3 watches you can get from the brand new Jaeger-LeCoultre Melbourne boutique right now
Nick KenyonThe lockdown in Melbourne has made us miss a lot of things. An avocado-heavy brunch with friends. A cocktail at Eau-de-Vie. And also the opening of the brand new Jaeger-LeCoultre Melbourne boutique. You heard me correctly, Jaeger-LeCoultre has a new home in Melbourne at the Paris end of Collins Street, right next to its Richemont stablemates, Vacheron Constantin and Cartier.
This is the second part of an Australian expansion by the brand, with the first-ever boutique in the country opening in Sydney last year. At the time, Justin Devaux, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Country Manager of Australia and New Zealand, explained the decision behind the expansion as a part of a longer-term strategy to “immerse the customer in the brand universe”.
Mr Devaux went on to add, “I think overall that everybody is looking quite optimistically at the market in Australia. On our side we definitely expect to have a bright future in Australia, but Jaeger-LeCoultre is not an easy brand to understand, and is one that has mastered so many different areas of craftsmanship that you need to have a specific boutique to be able to have the time and expertise to explain the range of the skills we are offering with our manufacture.”
As a Melbourne resident, I’m excited to have access to a similar local resource, despite the significant change to the retail landscape that has happened since last December. But in response to this shift, the new Melbourne boutique is also the first-ever Jaeger-LeCoultre virtual boutique, which will offer an in-person experience without necessarily needing to make the journey into the CBD. Yes, even if there’s another Melbourne lockdown, anyone can still experience the new space.
On this development, Mr Devaux expressed his delight “to open our first Melbourne boutique and world-first Jaeger-LeCoultre virtual boutique, offering clients an exclusive experience and welcoming them to the home of fine watchmaking”.
Even if you are able to visit the boutique virtually, however, nothing quite beats the experience of sitting down with a sales assistant and talking through the latest novelties and boutique special editions. So without further ado, here are three watches that you’ll be able to see at the new Jaeger-LeCoultre Melbourne boutique.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Small Seconds
Without a doubt, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Small Seconds has to be one of the hottest Reverso releases from the brand in recent years. The deep burgundy dial is exquisite, and the case proportions fully embody the elegance of the almost 90-year-old design. If that wasn’t enough, the burgundy-coloured dial is enhanced with a matching Casa Fagliano strap that cements this as one of the finest-looking dress watches to ever leave the Le Sentier-based manufacture. Price: $12,700 AU. For more details, visit Jaeger-LeCoultre.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Perpetual
Jaeger-LeCoultre are well known for their adeptness in the world of ultra-thin watchmaking, and it isn’t confined to simple time-only watches either. The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Perpetual is a fine example of their capacity to produce complicated watches that can easily slip under a cuff, and with movement architecture that doesn’t disrupt the balance of a dial that is communicating a lot of information. Price: $32,500 AU. For more details, visit Jaeger-LeCoultre.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Rendez-Vous Perpetual Calendar
If you like your watches with a little more panache than the typically reserved Jaeger-LeCoultre ethos, the Rendez-Vous Perpetual Calendar brings the bling. Measuring only 37.5mm of pink gold, and with a diamond-set bezel and crown, good things certainly can come in small packages. Price: $75,000 AU. For more details, visit Jaeger-LeCoultre.
The new Jaeger-LeCoultre Melbourne boutique can be found at 86 Collins Street, Melbourne, VIC, 3000. For more details, visit Jaeger-LeCoultre right here.