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Jaeger-LeCoultre opens a new Flagship Boutique - in the heart of Beijing
Jaeger-LeCoultre announces the opening, in September 2024, of a new Flagship Boutique at WF Central, Beijing’s most prestigious shopping and lifestyle destination. With its prime corner location and distinctive façade, the boutique is set to become a landmark in the historic Wangfujing area.
Design inspiration from the Vallée de Joux
A powerful expression of the home of La Grande Maison in the Vallée de Joux, the façade is clad in glass shingles inspired by the tavaillon (wooden tile) cladding that is used on traditional buildings in this area of the Swiss Jura to provide protection from the harsh winter climate.
Inside the boutique, references to the Vallée de Joux’s natural beauty include organic materials, clear, natural colours and carpet designs inspired by trees, rocks and minerals. An art installation commissioned from Chinese contemporary artist Tu Juan captures the spirit of the Vallée de Joux in winter, when it is enveloped in snow and ice. The overall effect is airy, warm and welcoming, inviting visitors not only to discover Jaeger-LeCoultre’s timepieces but also to explore the entire world of La Grande Maison. The decor also incorporates subtle nods to Art Deco, a design language close to the heart of Jaeger-LeCoultre as it represents the origin of the Reverso.
Discovering emblematic calibres and ground-breaking patents
Drawn from more than 1,400 calibres created to date, an interactive Calibre Wall displays some of the most emblematic calibres that underline La Grande Maison’s authority as the ‘Watchmaker of Watchmakers’TM. A touch-screen invites visitors to choose among fascinating videos from Jaeger- LeCoultre’s Behind the Calibres series, taking them deep inside the design and history of key movements. The Patent Wall celebrates Jaeger-LeCoultre’s inventiveness as the holder of more than 430 patents for inventions that have enhanced ergonomics and aesthetics, as well as timekeeping precision. The interactive display invites visitors to explore the Manufacture’s four key areas of expertise: Sound, Celestial, Precision and Design.
Historic milestones and a celebration of craftsmanship
Behind the main display area, the Manufacture Wall celebrates the 180 skills brought together under one roof in Jaeger-LeCoultre’s fully integrated Manufacture. A series of 10 evocative and educational In The Making videos initiates visitors into the secrets of each step, with each film focusing on a different skill and telling the story of the craftsman in his or her own words. Underlining Jaeger-LeCoultre’s history of creativity and innovation, the Manufacture Table presents the milestones of the Maison’s 190 years of history and presents four Métiers RaresTM that are housed in their own atelier within the Manufacture: engraving, guillochage, enamelling and gem-setting.
The power of personalisation
On the main ground floor area, visitors can personalise their timepieces to create a truly individual expression of their style. An interactive Strap Bar invites them to experiment with Jaeger-LeCoultre’s complete strap collection for all models and discover their own perfect pairing of watch case with strap material, colour and stitching. The power of personalisation is taken further with a display of engraved and lacquered Reverso case-backs that provide inspiration for owners of Monoface Reverso models who may wish to add a personal emblem in engraving, lacquer or enamel.
A pause for refreshment
Visitors to the boutique are invited to enrich their experience of La Grande Maison by pausing to enjoy a refreshment in the Art Deco Café – the first to be integrated into a flagship boutique in Asia. Designed in homage to Art Deco, the period when the Reverso was born, the café features custom-made tableware and glassware designed to complement the theme. In this inviting ambience, visitors can discover flavours and ingredients from the Vallée de Joux, in pastries created exclusively for Jaeger- LeCoultre by the Parisian master pastry chef, Nina Métayer. Each of the pastries represents an aspect of the Golden Ratio – the magical equation that has been the guiding spirit of the Reverso’s design for more than 90 years.
More to explore
The entire upper floor of the boutique invites visitors to explore La Grande Maison’s world further. The central area is dedicated to showcasing Jaeger-LeCoultre’s travelling collections – immersive mini- exhibitions based on six themes that define the Maison: ‘The Reverso Stories’; ‘The Sound Maker’; ‘The Stellar Odyssey’; ‘The Dream Shaper’; ‘The Precision Pioneer’ and ‘The Adventure Spirit’. A serene and exclusive Lounge offers a refined experience to VIP clients. The space can be transformed at a moment’s notice into a private screening room, enabling guests to fully immerse themselves in a selection of fascinating and educational watchmaking films.
Hands-on watchmaking experiences
The first floor is also home to a dedicated Atelier d’Antoine workshop space. Here, Jaeger-LeCoultre presents hands-on programmes for watch enthusiasts who wish to know more about how a fine mechanical watch is made. Based on different themes that are core to the Jaeger-LeCoultre story, the Discovery Workshops and Masterclasses are richly immersive experiences that combine theoretical learning with hands-on watchmaking practice, to groups of a maximum of eight people per workshop. Much more than a place only to purchase exceptional timepieces, the new Jaeger-LeCoultre flagship on Wangfujing Street invites visitors to pause and take the time to immerse themselves in the creative and cultural world of La Grande Maison, the ‘Watchmaker of Watchmakers’TM from the Vallée de Joux.
The Jaeger-LeCoultre flagship boutique is located at WF CENTRAL, Building 1, 269 Wangfujing Street, Dongcheng, Beijing. The boutique will open to guests on September 1st 2024 from Monday to Sunday from 10:00am to 10:00pm. Appointments for the Atelier d’Antoine Discovery Workshop should be made via a Sales Associate at the WF Central Boutique.
