Jaeger-LeCoultre

In 1833, Antoine LeCoultre (1803-1881) founded a small watchmaking workshop in Le Sentier, in the remote Vallée de Joux region of Switzerland. In 1844, he invented the Millionomètre, the first instrument capable of measuring the micron. In 1847, he created a keyless watch system. His son Elie joined him in 1866 to establish the Vallée de Joux's first full-fledged manufactory, LeCoultre & Cie., known as 'La Grande Maison.' By 1900, the company had created over 350 different calibres. In 1903, Paris-based watchmaker Edmond Jaeger challenged Swiss manufacturers to produce his ultra-thin movements; Jacques-David LeCoultre accepted, beginning a fruitful collaboration. The partnership with Jaeger led to the company being officially renamed Jaeger-LeCoultre in 1937. The iconic Reverso was created in 1931 to withstand polo matches. Since 2000, the company has been a fully owned subsidiary of Richemont.