Jaeger-LeCoultre AMVOX1 (1908470)

The vintage watch market grown considerably in recent years, and Artcurial Briest-Poulain- F.Tajan, the leading French auction house, is delighted to announce a historic sale to be held on 29 November 2011: Jaeger-LeCoultre Unique Auction. Jaeger-LeCoultre is lending support to the event by providing an extract from the archives for every timepiece in the sale. 

Among  the sale highlights, Jaeger-LeCoultre presents the unique Atmos 561 by Marc Newson that will be sold in aid of charity, to the benefit of AMM, Monaco Association against Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. AMM aims at collecting funds to finance research, organize scientific roundtables and improve the quality of life of the children, teenagers and young adults affected by the genetic illness. Progressively serious, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is characterized by a weakening of muscles and leads to lung and cardiac complications that become fatal with the onset of adulthood.  

The Atmos is the world's only clock movement that runs on thin air. The unique Atmos 561 by Marc Newson is completely balanced and simple in design, as unexpected as it is obvious, yielding a spare form that borders on a sketch. Designer Marc Newson, who has always been fascinated by the Atmos clock, has designed its case as a Baccarat crystal bubble, which brings out its ethereal nature, lends it a futuristic elegance and catapults it into the ranks of today's great designs.  

For this unique Atmos piece, Baccarat customized its crystal using all its expertise and following numerous manufacturing operations. The "unpolished" technique was applied first to the exterior surface of the crystal which was subsequently immersed into acid baths to obtain a sandblasted crystal effect. During this operation, certain areas of the crystal were protected, which allowed to show several shades of the sandblasted crystal.

Exceptional viewings for an exceptional sale

The first viewing will be a partial presentation of the sale at the Hôtel Hermitage in Monte Carlo from July 23-26, during Artcurial's prestige jewellery and watch sales in Monaco. The watches from the Jaeger-LeCoultre auction will then be on show in Geneva from November 11-14, coinciding with the frontline international watch sales. The final viewing will be at the Hôtel Marcel-Dassault in Paris from November 24-28, prior to the auction on Tuesday 29 November 2011 (7pm). 

Jaeger-LeCoultre, 'La Grande Maison'

The brand has been one of the most famous names in watchmaking since it was founded in 1833 - the first manufacture to be established in the Vallee de Joux in Switzerland. Jaeger-LeCoultre is synonymous with a spirit of inventiveness, watchmaking perfection and unique savoir-faire, maintaining standards of excellence to ensure that every design displays the elegance for which the brand is renowned. 

Legendary Models

Jaeger-LeCoultre led the way in uniting all aspects of watchmaking under the same roof, creating such legendary watches as the Reverso (celebrating its 80th anniversary this year), the Duoplan, Master Control, Memovox (which last year celebrated the 60 years of its history), Polaris, Memovox Deep Sea (the first waterproof alarm watch when it was made in 1959), the Gyrotourbillon and the Atmos clock. Today Jaeger-LeCoultre is acknowledged as a reference in the world of Haute Horlogerie. 

Nearly 180 years of excellence

From Antoine LeCoultre's lever winding mechanism to the ultra-complicated timepieces of today, Jaeger-LeCoultre have continued to innovate while respecting tradition. Ever since Jacques-David LeCoultre and Edmond Jaeger teamed up, the brand has lodged no fewer than 350 patents and more than 1,000 different calibres have seen the light of day - including over 200 repeaters.  

The quest for perfection

Today over a thousand engineers, technicians and master-watchmakers - guided by ancestral know-how, and constantly seeking technical excellence - produce watches embodying Jaeger-LeCoultre's hallmark quest for perfection. Each timepiece calls on the savoir-faire of forty different crafts equipped with cutting-edge technology. Buoyed by its tremendous heritage, Jaeger-LeCoultre remains the brand of reference in fine watchmaking.

Watches in this special auction

Memovox, Reverso, Duoplan, Atmos… all are names which evoke perfection and innovation from Jaeger-LeCoultre. All these mythical watches will be available at Artcurial's unique sale, spanning 178 years of creativity at La Grande Maison. 

The most important Memovox collection ever assembled will also be offered for sale during the auction, which will feature an ensemble of 40 timepieces made between 1950 and the late 1970s - including one of the very first Memovox diving watches, a 1959 Master Mariner Deep Sea with chocolate dial; and the unforgettable 1968 Polaris with its specially designed triple-back case. 

Numerous versions of the mythical Reverso will also be offered. 

Viewing:
MONTE CARLO: Hôtel Hermitage - 23-26 July 2011 (partial sale viewing) 

GENEVA: 11-14 November 2011 

PARIS: Hôtel Marcel-Dassault - 24-28 November 2011 

Sale catalogue:
A bilingual catalogue will be produced for the sale. 
Deadline for inclusion: 3 October 2011 
Date of publication: 27 October 2011 

Valuation days:
Valuation Days will be held in Paris, throughout France and abroad. Expert Roman Rea from Artcurial Watches Department will be at collectors' disposal to offer advice and valuations with a view to consignment.  

Each year Artcurial Briest-Poulain-F.Tajan stage four prestige sales devoted to jewellery and vintage watches. Under the direction of François Tajan, Artcurial's Jewellery & Watches Department is headed by specialist Julie Valade, assisted by experts Thierry Stetten and Roman Rea. The department has grown constantly since its launch in 2005, and is now one of the major players on the international market.