AlexSunrise
3712
Brief review of a recent visit to the Manufacture
A visit to Manufacture Jaeger LeCoultre, a great place which I have with great affection, renamed "The People's Manufacture".
You see, the continuos quest for chronometric excellence goes hand in hand with smiling faces and a great human spirit.
Why is this surprising? Because one cannot but be amazed at the size of the company and the important position it holds in the industry, and yet the people who work there have not lost that glitter in their eyes and fascination for the products they help bring to life when someone from the outside becomes interested in their work. It is as almost that the fact that they are so remotely situated in beautiful Le Sentier has made them more eager to interact with outsiders. They might have been phisically confined to a region, but evidently their visions and dreams have always been aimed at the stars.
So, here now are some pics to show you how the day went.
We must be close
Thru those doors a great history of innovation awaits
Obligatory WS for conmemorating the visit....If you were wondering, I liked that car so much that I had to include it in the picture
Our welcoming hosts
You know what they say...Walk the walk and talk the talk, hence here is doing my best impression of me as a master watchmaker
The view from the inside
Greetings from Le Sentier
La Grande Maison is know becoming even bigger
The same building where everything started 176 years ago, and where the Heritage Gallery is now in place.
Other workshops
All I can say is WOW! The Heritage Gallery is something incredible! With so many history gathered up in one place, one only but remains in awe for the entire visit! The interesting part is that JLC has remained true to their heritage and most present day models are modern reinterpretations of their past watches, which have been improved upon by the use of new materials, or bringing them up to the standards of present day life.
Also, while touring the workshops and different stages in production, one couldn't but be amazed at the willingness of the people to explain their task, and in some cases, even making us part of the process...like in the decoration department, where they let us "decorate" with perlage a base plate....So, in case you end up aquiring a JLC with bad perlage, that would be my fault 
. No, just kidding, they actually let us keep the plate we pretended to be decorating.
. No, just kidding, they actually let us keep the plate we pretended to be decorating. At the end of our scheduled visit, after a request from our group to get to see the collection, if possible, our hostess, Miss Pinto, quickly indulged us with a private viewing of the novelties presented at SIHH 2009. The watches were incredible! But again, the best part was the willingness of Miss Pinto (and all who were behind closed doors, which I did not get a chance to meet) to go out of her way and get to show us the novelties.
SIMPLY MINDBLOWING!
As we say in Spanish, MUUUUUUUchas Gracias!
To all who help make JLC the People's Manufacture, A MILLION THANKS!
Special thanks to Miss. St. George from JLC Latin America, our tour guide, Miss Pinto from JLC CH, Mr. Meylan of JLC France, and our local JLC dealers for putting up with us. Also thank you to everybody at JLC both in the production and distribution departments, and congratulations for making Jaeger LeCoultre such a warm place to visit, and most importantly for making it an honor for us, your loyal following, to be able to wear the products you so passionately help create.
Thanks for reading,
Alex
This message has been edited by AlexSunrise on 2009-05-26 10:57:41
Brief review of a recent visit to the Manufacture
A visit to Manufacture Jaeger LeCoultre, a great place which I have with great affection, renamed "The People's Manufacture". You see, the continuos quest for chronometric excellence goes hand in hand with smiling faces and a great human spirit. Why is th...
A visit of the Manufacture is always a great moment, Alex
An unforgettable event, indeed. The blend of the Technical dimension and of the Human richness is something that amazed me a lot, when I visited for the ifrst time " La Grande Maison ". And the disponibility and the warm welcome of the People is also some...
Stunning, and
that is the whole reason for their success and also why they have such a loyal following. I am glad to have helped you remember some good moments. I know for sure that this memory will stay with me for many years to come, or at least until my next visit t...
Hello AlexSunrise!
Your pics make me want to visit JLC! Glad you had a good time and thanks for sharing the pics! -MW
My pleasure!
Hopefully one day soon you will have a chance to visit, Ming. Everybody is so welcoming that it is impossible not to cherish that visit for years to come. Glad you enjoyed the post! Alex
thank you.....
for sharing your experience I am looking forward to my visit which will be organized courtesy of my AD Cheers
You will have a great time!
Please do share with us your experience once you get back. Kudos to your AD for helping you plan the visit. Enjoy, Alex
They are always happy to receive people
You should contact your AD and I am sure he will be very willing to help you out. I am glad you enjoyed the post. All the best, Alex
thanks for the info.
Alex, thanks for the info. I would be very much like to take the opportunity of visiting JLC when i have a working trip to geneve next time. stefan
Alex is right, Stefan
Contact your JLC AD, he will arrange a visit with his clients. Best, Nicolas
thanks Nico.
hi Nico, the reason why i asked that question because i was wondering whether they could entertain individual request instead of the request from a group of people. thanks, stefan
I will ask, Stefan, if an individual visit is possible,
But I have some doubts... I will let you know. Best, Nicolas
Hi, Stefan, I have the infos about a visit of the Manufacture
JLC confirmed me that an individual visit is, for the moment, impossible, as per security rules ( You certainly remember that The Manufacture had some problems in 2007 ), and because JLC wants to give time to their visitors, so they have to organize thems...
really appreciate your help for getting thess info....
hi Nico, ... i fully understand the JLC position, but it is hard to gather sufficient numbers of fans to make such visit tour. anyway, thank you very much for helping. stefan
No, not that hard, Stefan
Because if you as your AD, he will gather JLC fans for you, then the Tour will be possible! Best, Nicolas
I want to go too! Can they accommodate all of us PuristS?
I want to go too! That seems fantastic! I'm still drooling over the photographs of a previous PuristS get together at JLC a couple years ago. Jaeger-LeCoultre was my childhood favorite watch brand, and a visit to their factory is definitely on my to-do li...
can't wait for my turn...or
in fact I can patiently wait til the occasion arises. I am sure it is fantastic time spent in there and hours feel like minutes.
And nights are very short, too
Even wonder if nights exist... Ask to the Barman, he still remember us! )) Best, Nicolas
My pleasure, Fab.
I hope all is well in your search for your dream MUT.....From my side, I am about to finalize an important acquisition...will keep you posted. All the best to the family!
My new JLC !
a lot of new things happen ; and because we are on the JLC part, I am happy to announce you I'm the happiest man on earth since the arrival of a Gold Geomatic.. !! A new strap will be quiclky ordered and a service ! This visit of the Grande Maison made me...
Wow, Congrats, Fabrice!
Very nice Géomatic, my friend. Happy that you could do it. This is a keeper. Best, Nicolas
Lucky bastard!
Is that the one that used to belong to Catheline's father? It is incredible!!! I am very happy for you!! Look forward in seeing it with its new band...if you are going to the same place just be careful and don't let the femme fatale touch it! On my side, ...
a watch of your age.. what an idea ??
yes Alex, a family's story ! do not buy a watch from your birth year, it's a non-sense.. fragile, dead tritium, plexy and not easy to get serviced.. and you're much too old, watches did not exist at your age just kidding ! you saw my love for the 5513, I ...
Glad you enjoyed it!
I came to realize that it is the simple and most basic things that make JLC great! Cheers, Alex
you're so right !
simple but keep in mind that others have failed in this "simple " visit JLC forever !!
Thanks Alex for the pics.
It was a pity I couldn't see you in Paris. But we will manage to do it next time ! Fr.Xavier