Jaeger-LeCoultre (founded 1937)
Jaeger-LeCoultre was founded in 1937 by Edmond Jaeger (1858–1922) and Jacques-David LeCoultre (1875–1948). It was hailed as the merger of expert Swiss watch manufacturing and sleek French design. However, the origins of the company go back to the 19th century, when a watchmaker named Antoine LeCoultre (1803–1881) began making watches in Switzerland’s Vallée de Joux region.
The company, which included his sons, came to be known as LeCoultre & Cie in 1877. They brought in in-house movement makers with broad skills and, by 1888, had created the largest watch movement center in Switzerland. LeCoultre & Cie earned a reputation for precision, inventing the Millionomètre in 1844 (the first device capable of measuring a micron) and developing a keyless watch winding system in 1847.
These early accomplishments led the company to be recognized as early leaders in watch mechanisms, establish relationships with companies in Geneva (including Patek Philippe), employ close to 500 people in their Le Sentier manufacture, and train future generations of watchmakers.
Around 1903, the French inventor Edmond Jaeger, who had been involved in watchmaking since 1880, was looking for a Swiss manufacturer to produce the ultra-thin movement he had invented. Known as one of the best manufacturers of precision watch movements, LeCoultre was up to the task, and the two forged a lasting relationship.
Jaeger had already entered into a contract with Cartier to produce watch movements and complete watches for them; Vacheron Constantin soon followed. The war years proved challenging, yet Jaeger and LeCoultre had formed a partnership with French aviation engineer Gustave Delage and Swiss aviator and adventurer Edmond Audemars to create clocks, tachometers, barometers, and other gauges for the military during World War I.
A force to be reckoned with, they continued to dominate the watch manufacturing market—both together and independently—until they registered as a commercial watch brand in 1930. Around this time, they produced iconic timepieces like the Reverso (1931), with its reversible case designed for polo players, and the Atmos clock, which runs on temperature changes.
On November 30, 1937, Spécialités Horlogères SA was officially renamed La Société de Vente des Produits Jaeger-LeCoultre SA, representing both the Jaeger and LeCoultre brands. The company was led by Jacques-David LeCoultre, along with his trusted associates Gustave Delage and Paul Lebet.
The following year, LeCoultre invested in the struggling Vacheron Constantin, incorporating the famous brand as well. Over nearly two centuries, Jaeger-LeCoultre has developed over 1,300 calibers and holds more than 430 patents.
Mahnaz Collection features some of the most unique creations ever produced by Jaeger-LeCoultre. Among them is the remarkable “Mystery Dial” design, which creates the illusion of floating hour and minute hands, seemingly disconnected from the movement. This visual effect is achieved by placing the hands on transparent, rotating discs. Jaeger-LeCoultre brought this concept to life most notably in the “Galaxy” series—elegant timepieces often adorned with diamond-set dials and refined gold cases. Popular in the 1950s, especially in North America, these watches are celebrated for their bold design and mechanical sophistication.
The Pierre Cardin Espace Watch Collection has also earned its place at Mahnaz Collection. Launched in 1971, the 27-piece collection was initiated by fashion designer Pierre Cardin, whose fascination with the space race inspired his futuristic clothing line, which debuted at the same time as the timepieces. The perfect accessory, they featured a recognizable “mod” look inspired by Op Art, with boldly colored watch bracelets and faces made not only from new materials like Lucite, acrylic, and smoky quartz, but also distinguished by their unusual bubble or contoured shapes. Their manual mechanical wind movement further cemented them as the watch of the future.
