7 Interesting Facts About LeCoultre

We had a chance to find an uncased LeCoultre pocket watch movement dated from the 1900s. We have restored it and created a beautiful skeletonized wristwatch. But before we tell you a little more about our watch, there are 7 interesting facts about LeCoultre watchmaking company.

1. Jaeger-LeCoultre was established by Antoine LeCoultre in 1833.

The earliest records of the LeCoultre family date from the 16th century, when they moved to Switzerland from France to avoid religious imprisonment. The LeCoultre family built up the watch company in Le Sentier, where the manufacture continues to be based nowadays. This decision was taken after the invention of the machine to make watch pinions for watch movements, ensuring higher accuracy.

2. One of Antoine LeCoultre's most important inventions was the Millionometre in 1844, which was the most precise measuring instrument in the world at the time. It is interesting to mention that for more than 50 years the construction of the Millionometer was kept as an exclusive company's secret. Only in 1900, it was presented at the Universal Exhibition in Paris.

Millionometre LeCoultre

3. In 1847 LeCoultre created a new crown winding system, which didn't require a special key to rewind and setting the time. Since there was no patent system in Switzerland until 1888, this invention quickly became a standard in the watchmaking industry.

4. By 1870, the small family-run manufacture LeCoultre & Cie had more than 500 employees and became known as the “Grande Maison of the Vallée de Joux”.

5. From the beginning of the 20th century and for the next 30 years LeCoultre was producing most of the watch movements for Patek Philippe and Cartier.

6. LeCoultre merged with Edmond Jaeger SA the Parisian watchmaker in 1937.

In 1903, grandson of Antoine LeCoultre has accepted a challenge set by french watchmaker Edmond Jaeger for Swiss watchmakers to build and produce the ultra-thin watch movements. The same year, Cartier, the french jeweler, signed a contract with Edmond Jaeger under which those ultra-thin movements were produced exclusively for Cartier for the next 15 years.

This collaboration between LeCoultre & Cie and Edmond Jaeger led the company to be renamed to Jaeger-Lecoultre.

Edmond Jaeger & Jacques-David LeCoultre

7. Today, Jaeger-LeCoultre is one of only a few watchmakers that produce their movements solely in-house. He has made magnificent creations with grand complications, such as a tourbillon, perpetual calendar, and the equation of time.