OVERVIEW
VALLEY OF INVENTIONS: HONOURING THE BIRTHPLACE OF PRECISION
In 2026, Jaeger-LeCoultre pays tribute to the unstoppable spirit of invention of Antoine LeCoultre with the ‘Valley of Inventions’. At Watches and Wonders Geneva, this theme comes to life through an immersive booth evoking the Maison’s birthplace – the Vallée de Joux, alongside the fascinating story of innovation that brought renown to the Maison as the Watchmaker of Watchmakers™. An invitation to discover the Maison’s latest timepieces reflecting this treasured legacy, through watchmaking and culinary experiences.
THEME
CELEBRATING OVER 190 YEARS OF INVENTIONS
600 years ago, Pierre LeCoultre settled in the Vallée de Joux, seeking a safe haven in an isolated valley. Summers were devoted to alpine farming and dairy, while harsh winters turned chalets into metalworking workshops. Necessity fostered ingenuity, patience and precision - laying the foundations of watchmaking. Ten generations later, in the early 19th century, self-taught watchmaker Antoine LeCoultre began inventing precision machines that laid the foundations of modern watchmaking. From the first LeCoultre atelier in 1833, this spirit of inventiveness has defined the Maison. Technical breakthroughs produced calibres sought by leading watchmaking names, earning the title of The Watchmaker of Watchmakers™ and with over 430 patents to date, this legacy continues to guide Jaeger-LeCoultre today and into the future.
WATCHMAKING EXPERIENCE
UNVEILING THE RELENTLESS QUEST FOR PRECISION
In the Vallée de Joux – once secret, now eternal – mastery gave rise to imagination, and imagination gave birth to invention. The Maison’s expertise in complicated timepieces established the region as the cradle of watchmaking complications. At Watches and Wonders Geneva 2026, visitors are invited to discover this unique story of innovation through four immersive chapter niches:
- Precision and Chronometry
- Precision and Tourbillon
- Precision and Multi-axis Tourbillon
- Precision and Complications
CULINARY EXPERIENCE
LE CHALET: A DISRUPTIVE SWISS CHEESE EXPERIENCE
At Watches and Wonders Geneva 2026, Jaeger-LeCoultre unveils its latest Made of Makers™ collaboration with two-Michelin-starred Swiss Chef Gilles Varone, challenging gastronomic conventions with a controversial ingredient: cheese. At Le Chalet, guests explore an unconventional fine cheese tasting, with progressive subtle flavour harmonies, contrasting textures and visually refined presentation, that reinvents the classical notion of cheeseboard.
EXPERIMENTAL CHEESE DELIGHTS
Challenging preconceptions of cheese, Swiss Chef Gilles Varone has created four compositions that reveal its true character, accompanied by specially crafted beverages. Using Vallée de Joux cheeses and locally sourced ingredients such as pine, honey and mountain herbs, they exemplify the Maison’s essence of tradition, precision and innovation.
What's next
The story continues
