Creating the world’s grandest timepieces
Justine Tyerman is a New Zealand journalist, travel writer and sub-editor. Married for 36 years, she lives in rural surroundings near Gisborne on the East Coast of New Zealand with her husband Chris. In this piece, Justine immerses herself in haute horlogerie (fine watch-making) in Le Sentier, the birthplace of “grande complication” watch-making in Switzerland.
As Vincent Jaton shakes my hand, he smiles charmingly and then surreptiously glances at my left wrist. After a lightning-fast assessment of my modest watch, he makes a judgement of my horological status and I no doubt fall woefully short.
He’s a suave individual, the front man and director of the magnificent Espace Horloger (watch-making museum) in Le Sentier, the cradle of “grande complication” watch-making in Switzerland.
He confesses he judges people by the watches they wear and says he has a dreadful habit of peering up sleeves to sneak a peek at their time piece. Espace Horloger is Vincent’s brain child, dedicated to Switzerland's watch-making genius. Housed in the former L’Essor watch-making factory, the museum was set up in collaboration with the School of Technology of Vallée de Joux where watch-makers of the 21st century are trained.
Vincent has employed his considerable entrepreneurial and design skills to spear-head recent radical renovations at the museum to modernise and broaden its appeal.
His aim was to redefine the museum’s vocation, attract members of the public of all ages, and to educate and entertain.
A Meuron & Comp carriage clock, made in 1790 in Paris, one of the exquisite watches on display at the Espace Horloger watch museum in Le Sentier. Image credit: Justine Tyerman
He wanted to create a space that would give pride-of-place to training and apprenticeships and above all spread the word about Le Sentier and its watch-making lineage. “Displaying exceptional old exhibits is all well and good,” Vincent says, “but we also wanted to bring them to life with innovative interactive communication.”
The end result is an astonishing mix of old and new – display cases housing precious, ornate antique clocks such as an 18th century porcelain clock from Germany, complicated watches like the minute-repeater from Jaeger-LeCoultre and Audemars Piguet, and dazzling über-modern state-of-the-art technology, Ludotemps and workshops where you can design and build your own watch on huge touch screens. Interactive tables allow visitors to learn about the different skills of watch-making and the three fields of applications: movement, watch exterior, decoration and finishing.
Visitors can create their own watch design at Espace HorlongerThere’s even a cinema where visitors are surrounded by the natural beauty of the Vallée de Joux, thanks to the startling 3D effects.
An excellent movie tells the history of watching-making in the valley, an industry which began in the 17th century when farmers set up work benches in their homes as a means to occupy themselves and make a living during the long snow-bound winter months.
Skills were passed on from father to son and the valley, with around 6400 inhabitants and nine villages, became famous as the birthplace of world-renowned mechanical watch-making.
The region in the south-western part of the Jura massif is still home to some of the most prestigious brands in the world including Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Patek Philippe, Blancpain and Breguet.
Clued up on the history, I lose myself for a while in the Gideon Albert Jean collection which features timepieces from the 16th to 19th centuries – exquisite table, travel, Gothic and planetary clocks that once graced the homes of the European nobility and wealthy middle classes.
Among the hundreds or more modern timepieces on display is the world’s thinnest wrist watch by Audemars Piguet created in 1946, a pop art watch by Andy Warhol and a Reverso watch created by Jaeger-LeCoultre in 1931, a model which allows the case to swivel to protect the glass during vigorous sports like polo. Considered a classic of Art Deco design, the Reverso is still manufactured today.
Developments in the 20th century saw the marriage of the mechanical and the aesthetic to produce high-fashion watches such as the Royal Oak from Audemars Piguet where style is as important as function.
And then there are the grande complications, the functions built into watches such as date, month, minute-repeater, grand strike, split-seconds chronograph, perpetual calendar, tourbillion, moon phases and signs of the zodiac.
Some complications involve as many as 600 working parts. That’s complicated!
The legendary Philippe Dufour, the most famous watchmaker in the world. Image credit: Justine Tyerman
The legendary Philippe Dufour, one of the most famous watchmakers in the world and a resident of the valley, pops in to see Vincent while we are there.
He’s immediately surrounded by admirers who want to quiz him and get a look at the seriously complicated $US100,000 hand-crafted watch on his wrist, custom-made for him by none other than... Philippe Dufour.
Fortunately, I have by now taken off my humble watch and slipped it into my travel bag.
A somewhat reluctant super-star, 66-year-old Philippe looks like a quintessential Swiss watchmaker and even has one of those eye-glass things in his pocket.
Born in the valley, he began his career at the age of 15, and was employed by Jaeger-le-Coultre and Audemars Piguet amongst other famous firms before deciding to produce watches under his own name in 1989.
Now one of the most sought-after independent watchmakers in the world, he works alone producing 15 to 18 watches a year by hand on direct commission.
His run of 200 Simplicity timepieces took him 12 years to make, the last of which was delivered in 2012. Regarded as a luminary in watchmaking circles, he’s a modest man and a delight to meet.
After half a day at Espace Horloger, there’s little you will not know about horology. You will even be sent email details of the virtual watch you created, thanks to the smart technology.
“If you love history, heritage and the art of watch-making, you can’t remain indifferent to a place like the Espace Horloger,” says Vincent.
“It’s a total immersion experience in the world of the Vallée de Joux watchmaker.”
A shop attached to the museum stocks more than 120 books devoted to watch-making as well as reference books and DVDs and souvenirs. It’s a fascinating place and one of 490 museums in Switzerland that are free to visit with a Swiss Travel Pass.
Have you ever been to Switzerland?
Justine Tyerman travelled courtesy of Switzerland Tourism.
Hero image credit: Justine Tyerman
Related links:
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7 excuses to visit Switzerland in 2017
4 seemingly boring cities worth visiting