Swiss Jura-based manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre is settling into its new Bavarian home as it opens a boutique at Munich’s most prestigious address, on the glamorous Maximilianstrasse 24. The world-renowned shopping street in Germany, which comprises one of Munich’s four royal avenues, counts the likes of Chanel, Hermès, Omega and Ralph Lauren amongst its affluent residents, while the new Jaeger-LeCoultre boutique sits across from the famous Four Seasons Kempinski Hotel.
A prominent address
While the entire street, built at the behest of King Maximilian in 1850, comprises an interesting part of German history, the boutique’s location is part of the particularly important ‘Rimerschmid Block’. The Rimerschmid-Block, an impressive 19th-century building designed by the renowned architect Georg Friedrich Christian Bürklein, is in fact a listed historic monument.
A vast array of watches
The new Jaeger-LeCoultre boutique spans across two floors. On the first floor, visitors can admire a ring of watches from the brand’s current portfolio in the centre of the room. Furthermore, the boutique is home to a dedicated display for the famous Reverso watch model, with several limited editions and high-complication models on show – alongside the possibility to personalise the caseback with an engraving.
Customer experience
Several installations encircle the walls of the boutique, from a lavish array of leather straps laid out for clients to peruse at leisure, to an interactive calibre wall that relays the many innovations of JLC – after all, this is a manufacture that has created over 1,400 movements since its foundation in 1833. The ground floor also plays host to a ‘Cabinet de Curiosités’ that tells the story of JLC’s watchmaking expertise, while a ‘Manufacture Wall’ pays homage to the horology house’s many craftsmen. Indeed, the manufacture’s craftsmen represent no less than 180 different watchmaking skills, all of which are gathered under the same roof.
An artistic spin on nature
Furthermore, the Jaeger-LeCoultre boutique will be home to various art installations as a part of its ‘Made of Makers’ programme. Currently, the boutique plays host to a creation by Brendi Wedinger, a Los Angeles-based artist recognised for her work in 3D digital arts, sculpture and floristry. Her work at the boutique, which cascades down the wall on the left of space, takes its inspiration from the Flora of the Vallée de Joux.
Speaking of flowers, nature is an overriding theme at the Vallée de Joux manufacture – no wonder, then, that the Munich boutique takes this into account in terms of interior design. As well as carefully paying attention to the balanced, contemporary lighting, the designers primarily opt for natural materials, not least the wooden counters and airy aesthetic of the space in general.
The right way to shop
Last but not least, the first floor is home to a bar where clients can stop for a glass of champagne or a cappuccino, providing a place in which to celebrate or ponder upon a potential purchase. The first floor also features an intimate VIP lounge, where Jaeger-LeCoultre’s professionals may offer clients exclusive insights into the brand, as well as allowing them to indulge in personalised treatment and in-depth viewing of the numerous watches available at the new Munich boutique at Maximillianstrasse 24.
In a first for the enduringly popular Vacheron Constantin Overseas collection, the brand is introducing a new model combining white-gold and the line's signature blue dial with baguette-cut diamonds. Despite its sporty-elegant DNA, the new Overseas Tourbillon High Jewellery brings together glamour, craftsmanship, technical finesse, and style. The Overseas is, as the name suggests, a…
After much anticipation, discussion, and predictions, the results are in: Audemars Piguet has named Ilaria Resta as its new CEO. While François-Henry Bennahmias' successor will join the company as soon as August 2023, bringing almost a three-decade reign to an end, the former CEO will nevertheless remain fully engaged at the horology house until the…
Due to the ongoing health crisis, Watches & Wonders 2021 is shifting from being an in-person fair to an online event. It will still take place from April 7 to April 13, but will now be a solely online, interactive experience. The decision to move online was taken by the Watches and Wonders Geneva Exhibitor…
With its new watch Subscription Service #BreitlingSelect, the brand wants to offer their customers the opportunity to test-wear their watches before purchasing their desired model. Therefore, all subscribers have the chance to wear up to three Breitling watches consecutively within a 12-month period. How does it work? After registering on www.breitling.com, subscribers will sign a…
This year's ‘Only Watch’ charity-auction has become a double record breaker. Not only that it has in its 8th edition collected almost as much proceeds as in the past 13 years together: Also, the most expensive watch was sold, that ever went on auction. A unique piece from Patek Philippe in steel. Sold for 31…
Only a few weeks ago, the Swatch Group announced the cancelation of their new fair “Time To Move” – and now, also the new format “Watches & Wonders Geneva” (formerly SIHH) will not take place from April 25th to 29th 2020. The final decision of Baselworld fair remains to be seen. Due to the latest…
Last Saturday, the Only Watch 2021 auction took place. At Christie's in Geneva, 53 unique pieces designed especially for the event were put up for auction. The proceeds will go towards research into Duchenne muscular dystrophy. In the following, we present the TOP 10 highest proceeds of the auction. 10. Zenith x Felipe Pantone Defy…
Contemporary and independent watchmaker Ressence has sold its unique timepiece, created in collaboration with Sotheby's, of the #WatchesAgainstCovid19 competition. The winning watch, Raymond Ramsden's Type 1 Slim “Artyon & Finlay”, sold for 45,500 Swiss francs, and was purchased by an online bidder. The auction took place on 11 July, 2020, at Sotheby's Hong Kong ‘Important Watches’.…
Fans of Audemars Piguet can now visit the horology house's brand new museum, the Musée Atelier, in Le Brassus. The museum, following its opening in June 2020, offers a chance to uncover the brand's heritage and craftsmanship, with over 300 watches on display. The Musée Atelier's architecture, designed by BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group), is also…
As the sponsor of this year’s German Polo Tour – held from May to September in different places – Jaeger-LeCoultre will gift a Reverso Classic Large Small Seconds to the winner of the tour. Since 1931 the watch manufacture is closely connected to polo sports. The polo players of the British army in India needed a watch, that…
Swiss watch brand TUDOR is introducing a new system for referencing supplied movements. For historical reasons, the manufacturer until recently used four-digit references for third-party movements. The new designations are intended to avoid confusion between manufacture movements and supplied calibers. The four-digit references that were previously used – such as 2671 – will be replaced by…
Richard Mille and Ferrari are announcing plans to come together and embark upon a brand new, long-term partnership. Ferrari recently ended its collaboration with Hublot. However, the long-term partnership between Richard Mille and McLaren will nevertheless continue. The partnership is sure to include a number of exciting collaborations. This will include the likes of Formula…
The first Rolex boutique in Germany opened in 2009 at Number 184 on Kurfürstendamm in Berlin, together with its long-standing partner jeweller Wempe. After several months of renovation, the boutique is making its comeback, shining in new splendour. Wempe was the first jeweller to sell Rolex watches in Germany in the 1950s, after Hellmut Wempe…