Orchids: a symbol of beauty, grace and charm, cultivated and appreciated in China for more than 3,000 years. Butterflies: believed to represent metamorphosis, hope and life itself – their almost weightless fluttering evoking a sense of lightness and joy. Elegant yet delicate, fragile yet strong, orchids and butterflies unite on the dials of this new edition of the Rendez-Vous Sonatina, expressing the most enchanting facets of the feminine character.
Giving full rein to the skill of the Maison’s artisans, these new timepieces call on three of the Métiers Rares™ (Rare Handcrafts) that Jaeger-LeCoultre has so thoroughly mastered: guillochage, micro-painting on mother-of-pearl, and gem-setting, celebrating the Art of Precision in both technical execution and aesthetic expression.
The dials are engraved with a wavy guilloché motif that enhances the tonal variations of the mother-of-pearl, then a delicate tint of pink, green or purple is added. Onto this gleaming background the composition of orchids and butterflies is brought to life by the artisan, one tiny brushstroke at a time. Lifelike in their detail, with a remarkable sense of visual depth, each of these miniature works of art is subtly different, imbued with the artisan’s personality and passion. A fine oval-shaped ring of diamonds draws the eye to the painted image where, set among the blooms, in a free-form, flower-shaped aperture, the Night & Day indicator is visible.
Set on the edge of the dial, a delicate gold star marks the time of a special rendezvous, moved into position by a second crown. When the time comes, the watch releases a single, melodious chime to remind the owner of her appointment. This poetic and whimsical expression of femininity is brought to life by the technical sophistication of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Manufacture Calibre 735, a self-winding movement developed specially for the Sonatina, which is displayed beneath the transparent sapphire case-back.
To complete these watches, an alligator leather strap, matched to the dial colour and given a glowing, shiny finish, is fastened to the wrist by a pink gold buckle. These special editions of Rendez-Vous Sonatina are available exclusively from Jaeger-LeCoultre boutiques and limited to 8 pieces.
