In this second Discuss topic in the "Jaeger-LeCoultre: behind the scenes" series, this blog is based on my interview with Jaeger-LeCoultre Marketing Director, Stéphane Belmont. To understand the magic of Jaeger-LeCoultre's creative rush, I spoke to Stéphane Belmont to find out what makes the brand creative and we also make a serious attempt to find out if there is a secret formula or a rigid product development process which made the series of impressive innovative timepieces possible. Stéphane Belmont is not only directing the Marketing and Communications policy but is also in charge of the whole Product and technical development process of the Manufacture. 

The pioneering inventiveness and creativity of Jaeger-LeCoultre since its foundation in 1833 has been truly exemplary by all yardsticks. From being perhaps the very first complete watch Manufacture, creating the nearly perpetual machine in Atoms Clock in 1928, the world smallest mechanical Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 101 in 1929 and the legendary Reverso case in 1931. If the illustrious list doesn't impress you, how about the fact that between 1866 and the end of 19th Century, more than 400 to 450 different kinds of Jaeger-LeCoultre movements have been produced?... 

...While the creative process of producing excellent watches continues, various exquisite Grande Complications and notably the decade of groundbreaking achievements in the limited series of Pink Gold Reverso from 1991 to 2000 (1991- 60eme, 1993 - Reverso Tourbillon, 1994 - Reverso Repetition Minutes, 1996 - Reverso Chronographe Retrograde, 1998 - Reverso Geographique and the 2000 - Reverso Quantieme Perpetuel). In comparison to the flurry of revolutionary breakthroughs in the last 5 years like the first shock-absorber wrist watch Master Compressor Extreme, the most complicated watch Reverso grande complication à triptyque, the first oil and grease free Master Compressor Extreme LAB, the ultimate in spherical tourbillon Gyrotourbillon 1 and the first Duomètre à Chronographe without a chrono coupling. The first 170 years of Jaeger-LeCoultre has paled in comparison, at least in appearance and speed. 

Being probably the most complete watch Manufacture under one roof is a strong advantage of the Le Sentier brand in product development. Clearly, the combination of internal Creative designers and the strong ability of the technical team, internal prototyping, testing and production mean the co-ordination of the product development process can be more efficient and logical than most other haute horlogerie brands that are still depending on outsourced expertise. While it is getting increasingly common for most new complications to be the result of ideas developed by the few well known specialised "complications contractors"; Jaeger-LeCoultre has made it a strict corporate policy of tapping internal talents and in-house manufacturing to ensure products are uniquely Jaeger-LeCoultre in DNA, and at the same time able to ensure consistency, high quality, reliability and durability.  Most importantly, a complete Manufacture will not be subjected to the whims and fancy of the "contractors" who at times can be unbelievably lackadaisical in their quality consistency, delivery timing or at times even the very basic reliability of the product itself.

Old patron of Jaeger-LeCoultre like the legendary late Gunter Blumlein (ex president of Jaeger-LeCoultre, IWC & A Lange & Sohne), and dedicated John-Henry Belmont (ex-CEO of Jaeger-LeCoultre) had done a great and admirable job in their long reign of the brand. Both however are strong conservative traditionalists. Blumlein was a brilliant strategist in many ways and a true believer in constant technical innovations; however, he was also a strong believer of occasionally holding back innovations. I had heard him saying that innovative products should be released only when the consumer is ready and not ahead of its time. John-Henry is also similar in that he believes simple and good timepieces would speak for themselves. 

The current Jaeger-LeCoultre CEO, Jérôme Lambert, who has led the Manufacture for 6 years, in contrast, puts his foot down and radicalised the product development process from day one. He always motivates and asks for more and more innovations from his development team. He has not only pushed the envelope of possible horological achievements, but at the same time has expanded the original Reverso and Master Control range to a multitude of diversified and successful product range including AMVOX, Master Compressor, Master Compressor Extreme, Duomètre, High Jewellery and state-of-the-art complications etc.

For every new product, the idea must first be tabled and discussed by a team of four, CEO Jérôme Lambert, the marketing Director who also heads the product development Stéphane Belmont, Creative Director Janek Deleskiewicz and Technical Head Stéphane Soufalis. Contrary to popular expectation however, there is neither a secret formula nor a fixed procedure to ensure constant innovations. In fact, once a project is decided, the job of the team becomes a reality check of ensuring the product will be prototyped, tested, perfected and ready for the production process within a reasonable time.

The constant creative initiatives instead are cultivated from the ground up by encouraging the input of ideas from the Jaeger-LeCoultre family of employees. Having understood the nature of creativity, CEO Jérôme Lambert allows the technical team to work in a relatively "free" manner in terms of spontaneous individual experimentation to the more disciplined group project based technical research & development. Both the CEO and Stéphane Belmont are also very opened to suggestion from anyone in the company. Each rational suggestion is considered carefully and in many cases, such relaxed and informal culture has led to several breakthrough technologies within the company.  

In many ways, the creative process is also helped by the strong Jaeger-LeCoultre family spirit ingrained in almost all of the employees. Such passions mean it is every one's responsibility to contribute when they can. Anyone who has visited the Le Sentier factory for just a few times could easily notice that people are proud to work for Jaeger-LeCoultre. They are energetic, happy and intimate with each other. They are passionate about their work and frequently, you will meet generations of a same family working in the Manufacture - which has created a strong social impact in the region.  While there is no scientific explanation for their strong commitment to Jaeger-LeCoultre, one most likely reason is the fact that Jaeger-LeCoultre employees know that almost everything is done under the same roof, they can see their own respective contribution, can observe and understand the whole manufacturing process of each component, know each step of the movement decorations and assembly and finally understand the significance of Jaeger-LeCoultre products being sold worldwide. The emotion, I supposed, is very different from employees elsewhere, who only see the assembly and checking of ready-made movements supplied from third party. The Jaeger-LeCoultre Heritage Gallery opened last year, displaying the glass wall of movements and showing most of the horologically important timepieces of the Manufacture further reinforce the already strong pride they possess for their company. One look at the Heritage Gallery, the significant role played by Jaeger-LeCoultre to the watch-making history of the Vallée de Joux is immediately obvious.

Ensuring the perpetuity of the creative process, there is also a sacred rule of 3-5-10 for product development observed by the management. At any one time, Jaeger-LeCoultre is physically researching, working and prototyping the products 3 years in advance, already has a clear list of finalised products to be launched in the next 5 years and possesses a brief but concrete idea of the products for the next ten years. Of course, the 3-5-10 are strictly observed but not set in stone. An unexpected brilliant suggestion which could lead to a final product can and occasionally accepted in shorter notice. This ensures the necessary flexibility in accordance with the bright creative sparks prevalent in the Manufacture. 

In a way, commitment, passion, hard work, strong discipline, an open mind and the rare complete manufacturing abilities are the engine behind the creative sparks of Jaeger-LeCoultre. In the technical segment increasingly dominated by watches made by ‘complication contractors', "We have a long history of innovations, we set our minds not to copy others and NOT producing me-too timepieces" says Stéphane Belmont. The single-minded determination to create innovative products with strong Jaeger-LeCoultre DNA has transformed the Jaeger-LeCoultre product range in the last 5 -6 years and has sent shockwave to the complacent technical segment. One just needs to look at the series of technical innovations from the brand to recognise that Jaeger-LeCoultre is indeed, the most innovative haute horlogerie watch Manufacture. 

Jaw - Jaeger-LeCoultre LeCLUB