Jaeger-LeCoultre

I would like to share with you some vintage ads in order to go through 40 years of Jaeger-LeCoultre history (from the late 1920s to the late 1960s).

From Jaeger to Jaeger-LeCoultre

At the beginning of the 20th century, Lecoultre was an established company in the watchmaking industry, but it remained unknown to the final customers, as the manufacture was a supplier of nice movements for other brands. I have never seen Lecoultre ads from that period.

On the other hand, Jaeger was a recognized name, which was originally known as official supplier for marine chronometer. It started soon to diversify his production with other instruments for cars or planes that had one common attribute: precision!

I would like to initiate this post with a very nice Jaeger ad from 1927.

 

Watches took then a major place in the products portfolio sold by Jaeger.

In 1930, watches were explicitly mentioned, although it was still one product amoung 7 others.

Please note the very short mention of Le Sentier (Vallée de Joux), where Lecoultre has located its production of movement since 1833.

 

The slogan "Horlogerie de Luxe" has been associated to the Jaeger-LeCoultre name for a long time ; it was already used in this other ad from 1930.

 

In 1931, Jaeger was proud to equip planes, cars ... but also beautiful women!

 

In 1932, Jaeger was a global company with offices in all the places to be: New York, London, Paris and ... La Vallée de Joux!

 

This ad from 1934 presents various models among them the iconic reverso and the duoplan. These watches were garanteed without restriction including a free of charge afterservice!

This is also one of the first ads where both names Jaeger and Lecoultre are closely associated.

 

The following ad from 1935 presents the list of authorized dealers. It includes Mauboussin, Boucheron and Hermes.

 

Finally, the Jeager-LeCoultre brand appears in 1937. If Jaeger continues to produce watches, the production of luxury watches is now reserved for Jeager-LeCoultre.

 

In 1937, this pedagogical ad summarizes the key differences between the brands:

Watches and other clocks

In the 1930s, Jaeger-LeCoultre did not only focus its advertising campaign on watches as it does today. Clocks, mirrors and lamps were also presented in order to highlight the large range of products offered by the manufacture, such as this mystery clock (1934).

 

The same year, the mystery clock is associated with a nice watch-mirror and a duoface lamp.

 

The watch-mirror is the central timepiece on this ad from 1935.

 

An other clock with the beautiful movement known as baguette.

 

And of course, the atmos !

 

If you are looking for an idea for a gift, please have a look at this selection!

 

And what about this other selection?

 

"You need Jaeger-LeCoultre!"

Jaeger-LeCoultre has used and declined the slogan "You need a watch" for many years. In 1934, the watch you need is of course a reverso!

 

In 1937, you need precision.

 

More, you need elegance AND precision!

 

In the early 1950s, the slogan is re-used, but the watch is not necessarily visible.

 

"Eulogy for time"

This strange slogan has been used for very nice ads - could be my favorite ones - that are pure work of art.

1946

1947

1949

 

The use of quotes from books and poems

After the second world war, Jaeger-LeCoultre also used quotes from famous writers or poets.
As I am not a poet my self, my english transations may be wrong. If any major in english can correct them, I would appreciate.

"An hour is not merely an hour, it is a vase filled with perfumes, with sounds, with projects, with climates." Marcel Proust

 

"All things, in Time, listen, confer, and compose" Paul Claudel

 

"I know the art of evoking happy moments" Baudelaire

 

"And feel, deep in rest, the eternity of Time..." Anna de Noailles

 

"the wing, down, evaporates the moment that does not exist yet..." Paul Claudel

 

"The fresh water streamed from the stony basin
 singing in the calm of lost gardens
 the song of time that goes by and will not come back any more..."

 

"...whose round beauty loundges under the azure,
 forgetful of the time that slowly erases it!"

 

"like water...
 hours...
 flow."

 

"Priority"

The following sequence of ads is based on the interpretation of one word: Priority (Priorité) in 1953, Superiority (Primauté) in 1954.

The mention "Automatic", "waterproof" or "elegance" can be added to enrich the message.

The ad hereafter is one of my favorite ones.

 

Some color ads

The next sequence of ads have been published in the late 50s and share the same graphic standards with the "innovative" use of colors.

I don't really see the interest in such ads where 2 or 3 watches are simply aligned.

In the early 60s, creativity is back with more or less success.

 

1958 world's fair in Brussels

Expo '58 marked the return of the world's fair after an 18 years absense due to World War II. This event took place in Brussels and was considered as one of the most successful world's fairs.

Some famous Jaeger-LeCoultre watches (among them the geophysic, memovox and futurematic) were shown in the pavilion of Switzerland.

The 3 following ads were published in the context of this world's fair: "1958, In the whole world, the time Jeager-LeCoultre."

Have you noticed the geophysic chronometer in the lower right corner?

 

Iconic models

The next sequence is dedicated to 4 iconic models: the reverso, the futurematic, the memovox and the geomatic.

The next ad is quite surprising as nobody today considers the reverso model as a toolwatch. However, just before the second world war, people were told that this elegant model could be the ideal watch for the armies!

The reference to military use is less obvious in this ad from 1940, in which an other model is presented as being waterproof.

 

In the early 50s, the futurematic is an amazing concept watch that does not need any winding crown thanks to the efficiency of the automatic system.
 Jeager-LeCoultre will not hesitate to communicate on it.

 

This nice ad presents both the futurematic and the memovox.

 

The memovox, the 3-in-1 watch that reminds, notifies and wakes up!

 

For the 125th birthday of the manufacture, three timepieces were highlighted. Among them, the Memovox parking and the Memovox International aka Memovox Worldtime.

 

From 1961, the ad below presents the Memovox E855 (movement 825), the first automatic watch with alarm and date. Here in a rare "12 racer" dial.

 

Did you know that a memovox in gold could be seen as a tool watch?!

 

Here is a nice trio including the famous polaris.

 

The fourth iconic watch from that sequence is the geomatic chronometer. This "masterpiece of watchmaking art" is also a watch for action!

Animals were also used to illustrate the qualities of a timepiece: the tortoise for the Geomatic, birds for the ultra thin models or the atmos.

 

 

Last but not least

This final part groups several ads that could not fit in one of the previous categories.

In 1939, Hermes was an authorized dealer for Vacheron Constantin and Jaeger-LeCoultre watches.

Published in 1946, this surprising ad represents a watchmaker dressed with many timepieces.

These last ads show off the luxury aspects of the Jaeger-Lecoultre watches dedicated to ladies.

These watches were said to be the combination of the swiss technology and the french taste.

Diamonds are forever!

 

And drinking Champagne...

 

...while listening to a piano concerto.

 

I hope you have enjoyed this journey. Of course, the selection was not exhaustive and I have omitted many ads in this selection. I have just considered that 74 ads were more than enough

 

Marv
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This message has been edited by AnthonyTsai on 2008-08-07 06:50:38 This message has been edited by AnthonyTsai on 2008-08-10 08:12:13

a terrific journey through time with La Grande Maison!!! Being a fan of vintage JLC pieces, I truly appreciate your painstaking "Insert Image." By the way, is there any ads specifically for Geophysic? If you've got one, please...I would love to see it. It appears above together with Memovox (125th Anniversary).

Keep sharing such valuable pieces of JLC history.

Regards,

Joe

 

This message has been edited by JoeT on 2008-08-06 18:56:36

thanks Marv for sharing, I like your old JLC advs collection. it is really nice, each of them can tell us interesting storis by its own! it makes me also like to collect some if possible.

stefan

Dear Marv

 

These are brilliant, thanks so much for all the hard work. It puts the watches into more historical context.

 

What was your source for these and how did you go about collecting them? Were they originally used in newspapers or magazines, or perhaps on billboards or at dealers? Do JLC themselves keep an archive of advertising materials?

 

I feel a coffee table book coming on…please.

 

Andrew

just a history of JLC through ads, but an art history of graphic art in the twentieth century.  Very interesting and illuminating!

Many thanks for all your hard work

Andrew H

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Thank you for sharing this magificent compilation of ads with us!

It has be highly informative and delightful to take a closer look at

JLCs history through their ads (a large part of which were unknow

to me).

Cheers

Christian

 

Note for Nicolas:

No different font sizes on the Jaeger dashboard instruments.

Congratulations Marv for this really great post, and for your effort in assembling so many ads in a structured way.

I know you know that I am also collecting these ads (since we have sometimes been 'facing' each other for the purchase of some of the above), but I have never taken the time to structure them the way you did (I keep mine in 2 big A3 books).

I have even discovered a few I was not aware of  (so the hunt goes on ! )

Bravo for this good work Marv

BW, on the 'Racer' memovox, the meaning for R.A.C.E.R. is Reveil Automatique Calendrier Etanche R.?  
(I have never figured out what the last R stands for, but at that time I know that Jaeger LeCoultre used the above letters in their French referencing system to describe functionalities for all their models. Maybe someone just thought that adding the last R would look cooler on that one ! )

and for the great work !

             Cheers

                Jeff

This is the post I was waiting for some weeks, now! LOL

You offered us a marvellous trip in the Past, with all these ads.

I appreciated a lot some ads which are nothing else than pure pieces of Art and Literature.

While others are more technical, or simply horological.

This is also a good thing to not forget that JLC didn't only make watches, but worked for the Industry of Planes, and Cars.

And a good lesson with this ad from 1937, differencating Jaeger, and Jeager Lecoultre, without forgetting Lecoultre, for the USA )...

My favourites are the onesrelative to " L'Eloge du Temps ", and the others with the quotes from famous Writers...

Your post is like a catalogue, we're walking through the years, remembering all the nice and interesting watches JLC made.

You have a superb collection of ads, my friend!

Thanks a lot for your hard work in building this post of ...Anthology!

It is also saved in the right part of the screen caled " new blog post ".

Best, Christophe!

Nicolas

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This message has been edited by amanico on 2008-08-07 06:34:24

The research and material is outstanding. Thank you!

- SJX

nt

Thank you. what a great post. I can only join the choir of the others. What a joy to see these ads. Definatly must go under "classic posts" or "what the section is called. I for one ,feel this is one of the posts that I will revisit many times. It offers a great sensation of the history and puts the watches and clocks in to a context.

Thank you again

 

Sincerely

COD

Hi Marv,

Thanks a lot for sharing your work and passion with us.

Fantastic journey indeed!

I wish you great luck to complete your collection! 

Best regards

Dje

As a man in advertising business for 25 years I'm impressed...yes very much impressed. This is a fantastic retrospective of JLC advertising which gives a great opportunity to follow the creative trends throughout the years. I have to confess that I looket at the ads not as a JLC owner and admirer, but as an adman. By the way Marv, may I kindly ask your permission to share them with my collegues in the agency (may be with a little lecture on watch advertising trends)?

Thanks for the excitement you created...

Ahmet

nt.

Thanks so much for taking the time to scan and post that remarkable history through the use of advertisements. It is the best post of its kind that I have ever had the pleasure of exploring.

Best regards,

Tony C.

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nt

I am all the more touched by your nice messages that many of you have contributed by your posts to my interest in watchmaking. Even if I am not a big poster, I read very regularely the messages here.

Some question have been raised and I will try to answer them here.

As many of you have mentionned, there are stories behind each of these vintage ads: stories not only about watches, but also about graphic art, literature, science and technics, world history. I consider these ads to be close observers and direct witnesses of their time. That is one of the key reasons why I have interest in them.

Although I have bought my first ads a couple of years ago, I have really start to accumulate them after a trip in Switzerland at the begining of this year.

During that trip, I visited many watchmaker museums: among them, the PP museum at Geneva and the JLC Heritage Gallery at Le Sentier (of course!) ... but also the Longines museum at Saint Imier, where one section is fully dedicated to old posters and other ads.
This very interesting visit motivated me for going forward in my hunt for vintage ads.

Concerning the source, most of theses ads come from newspapers and have been bought from a famous auction site. As only very few people were interested in them, it was always a surprise to be outbid by someone... and most of the times I have asked for the profile of the outbidder, it looks like it was you, Clavi

I would also bet that Jaeger-Lecoultre has kept the archive of their vintage ads, as some of them have re-appeared in the JLC catalog for many years.

@AFK: There is no problem with sharing these ads with your collegues. Moreover, I assume the copyright remains the property of JLC.
And that's why, concerning the coffee table book suggested by Andrew D (what I also consider to be is an excellent idea) ... we should forward it to JLC! And they could publish the book in the context of a temporary exhibition at the Heritage Gallery

@Joe T: I have not found in my stock any other ad specific to the Geophysic. But, I have got for you a higher resolution scan of the extract from the 125th anniversary concerning this geophysic.

By the way, for the ones that will be in Switzerland soon, there is a temporary exhibition (until the 21st of september) dedicated to the 1958 world's fair and the watch section of the pavilion of Switzerland.

The Geophysic is there with the original documentation. Unfortunately, there is not enough light for taking good pictures.

And finally, I would like to express special thanks to Nicolas whose encouragements (c.f. this message ) have boosted me to write this post.

Have a nice day!

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Marv

I thought that it was better to announce that something was in the air, rather than seeing some ads spotting here and there, as I knew that you were preparing something...

Hope I didn't disturb your holidays, my friend...

As for The Géophysic, that is a Hot watch in my wish list, and the pics you posted about it don't arrange my situation...LOL

Thanks for all you did here, Christophe.

Hope that one of these days, we'll make a special Parisian GTG with Clavi, here, in Paris, with some kind of topic we're mad about..Like...

Vintages? LOL

Best, and have some nice holidays, my friend.

Nicolas

for a crazy little thing "designed for scientists, engineers, technicians."

Please keep sharing more of this kind whenever your time is available. I am not a big poster here too but find it very fruitful in many situations to read heaps of the threads here.

Regards.

Joe

 

This message has been edited by JoeT on 2008-08-08 15:13:11

Thks for sharing

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