Jaeger-LeCoultre and Aston Martin, sharing common values of integrity, the pursuit of excellence and an avant-garde spirit, are coming together to renew historic ties. Their paths have already met, in the 1920s. At that time, Edmond Jaeger was creating an illustrious name for the company in the area of precision instruments in the automotive field.
Destined to meet again, the reference in fine watchmaking and the best in performance cars have decided to develop a collection of timepieces over the coming three years. The first watch, to be presented in 2005, is a gentlemen’s watch that clothes precision engineering in a design inspired by a rich past. It draws inspiration from Aston Martin’s remarkable automobile features and understated design, and from Jaeger-LeCoultre’s legendary performance model, the Memovox 1965. By a happy coincidence of history, Jaeger-LeCoultre will celebrate this icon’s 40th anniversary in 2005.
Aston Martin, the legendary British sports car company and Jaeger-LeCoultre, the reference in fine watchmaking, were bound to cross paths… again. Enriched by a shared history and parallel assets, today’s encounter is built on respect for values and on an ongoing quest for technical and aesthetic excellence. Each watch, and each car, is crafted with special care in keeping with the noblest traditions, while demonstrating state-of-the-art technologies. It is passion and a taste for precision that create such a strong resemblance between these two different spheres that remain at the forefront of progress while displaying the highest levels of integrity. This philosophy is expressed at the Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre through its total mastery of production, uniting under one roof all its métiers, technologies and expertise required in the making of its timepieces.
On its side, Aston Martin has always been dedicated to uncompromising precision. The making of each car is governed by the constant pursuit of technical perfection. These two brands were destined to join forces in the cause of the same passion: that of rising to new challenges.
Today’s encounter between Aston Martin and Jaeger-LeCoultre is the beginning of a new story, whose preface was written in the 1920s.

Jaeger-LeCoultre’s mark in the automobile industry
World War I seriously impeded watch production and made diversification an imperious necessity. LeCoultre & Cie (in cooperation with Edmond Jaeger) naturally
turned towards mastering other technical fields and explored new inventive horizons. In 1920, LeCoultre and Jaeger exported over 20,000 counters to the United Kingdom. In 1921, Jacques-David LeCoultre and his Parisian partners at Jaeger founded a small workshop in London, Ed Jaeger London Ltd, which by 1925 specialised in automotive dashboard instruments.
In the ensuing period, Jaeger became the prevalent supplier to the most prestigious cars companies. These included virtually all racing cars, since 95% of car races were won by cars equipped with Jaeger counters. The success of Jaeger in this field continued unabated. Thus, the name of Jaeger-LeCoultre became an integral part of the history of great automobiles.

Tradition and avant-garde, Jaeger-LeCoultre and Aston Martin
There is no better field than the world of performance automobiles to illustrate the pursuit of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s aspirations: the marriage of tradition and avant-garde. And this overriding desire to meld the destinies of fine watchmaking and automobile excellence could be fulfilled only with a legendary brand: Aston Martin.
This encounter represents a tremendous opportunity for the Manufacture in the Vallée de Joux to revive its links with the world of automotive technology. For Jaeger-LeCoultre, this union symbolises the conquest of new fields of expression for mechanical expertise and for a creativity inspired by the finest automobile creations transposed into the world of high watchmaking.

The Aston Martin Jaeger-LeCoultre Special Edition
The first fruit of this relationship will be introduced in 2005 through the launch of a dedicated timepiece. Inspired by a watch belonging to the heritage of the Manufacture, the 1965 Memovox, the automatic Memovox calibre is one of the rare watch movements to boast a career spanning more than half a century. Regularly improved and interpreted in a wide range of versions, it owes such remarkable longevity to its impeccable reliability.
In keeping with the spirit of the Memovox calibre, this Aston Martin Jaeger-LeCoultre special edition places a contemporary twist on a traditional theme. Its design of its dial (black for the stainless steel version and metallic grey for the Titanium version) recall vintage dashboard counters with its numerals arranged in a 270° sweep. The alarm time indication, readable at first glance, is also a nod in the direction of car gauges.
The alarm is designed to strike a suspended gong, creating an unforgettable acoustical experience. This is made possible by the discovery of a unique alloy and the invention of a characteristic shape for the gong. A masterpiece by the designers, watchmakers and engineers at Jaeger-LeCoultre.
The grained calfskin leather of the chocolate brown or black straps is faithful to the original leather used in the upholstery of Aston Martin cars. The watch is powered by a worthy successor to the automatic Memovox movement, Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 918, featuring a 45-hour power-reserve and a high degree of precision thanks to 28,800 vibrations per hour.
The Aston Martin Jaeger-LeCoultre watch will be launched next year, in a fitting tribute to the 40th anniversary of one of Jaeger-LeCoultre icons: the 1965 Memovox. Presented in avant-première in Paris on September 22nd 2004, the watch will be distributed through the Jaeger-LeCoultre network and boutiques in 2005.

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Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 918,mechanical automatic movement, crafted, assembled and decorated by hand,260 parts, 28,800 vibrations per hour, power-reserve of approximately 45 hours, metal oscillating weight segment,hour, minute, centre seconds, date,alarm. Case dimeter 42 mm,hollowed concave sapphire crystalJaeger-LeCoultre and Aston Martin engraving on the case-back, water-resistant to 50 metres.
Special edition in stainless steel, limited series of 750 in titanium.


Source : Jaeger-LeCoultre Press Release

www. jaeger-lecoultre.com
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