For the new Rendez-Vous Star watch, Jaeger-LeCoultre has invented an entirely new complication that captures the romance and unpredictability of shooting stars. Rare artistic crafts decorate a multiple-level sapphire crystal dial set with diamonds, with micro hand-painted clouds and moon concealing and revealing the star.
The new automatic Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 734 reconciles the randomness of shooting stars with the precisely calibrated, mathematical rhythms of timekeeping.
The Rendez-Vous Star watch recreates the enchanting celestial phenomenon “shooting stars” on the wrist, thanks to an entirely new mechanism conceived and developed within the Manufacture.
Activated by the movement of the wrist, the shooting star appears on the dial at random moments – usually four to six times per hour – its unpredictability making it even more special. To enjoy the enchanting display more often, the star may also be summoned on demand by turning the crown several times.
The JLC Rendez-Vous Star watch is available in two enchanting variations: a white gold case with a dial in subtle tones of silvery blue and a pink gold case with a dial in soft golden browns.
Inspired by the magic of shooting stars, the artisans of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Métiers Rares® (Rare Handcrafts™) atelier have harnessed their skills in new ways to depict the beauty and mystery of the night sky.
Made of transparent sapphire glass, the uppermost of the dial’s three layers has been sprinkled with transferred stars and miniature hand-painted (on both sides of the sapphire glass) with clouds and a crescent moon, which conceal the shooting star when it is inactive.
Beneath this is a rotating circular disc of titanium with a cut-out of the shooting star – in an intense night blue for the white gold version and in a dark taupe colour for the pink gold version. When activated, the disc spins, sending the star on its curving path across the upper dial. As it passes, the cut-out reveals the deepest layer of the dial – a fixed disc of silvery or golden metal with a glowing gradient finish that accentuates the sense of movement.
Defining the trajectory of the shooting star, a three-quarter circle of diamonds is set into the sapphire glass dial. This is achieved by integrating fine gold threads directly into the glass to anchor the diamonds and enhance the effect of transparency and lightness.
The bezel is set with a circle of glittering diamonds. Keeping with the aesthetic codes of the Rendez-Vous, the upper surfaces of the lugs, and the top of the crown are also diamond-set.
An alligator leather strap, matched to the dial colour and given a glowing, pearlised finish, is fastened to the wrist by a folding buckle.
To create a mechanism that expresses an unpredictable phenomenon is a fascinating challenge for watchmaking. Drawing on almost 190 years of expertise accumulated within the Manufacture, Jaeger-LeCoultre has developed the new in-house automatic calibre 734, incorporating the new shooting star mechanism.
Technical details
Model: Jaeger-LeCoultre Rendez-Vous Star
References
Q36434C1 – white gold version
Q36424C1 – pink gold version
Case
White gold or pink gold
Dimensions: 36mm x 11.16mm
Water resistance: 5 bar
Movement
Automatic mechanical Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 734
Power reserve: 70 hours
Functions
Hours, minutes, “shooting star” complication
Dial
Sapphire crystal set with diamonds & miniature hand-painting; titanium
Diamonds: 189 for 1.48 carats
Strap
Shiny alligator with folding buckle
