Nobody actually needs a watch, says Jaeger-LeCoultre CEO
Artistry and occasion influence buyers today, Catherine Rénier tells Life & Leisure ahead of JLC’s uniquely hands-on pop-up store opening in Sydney in May.
And so the lofty come down to earth. From May 10 to 19 the venerable Jaeger-LeCoultre, famed for its mechanical movements and two-sided Reverso watch, plans on tapping the wider audience that throng Sydney’s Martin Place every day.
The idea is to acquaint visitors with the brand’s 190 years of creativity and expertise, the temporary structure arranged to offer an ‘immersive and hands-on’ experience with videos, displays and demonstrations with an inviting finale: a hit of coffee and Swiss chocolate in a dedicated 1931 Café pop-up, that being the year the Reverso debuted.
‘It’s not tough, it’s different,’ Jaeger-Le Coultre chief executive Catherine Rénier says of the watch market.
Speaking from Switzerland, Jaeger chief executive Catherine Rénier tells Life & Leisure its ambition is to embrace the public at large – not just collectors – in a world where the watch is not necessary. “Nobody needs a watch, so we need to explain what we do and where we come from, why watchmaking was so important in the last century. It has given birth to so much craftsmanship and there’s a lot to dig into beyond the technical aspect.”
Renier sees the pop-up as an extension of the brand’s boutique (a mere stone’s throw away in King Street) but with a more involving dimension and an array of heritage pieces and watchmaking classes on a scale not possible in the boutique. “It will cover all the collection and history of JLC and a wider audience – that’s the important part.”
A render of the planned pop-up, in Sydney’s Martin Place.
As to whether sales are the ultimate aim, Renier says the pop-up is not a “selling event”. Rather it “brings awareness about watchmaking, understanding what they’re about beyond the usefulness of their function”. While creating a bond with the object itself, she stresses it’s more about what watchmaking is today and what Jaeger-LeCoultre brings to the equation.
Watchmaking today is, in fact, under some pressure after the surprisingly strong COVID-19 lockdown years. Swiss watch exports, considered a barometer, fell 16 per cent in March, a dismal figure. But Renier doesn’t buy into a “tough times” scenario.
“It’s not tough, it’s different ... It’s a new era after a few years of a lot of changes. We continue our journey – stronger than we’ve ever been, I believe.”
She puts this surprisingly confident position down to “creativity and innovation” while noting the changing role a watch plays.
“Today a watch is an object that [has] an artistic dimension. When we go back to the ’60s, it was very much a tool you needed on a daily basis. Today you don’t need that, you have your phone.”
Update on a classic: the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso One Duetto.
Then there’s the way we buy watches, which has also changed. “You buy in terms of a moment of your life, a celebration, gifting, something that will last, something that will remind you of a special time.”
Renier believes this emphasis on emotion has led to a greater interest than ever in the brand’s stories, and that a younger generation is also discovering the allure of mechanical timepieces.
A render of Jaeger-Le Coultre’s pop-up café, named after the year the Reverso was released.
“It’s a big thing of the last few years, and we have seen younger and younger collectors diving into the wonders of watchmaking, into the technical aspects as well.
“So these pop-ups [planned for a number of cities] are not targeting the young or older generation; they’re open to the public at large. Everyone – even not knowing watchmaking – can relate to what you will find. There is plenty for the younger generation, plenty for families. It’s not exclusive in its approach.”
Not forgetting the role women increasingly play in today’s watch world – they comprise 50 per cent of Jaeger LeCoultre’s clients. “Women have been very much part of our journey as a watchmaker, dating back to the 1930s, and have continued, and re-enforced, their interest in mechanical watches.”
Given Mother’s Day falls just after the pop-up opens, it seems the timing could be perfect.
Need to know
- The pop-up will open daily from 9am to 7pm (5pm on Sundays).
- Entry is free.
- Guided tours of about 30 minutes are also available by registering on arrival or prebooking.
Subscribe to gift this article
Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.
Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber?
Introducing your Newsfeed
Follow the topics, people and companies that matter to you.
Find out moreRead More
Latest In Fashion & style
Fetching latest articles