Jaeger-LeCoultre

Who are Jaeger-LeCoultre?

Jaeger-LeCoultre is a Swiss watchmaker based in Le Sentier, in the Vallée de Joux, which traces its history to 1833, when Antoine LeCoultre set up a workshop there (Richemont; Wikipedia). It has been owned by Richemont since 2000. This page covers its history, collections and ownership, then what to check when buying a pre-owned Jaeger-LeCoultre, often shortened to JLC, in the UK.

Richemont says Jaeger-LeCoultre has created more than 1,400 calibres, received more than 430 patents, and brings more than 180 skills under one roof, making watches from design to completion (Richemont). Its current range has five main families: Reverso, Master Ultra Thin, Master Control, Polaris and Rendez-Vous (Watches of Switzerland). It also makes the Atmos clock (Wikipedia).

The history of Jaeger-LeCoultre

Jaeger-LeCoultre’s history runs from a village workshop in 1833, through a Vallée de Joux manufacture making movements and precision tools, to the joining of its name with that of the watchmaker Edmond Jaeger in 1937 and ownership by Richemont from 2000. The best-known dates are the Reverso (1931), the Memovox (1950) and the Master Control (1992).

Antoine LeCoultre. Richemont gives 1833 as the founding year, and Wikipedia’s article is inconsistent, giving 1833 in its summary and 1834 in its text. Antoine LeCoultre was an inventor as well as a watchmaker: in 1844 he developed the Millionomètre, an instrument for measuring watch parts to a thousandth of a millimetre, and in 1847 a keyless system for winding and setting a watch with the crown instead of a key (Wikipedia).

The manufacture. In 1866 Antoine and his son Elie founded LeCoultre & Cie, which Wikipedia describes as the Vallée de Joux’s first full manufacture (Wikipedia).

Edmond Jaeger and thin movements. In 1903 the watchmaker Edmond Jaeger challenged Swiss makers to produce his ultra-thin movements. In 1907 the LeCoultre calibre 145, at 1.38 mm, was listed as the thinnest movement in the world (Wikipedia). In 1929 the calibre 101 was described as the smallest mechanical movement then made (Wikipedia).

The Atmos. The Atmos clock, which winds itself from small changes in temperature and air pressure, was designed by the Neuchâtel engineer Jean-Léon Reutter in 1928. Jaeger-LeCoultre took over its production in 1935 (Wikipedia, Atmos clock).

The Reverso. In 1930 César de Trey met British army officers in India who played polo and wanted a watch that would survive a match. The reversible case designed by René-Alfred Chauvot was patented on 4 March 1931, and de Trey then bought the patent and set up Spécialités Horlogères S.A. with LeCoultre (SJX Watches).

Jaeger-LeCoultre. The company was officially renamed Jaeger-LeCoultre in 1937 (Wikipedia). The Memovox, an alarm wristwatch, followed in 1950, and the Memovox Polaris, a diver’s watch with an alarm, in 1968 (Wikipedia; SJX Watches).

Decline and revival of the Reverso. Production of the first-generation Reverso dwindled in the early 1950s. In 1972 the Italian distributor Giorgio Corvo bought the last 200 cases and had JLC fit them with mechanical movements, and the case was redesigned in the early 1980s (SJX Watches).

Master Control and Richemont. The Master Control collection launched in 1992 with the 1,000 Hours Control test (The Hour Markers). In 2000 Richemont bought Jaeger-LeCoultre with IWC and A. Lange & Söhne (Richemont). The Polaris returned as a collection in 2018, the Care Programme’s eight-year warranty arrived in 2019, and The Collectibles programme for vintage watches launched in 2023 (SJX Watches; Time+Tide).

What is Jaeger-LeCoultre known for?

Jaeger-LeCoultre is known for the reversible Reverso, thin and small movements, the Atmos clock, alarm watches such as the Memovox, and its own 1,000-hour test of finished watches. Its long history of making movements is behind the “Watchmaker of Watchmakers” line it uses (Richemont).

The Reverso. The Reverso’s rectangular case slides and flips over in its frame, so the dial can be turned to face the wrist and protected (SJX Watches; Watches of Switzerland). The back can be engraved, and some later models have a second dial on the reverse; the first Duoface appeared in 1994 (SJX Watches).

Movements. Richemont puts JLC’s total at more than 1,400 calibres (Richemont). Wikipedia notes that JLC has made very thin and very small movements, such as the calibre 145 of 1907 and the calibre 101 of 1929. Our guide to in-house and outsourced movements explains why buyers care who made a movement.

The 1,000 Hours Control. Introduced with the Master Control in 1992, the test runs for 1,000 hours, about six weeks, on the finished cased watch, in six positions, with checks for temperature, pressure, magnetism and shocks (The Hour Markers). COSC, the Swiss chronometer test, runs for 15 days on the uncased movement (COSC). Our guide to COSC certification explains what that test measures.

The Atmos. The Atmos clock winds itself from small changes in temperature and air pressure, using a sealed bellows (Wikipedia, Atmos clock). It turns up second-hand alongside JLC watches and has its own servicing needs.

Alarm watches. The Memovox of 1950 and the Memovox Polaris of 1968 are mechanical alarm watches (Wikipedia; SJX Watches). The current Polaris collection draws on the 1968 watch (Watches of Switzerland).

Which Jaeger-LeCoultre collections are there?

Jaeger-LeCoultre’s current range has five main families: Reverso, Master Ultra Thin, Master Control, Polaris and Rendez-Vous (Watches of Switzerland). The Reverso is rectangular; the others are round.

The collections table on this page gives the year each family began, where we could source it, and a one-line description. A few points help when you read listings:

• Many Reversos. The Reverso has been made in many sizes and versions, from the Duoface with two dials (1994) to the sportier Gran’Sport (1998) (SJX Watches). Two “Reverso” listings may be very different watches.
• Quartz Reversos exist. In 1975 JLC reintroduced the Reverso as a quartz watch for women (SJX Watches). Check whether the watch you are looking at is mechanical or quartz; see our guide to mechanical and quartz watches.
• Master Control and Master Ultra Thin. Both are round dress watches in the Master family. The Master Control is the line launched in 1992 with the 1,000-hour test; the Master Ultra Thin focuses on thin cases (Watches of Switzerland).
• Polaris then and now. The 2018 Polaris collection is a new range inspired by the 1968 Memovox Polaris, not a continuation of it (SJX Watches). An original 1968 Memovox Polaris is a vintage watch, with the servicing questions any vintage watch brings.

Who owns Jaeger-LeCoultre?

Jaeger-LeCoultre is owned by Compagnie Financière Richemont, the Swiss luxury group founded by Johann Rupert in 1988 and listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (Richemont; Wikipedia). Richemont bought it in 2000, with IWC and A. Lange & Söhne, three watchmakers Richemont describes as vertically integrated (Richemont).

Richemont lists Jaeger-LeCoultre among its “specialist watchmakers”, alongside IWC Schaffhausen, Panerai, Vacheron Constantin, A. Lange & Söhne, Piaget and Roger Dubuis (Richemont). Its chief executive is Jérôme Lambert (Richemont). Wikipedia records that Lambert led the company from 2002 to 2013 and returned on 1 January 2025.

Richemont also owns Watchfinder & Co., which it describes as a UK pre-owned premium watch specialist, bought in 2018 (Richemont). Watchfinder’s UK company, Watchfinder.co.uk Limited, was incorporated on 3 September 2002 (Companies House). Because Richemont is listed, it publishes annual reports.

Buying a pre-owned Jaeger-LeCoultre in the UK: what to check

Check that the reference and serial numbers on the watch match its papers, that the papers and any service records are genuine, and that the watch is not recorded as stolen. On a Reverso, check the swivel case closely. Then check what guarantee you get: JLC’s own warranty and Care Programme, The Collectibles for vintage pieces, or a dealer’s terms.

1. Papers and the full set. Ask exactly what comes with the watch: box, warranty card, instructions and receipts, and whether each is original. Our guide to what “full set” means explains what each item proves and what it does not.

2. Reference and serial numbers. The numbers on the case and movement should match the papers. The reference identifies the model; the serial number identifies the individual watch.

3. The Reverso case. The Reverso’s case slides and flips in its carrier (SJX Watches). Ask a watchmaker to check that it moves and locks firmly, and look for wear where the case slides. Engraving on the back is common and is part of the watch’s history, but confirm it does not hide a removed serial number.

4. Authenticity and stolen-watch check. Buy from a seller who will put authenticity in writing and accept returns, and have the watch checked by a watchmaker you choose. Our guide on how to spot a fake watch covers what a watchmaker looks at. Before you pay, check the serial number against a stolen-watch register; our stolen-watch check guide lists the UK registers.

5. Servicing and condition. Ask when the watch was last serviced, by whom, and for the paperwork. On vintage pieces such as an early Memovox, ask whether the dial and hands are original.

6. Warranty. Since 2019, watches still within their initial warranty can be registered with the Jaeger-LeCoultre Care Programme, which gives up to eight years of cover (Time+Tide). Whether that cover passes to a later owner depends on JLC’s terms. A dealer’s own warranty is a promise from the dealer, not from Jaeger-LeCoultre. See watch warranties explained.

7. Who you buy from. There are three main routes:

Sources: Time+Tide, JLC launches The Collectibles (25 January 2023) (checked 29 October 2026).

The coverage we found did not state the warranty on The Collectibles watches, or whether they can be bought from the UK. For how independent dealers compare with appointed retailers, read grey market versus authorised dealer.

For the full process from setting a budget to collecting the watch, see the guide to buying a luxury watch.

Frequently asked questions

When was Jaeger-LeCoultre founded?

Jaeger-LeCoultre dates its founding to 1833, when Antoine LeCoultre set up a workshop in Le Sentier (Richemont). The Jaeger-LeCoultre name dates from 1937 (Wikipedia).

Who owns Jaeger-LeCoultre?

Richemont, the Swiss luxury group, since 2000 (Richemont).

Why is it called the Reverso?

Because the case reverses: it slides and flips over so the dial can be turned inwards. It was designed in 1931 for polo players (SJX Watches).

What is the 1,000 Hours Control?

Jaeger-LeCoultre’s own test of finished watches, introduced in 1992. It lasts 1,000 hours, about six weeks, and checks accuracy in six positions plus resistance to temperature, pressure, magnetism and shocks (The Hour Markers).

Does Jaeger-LeCoultre make its own movements?

Yes. Richemont says it has created more than 1,400 calibres and makes watches from design to completion (Richemont).

How long is the Jaeger-LeCoultre warranty?

Up to eight years for watches registered with the Care Programme while still under their initial warranty (Time+Tide).

Does Jaeger-LeCoultre sell pre-owned watches?

Yes, through The Collectibles, launched in 2023, which sells restored vintage watches through the JLC website (Time+Tide). Richemont, JLC’s owner, also owns the UK pre-owned dealer Watchfinder & Co. (Richemont).

Is a quartz Reverso a real Jaeger-LeCoultre?

Yes. JLC brought the Reverso back as a quartz watch for women in 1975 (SJX Watches). Just make sure the listing says which kind of movement it has.

Can I buy a pre-owned Jaeger-LeCoultre without papers?

You can, but without papers you rely more heavily on the seller’s written guarantee, an independent watchmaker’s check and a stolen-watch check. Agree in writing that you get a full refund if the watch is later found not to be genuine.

This page is general information. Watch60 is independent and has no commercial relationship with Jaeger-LeCoultre, Richemont or Watchfinder & Co.

We check the facts on this page against the sources listed, and it is correct to the best of our knowledge as of October 2026. Brands change their warranty, servicing and sales terms, so confirm them with the brand or the seller before you buy.