoultre invented a machine that cut watch pinions from steel.
In 1884, Antoine LeCoultre created the most accurate measuring instrument in the world, which was known as the Millionmetre. He was presented with a gold medal from the Universal Exhibition in London for his contribution to timepiece precision.
In 1907, the watch manufacturer produced LeCoultre Calibre 145, which was the world’s slimmest movement. At 1.38 mm, the pocket watch remains one of the thinnest pocket watches in its category. The movement released 400 copies until the 1960s.
1925 marked the year that Jaegar LeCoultre released the Duoplan, which was a popular ladies wristwatch. In 1929, the Calibre 101 was created that included the smallest movement in the world. The Calibre 101 was made up of 74 parts and weighed less than a gram. The watch manufacturer put the Calibre 101 the 2 Linge ladies wristwatches. The Linge was worn by Queen Elizabeth II during her coronation.
The Reverso – the company’s most well-known watch was released in 1931. The Reverso was designed for British officers stationed in India who preferred to play polo. The watch was constructed to ensure no damage would occur during a polo game. The face of the timepiece could be reversed to protect the crystal during a polo game. The watch was designed by Rene-Alfred Chauvet.
The watch company launched its first automatic timepiece after World War II. In 1950, the Memovox was released that included a built-in alarm, and in 1953 the Futurematic was launched. The Futurematic included a power reserve indicator, and a power reserve indicator was added to the Memovox in 1956. In 1958, the watch company released a series of diving watches including the Geophysic Chronometer. There was a waterproof model of the Memovox that was released in 1960 called the Deep Sea Alarm. Although the company released high-quality sport watches, the watch manufacture preferred to market dress timepieces.
The Rendez-Vous collection is made for women and inspired by the Master Control collection. The line of watches features a mother-of-pearl dial and diamond set bezel. The Rendez-Vous Day and Night model features a day-night indicator with a sun and moon display. The larger model, Redez-Vous Tourbillon includes a turning carriage that reduces the impact of gravitational pull and also comes equipped with a date display.
Currently all Jaegar LeCoultre watches, except the Calibre 101 and the Atmos, must adhere to the company’s “1,000 Hour Test” to ensure durability. The test subjects every timepiece to a series of 6 tests that last 1,000 hours. In 2002, the watch company released the Master Compressor, which was inspired after the famous Memovox. The timepiece features a compression key that ensures water-resistance. The Master Compressor Extreme LAB timepiece is the world’s first oil-free watch with an extremely complex and high-performing chronograph.