Jaeger-LeCoultre

blomman Mr Blue
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My return to the Promised Land, part #1

For a while I was very worried about the volcano aches but when the day finally arrived the sun was shining bright!

The watch gods must think it was time for me to return to the Promised Land.

A small group of watch enthusiasts gathered one early morning in May at the airport.

Everybody with a lot of jitter before the journey and even more expectations

For some time now I have been waiting for this event – a visit at the “La Grande Maison”!

Two days in Vallee De Joux with only JLC watches in and on my mind

A slice of heaven!    

Arriving in Geneva we started with a boat trip on the Geneva Lake.

Sun, wine, snacks and sea – great start, but for me it was almost torture…

Don’t care about the weather, I am not hungry, maybe a little bit trusty and the lake, well I live by the ocean, so...

I want to see the workshops and the watches!!!

Don’t get me wrong – I am very grateful for the nice ride, the great company and the stunning view!

But I have been waiting for this trip a couple of month now, and now I am so close…

My only comfort is that I have a chance to admire all the others watches, mostly Reversos, a Tourbillon, a Grand Reveil, a Patek and an AP.

A very nice selection

A two days visit=two watches.

I choose to bring the TT Polaris -65 and the new Memovox International.

Actually I wanted to bring one Memovox and one Reverso as “tribute” to JLC’s history but in the end I settled for these two.



After a delicious lunch by the lake we enter the bus that will take us to the Valley of Gold!

Are we there yet? Are we there yet..? Are we there yet….?

YES, finally, finally we are there – at the gate of JLC!

My heart starts to beat faster, my palms get moist and I am having trouble to communicate with the others in the group…

First time I visited the Manufacture was five years ago.

So this second time I thought I would be a little bit more prepared on what I was about to see.

First time I went there I was so amazed I didn’t fully grasp all the impressions that were given me.

This time was no different…

First stop the Heritage gallery

Display after display with wonderful beautiful watches!

Pocket watches, wrist watches, table clocks, …

A walk through history of time!

In a brief moment I look around at the others in the group and smile, they all have there jaws hanging in astonishment  

Then I realize that my own jaw is hanging flat on my chest!

Atmos, Chronometers, Chronographs, Divers, Memos, Amvoxes, Tourbillons, Reversos, Grand complicated … They are all there!

Vintage and modern, big or small, round, square, cushion, … They are all there!

My head starts to spin, I am all soaked in sweat - the only thing I can think of is how much I would love to touch these beauties!

Try them on my wrist, to bring them ho.., NO.

But at least be able to feel them!

Some of them are the first time I see them IRL.

I recognise them from photos, but this is the first time I see the Master Mariner (Nicolas version), vintage Polaris, Memo Parking and some others.

There are two that’s missing, the DSA and the Snowdrop but at that moment it slips my mind, because then I hit “the wall”!

Or actually I see the wall, the wall of calibres, two floors high!

Only in-house movement, my eyes almost pops out of their sockets…

I have seen some photos of the wall, but that is something you got to see with your own eyes to fully understand!

From the smallest Cal 101 to big pocket watch calibres, all sizes and shapes, all with fantastic finish.

And now you are wondering – were are the photos?

Well, a lot of things have changed since the first time I visited the Manufacture, one thing is that you are not allowed to that photos any more.

Unfortunate, but understandable.

But do not despair, you are allowed to take photos in the show room…

End of part #1.

Best, and to be continued…

Blomman