Jaeger-LeCoultre Dresses Fashion Insiders in Watchmaker Coats for Special Watchmaking Workshop

Jaeger-LeCoultre opened its doors a bit early during Madison Avenue Watch Week, inviting a select group of women for an exclusive watchmaking workshop on Thursday morning.

Cohosted by Eugenia Miranda Richman, editor in chief of WWD, and Amanda Smith, president of Fairchild Media, guests, including female leaders in the fashion space, chatted over lite breakfast bites and coffee from The 1931 Café before taking a guided tour of the Jaeger-LeCoultre flagship led by the company’s chief executive officer, Catherine Rénier.

In conversation, Catherine Rénier said that what makes the Jaeger-LeCoultre boutique stand out on Madison Avenue is the experience and the education that the Maison shares with consumers in the watchmaking world. “We consider it our flagship boutique. It’s open to any watch lover and anyone interested but it’s also really a place where you can come and just browse, take the time to understand the secrets around watchmaking and take a class in our Atelier d’Antoine. I think that is really what gives [the boutique] this special position, that special experience on Madison Avenue.”

At the heart of the store, Catherine Rénier brought out some of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s key timepieces including the Maison’s Reverso collection and the Rendez-vous Shooting Star watch, which guests took turns trying on and making wishes when the shooting star made its appearance.

After seeing Jaeger-LeCoultre’s craftsmanship up close, guests were taken upstairs to the boutique’s Atelier d’Antoine. The space offers watch collectors, and watch admirers, the opportunity to learn about the world of Swiss fine watchmaking from experts, putting the tools into the hands of its students in a dynamic and interactive format. The experience was a first for all attendees during the event who learned that the craft takes “patience and precision.”

Notably, the flagship is Jaeger-LeCoultre’s only location in the U.S. with its full set of experiences, and only the second to house a technical team to animate workshops.

For those interested in coming to explore the Jaeger-LeCoultre Madison Avenue boutique to browse and shop, or a hands-on class experience, Catherine Rénier said she wants “the boutique to be welcoming, warm and comfortable. A place where you want to stay and then come back.” In its design, the boutique’s décor pays tribute to the company’s history including displayed tools and presentations of craftsmanship and technical matters, which Catherine Rénier suggests taking in with refreshments from the 1931 Café.

Registration for Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Madison Avenue workshops is open now.