On the slope of Mont Tendre, a path winds between the spruces. Our steps follow the trail, traced by hikers, but also by cattle. The heifers watch us pass, curious and willing to approach, until they sniff our hands. Gentian with yellow flowers brightens up the meadow. Our guide pulls out a few glasses from his bag: time for a tasting of the alcohol drawn from its roots... between fresh grass and vast sky. Moreover, gentian has a connection with watchmaking (like everything, or almost everything, here in the Vallée de Joux): its dried stem is used to achieve the black polish.
But the local nature has more than one treasure up its sleeve. A music box mechanism placed on a plank of spruce from Risoud – the forest on the other side of the vallée de Joux –, and the sound takes on an unexpected fullness, it vibrates. This wood, prized by luthiers, is appreciated worldwide. Watchmakers, too, unleash treasures of inventiveness to optimize the music of their striking watches—a tradition that dates back to 1870 for Jaeger-LeCoultre. The Maison's first minute repeater dates from that time, followed by several hundred more before 1900.
There, at the end of the path, stands a mountain chalet. Anchored in the landscape, its shingle facade tells us of the Jura, the artisans' touch, the taste for long time, the taste for shared time. Here, cheese was made. Today, Jérôme Lambert, CEO of Jaeger-LeCoultre, invites us to listen to the art of watchmaking to the rhythm of the terroir.
Wood and Cheese
On the table, built from the remains of a 290-year-old larch, smokes a fondue of local Gruyère, accented with a creamy touch of Vacherin. The ambiance is warm, sincere—the gentian reappears as if by miracle, or almost. The emotion is palpable: of course, we are the first guests of this exceptional place. But above all, Jérôme Lambert has returned for a few months at the helm of "the watchmaker of watchmakers," a position he held from 2002 to 2013. "When you are lucky to occupy your dream job twice, the second time you really enjoy it," he confesses—with a communicative happiness.
The Love of Sound, the Passion for Watchmaking
Three exceptional pieces await us. First, the Reverso Tribute Minute Repeater, a tribute to the first minute repeater of the contemporary manufacture, in 1994. Since then, the watchmaker has gained experience in striking mechanisms, and it shows! Its rectangular silhouette complicates sound transmission, and everything had to be rethought. The Caliber 953 integrates seven patents, including major inventions such as trebuchet hammers (2009), crystal gongs (2005), and the elimination of silent-intervals (2021). Pure, clear music.
Next comes the Master Hybris Mechanica Caliber 362. A flying tourbillon suspended on a silver-grained dial. Streamlined, it seems to hold its breath before striking. Only 4.7 mm thick for its automatic movement, 7.8 mm for the watch in its entirety: an achievement.
Then the Master Hybris Artistica Caliber 945. Two dragons sculpted in gold coil around the dial. Several complications—zodiac calendar, celestial vault, patented Cosmotourbillon, and minute repeater—make this piece exceptional. The finely crafted gold watch case also reveals the beauty of its finishes, amplifying the sound.
Listening to the Valley
Here, at the Chalet, the melody of time comes alive, takes root. It resonates against the old wood, nestles into the thick walls. The Chalet is much more than a splendid restoration: it's an immersion into the roots of the Jaeger-LeCoultre manufacture. A way to feel the valley, to taste it, to listen to it. This region where Antoine LeCoultre perfected the music box mechanism. Where his descendant, Jacques-David, loved to spend time and cross-country ski across the snowy expanses. At 1,360 meters altitude, in this pasture, Jaeger-LeCoultre vibrates with the soul of the vallée de Joux. And during this pause, time rings so true.
