Old is gold. Rounding out a collection with some pre-owned timepieces is a very special feeling, especially if we are talking about emblematic or rare models… As the trend for vintage watches consolidates, the market for second-hand luxury watches is growing fast. In its 2022 Swiss Industry Report, Deloitte estimates that the pre-owned market accounts for CHF 20 billion and is likely to reach CHF 35 billion to make up more than half of the primary market. The second-hand business has transformed dramatically and professionalized over the past few years, with a proliferation of players including brands that are launching their own CPO (Certified Pre-Owned) programs to capture part of this market and positively influence the perception and value of their watches. Among these is the recent initiative of Rolex allowing its retailers to certify and sell models with a two-year Rolex international warranty. It is time for Jaeger-LeCoultre to announce The Collectibles, a program covering watches from a carefully curated selection of vintage models.
The scale of the program is here restricted to a curated selection of rare and sought-after Jaeger-LeCoultre timepieces. The announcement coincides with the presentation of the eponymous The Collectibles coffee-table book. This reference book covers 17 of the Grande Maison’s most significant models of the last century including some Reverso, Geophysic, Futurematic and Memovox watches produced over a period from 1925 to 1974.
Every watch from The Collectibles program has been checked and restored in-house by Jaeger-LeCoultre. They come with a brand-new strap, an extract from the archives listing its technical details and a copy of The Collectibles book. When available, the original box and papers will be provided too. The brand also offers a 3-year warranty. The restoration department brings together a team of 10 specialist watchmakers who can rely on a stock of original parts and archives to find the blueprint of pieces to remake components.
As explained by Catherine Rénier, CEO of Jaeger-LeCoultre, “this new program not only offers a unique opportunity to acquire a piece of the history of the Manufacture, but also a new reference book on the most important models of our Maison from the 20th century. Also, Mrs Rénier adds that “the opportunity to restore and re-sell these remarkable timepieces is a beautiful homage to our contemporary environment, where sustainability and the desire to give things a second life have come to the fore.”
The watches offered in the frame of the program will make for a constantly evolving capsule collection depending on what Jaeger-LeCoultre will be able to source. Among the first watches offered are for example a 1933 Reverso, a 1946 Full Calendar, a 1963 Geomatic Chronometer, a 1958 Memovox Parking, a 1961 Master Mariner Deep Sea or a 1969 Shark Deep Sea chronograph with world time bezel.
The watches part of The Collectibles collection can be purchased online. They are, for now, on display at the brand’s Geneva Boutique (Rue du Rhône 56, 1204 Geneva, Switzerland) but the collection is then expected to travel around the world.
For more information, please visit www.jaeger-lecoultre.com.
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