Jaeger-LeCoultre is a brand with an incredible back catalogue. Not only does the watchmaker’s watchmaker have an incredible archive of over 1,300 calibres, with some 400 patents to its name, but it’s also created some of the most distinctive and recognizable watches that still stand tall today. There’s the Reverso, undeniably the maker’s most famous design, and the Memovox, a charming calibre featuring that most useful of pre-digital complications — the mechanical alarm. What people, even people well versed in the world of Jaeger-LeCoultre, might be surprised by is the sheer diversity of models and designs that have been created over the years. The Collectibles, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s innovative programme, aims to shine a light on the rich and diverse history of Le Sentier’s most famous watchmaker. 

Last year, Jaeger-LeCoultre announced a capsule collection that highlighted some of the manufacture’s greatest pieces from their golden era (from 1925 through to 1974), and presented them in alongside lavish coffee table book. Of course, there was more to the story, as each piece, fully restored by Jaeger-LeCoultre’s team of expert restoration specialists, was available to purchase. It was a bold concept, and clearly it was just the beginning.

In Jaeger-LeCoultre’s second capsule collection, there’s a veritable treasure trove of exceptional vintage references. Just like last time, each watch has been perfectly restored, and the complete collection is presented in a coffee table book, with an encyclopedic overview of the models written by experts within Jaeger-LeCoultre, as well as a broader presentation of the social context within which these watches existed. This time around, Collectibles features 11 new models, including a remarkable Duoplan and several iconic mid-century models, including the Futurematic and the Geophysic. Here are some of the standouts.

The Duoplan

In 1925, Jaeger-LeCoultre, already a renowned movement maker, revolutionized the design and construction of smaller timepieces — like the feminine watches, which, thanks to the social milieu of the roaring 20s and 30s, were becoming increasingly popular. The ingenious design of the Duoplan saw Jaeger-LeCoultre arrange the movement along two planes — the upper level held the escapement while the lower held the barrel and the majority of the gear train. This ingenious solution allowed for a much smaller footprint at the cost of a slight increase in height. One quirk of this unconventional construction is the winding crown positioned on the rear of the watch. Even this allows for an uninterrupted silhouette. 

This particular Duoplan is even more dazzling,  as the stepped layers of the gold case are incredibly evocative of the Deco era, as is the delicate, elegant gold bracelet, which perfectly accentuates the sleek, streamlined design of this Duoplan.

The Futurematic

Moving through history to the 1950s, the Futurematic is a real hidden gem in the Jaeger-LeCoultre story. The Futurematic has earned the claim to being the first watch in history that didn’t use a crown to wind the movement, and it is the brand’s first automatic movement. Though it didn’t use the sort of fully oscillating weight we’re familiar with today. Instead, it used a ‘bumper’ style movement, with a rotor that swung in a limited arc. This calibre 497 (and later the 817) used by the Futurematic is technically impressive and storied, but even without this behind-the-scenes innovation, there’s a lot to like about the watch. The space age ‘Futurematic’ name, emblazoned under the brand on the dial, is an incredibly retro font, and the twin porthole design is as unusual as it is distinctive. The right hand shows a simple arrow that acts as a running seconds hand, while the left-hand aperture serves as a stylised power reserve indicator.

The Collectibles also offers a later interpretation of the the Futurematic, which offers a more classic dial design. At first glance the Futurematic E501 might be mistaken for a twin register chronograph, but instead the finely snailed registers on the left and the right are, as with the earlier model, power reserve and seconds indicator. The combination of timeless classicism combined with 1950s flair makes the Futurematic an incredibly evocative piece and an important part of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s history.

The Geophysic

The Geophysic is another watch dating back to the 1950s, though it debuted a little later than the Futurematic in 1958. It’s also a watch that was created for a very specific purpose. It was a watch made with scientific endeavour in mind, and its release celebrated two moments: the manufacture’s 125th anniversary and the International Geophysic Year, an international project that aimed to promote and celebrate global scientific communication during a particularly tense period of global politics. Sixty-seven nations took part in this remarkable endeavour, and Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Geophysic was a watch made to meet the needs of the scientific community. The manually wound movement was of a particularly high grade, featuring central hacking seconds, kif shock resistance, a Glucydur balance and a self-compensating balance spring, all wrapped up in an anti-magnetic shell giving the watch magnetic resistance up to 600 gauss. 

This focus on accuracy and resilience continues onto the dial, with luminous hands and a long, finely tapered second hand reaching right out to the seconds track. With its sector design and fine black printing on a crisp white background, the dial of the Geophysic would have looked very at home in among scientific instruments in a well-equipped lab. Finally, the Geophysic is an incredibly rare watch, with only 1,290 examples produced over four years. 

The Memovox Polaris

Another exceedingly rare Jaeger-LeCoutlre is the Memovox Polaris. The reference E 859 debuted in 1965 (this example is from 1968), and combined several impressive features into a single, professional timepiece. First of all, the Memovox aspect of the watch refers to Jaeger-LeCoutlre’s iconic alarm calibre, which they debuted in 1950. While an alarm might be an unconventional choice for a dive watch, it makes perfect sense, as the sound and vibration of this watch on the wrist serve as a solid reminder of how long the wearer has been submerged. The clearly legible dial also featured an internal bezel to serve as an additional safety measure. But perhaps the most impressive technical feature of the Memoox Polaris was the design of the case itself. Unlike most dive watches today, which rely on creating a watch with static pressure resistance, a compressor-style case lets pressure do the work for you, with greater pressure forming an even tighter seal on the case. The Memovox Polaris uses a triple-layer caseback design. The inner steel layer is designed to provide this compression seal, while the next brass layer serves as a resonator for the alarm. Finally, the third layer, which is disconcertingly punctured with a series of holes, allows sound to travel more freely. 

Over the years, the Memovox Polaris has become a collector favourite, and the design has been revisited several times by the manufacturer. It also serves as a powerful example of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s technical skills not just in movements but also in ingeniously engineered case design. 

The Memovox Polaris II

The 1970s saw the original Memovox Polaris evolve into the Memovox Polaris II, a watch which, though it has the same essential functionality, has an entirely different personality. The bold and daring case shape is so evocative of the era, a cushion-like shape offered in bold colours — blue and burgundy, along with a more sedate grey.  The watch also debuted a new movement, the calibre 916, featuring a higher 28,800 rate, resulting in greater precision. It was also the first Memovox movement to use a freely oscillating rotor. 

Design-wise, the Memovox Polaris II sits at a crossroads. It was made in the era of quartz wristwatches and speaks to how Jaeger-LeCoultre was not just committed to always improving its watchmaking but was determined to evolve its design to match the times. 

Collectibles preserves the past for the future

Heritage has always been incredibly important for watch brands.  The past has not just been important for inspiring new collections and communicating savoir-faire, but it’s crucial in defining what a brand values. Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Collectibles is one of the best examples of a manufacture celebrating their heritage in a meaningful way for a contemporary audience. Not only does the programme serve as a tremendous tool for education around significant designs contextualised in history. It also shines a much-deserved light on the skilled watchmakers who work on restoring these pieces of the past. The final factor that makes Collectibles so compelling is that they are tangible and achievable. These watches aren’t just sitting behind museum glass — they’re available for sale directly from the same people who made them 50 or more years ago. That’s a powerful statement about not just the stability and traditions of Jaeger-LeCoultre but also about the future of the manufacture. 

View Jaeger-LeCoultre’s The Collectibles’ second capsule collection here.