Jaeger-LeCoultre celebrated its American debut of The Sound Maker exhibition this Monday, September 20th in New York City at 70-74 Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District. A fascinating display devoted to exploring the uniquely rich heritage of chiming watches at La Grande Maison, the experience was designed to immerse visitors in the creative and cultural universe of Jaeger-LeCoultre. This exhibition will be presented from September 21st through October 5th at 70-74 Gansevoort in New York City. Open to the public by reservation only, from 11 am to 7 pm on Monday through Friday, and 10 am to 7 pm on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets may be reserved online free of charge at www.thesoundmakernyc.com.
The Sound Maker Exhibition pays homage to the sounds of nature that form a backdrop to daily life in the Vallée de Joux, and to its great legacy of chiming timepieces, expressing a century and a half of accumulated expertise in fresh new ways. During the 150 years since the Manufacture developed its first minute repeater in 1870, chiming watches have been a particular forte, with 200 calibres demonstrating its mastery of all forms, from relatively simple alarms to highly complex sonneries and repeaters. In parallel, the Manufacture’s engineers and designers have patented numerous innovations that redefine the benchmark for acoustic quality and beauty.
Among the guests at the opening were American Songwriter and Producer, Questlove, Artists Michael Murphy and Alex Trochut, and acclaimed Actor Nicholas Hoult, a Friend of the Maison.
The exhibition features a curated selection of the earliest and most historically significant of the Manufacture LeCoultre’s chiming masterworks, together with dozens of documents and archive materials —many of which have never been displayed to the public before. The journey begins with a unique heritage piece: the Music Box made by the founder, Antoine LeCoultre, and his father, which marked the beginning of La Grande Maison’s journey in chiming timepieces. As visitors tour the exhibition, they enjoy the evolution in both technical skill and artistic expression, from pocket watches to minute repeater wristwatches and the Memovox, along with special pieces from the Atelier des Métiers Rares —Rare Handcrafts Workshop.
At the heart of the exhibition, a ‘Sound Sculpture’ installation commissioned by Jaeger-LeCoultre from the Swiss contemporary artist, Zimoun, is making its American debut. In this fascinating work, Zimoun encapsulates the universe of sound —within the Manufacture and in the natural world surrounding it— that is so intrinsic to the spirit of Jaeger-LeCoultre.
“I first got hooked by the sound, like the soft, appeasing sound of the rain,” says Catherine Rénier, Chief Executive Officer of Jaeger-LeCoultre. “As you get closer, the movement of the metal is mesmerizing. Each angle gives a different feeling and invites you to stop, enjoy and listen.”
Zimoun employs simple raw materials and repurposed industrial components, including the small DC motors, thin wires, MDF panels, and metal discs that compose the watches of Jaeger-LeCoultre – and, in doing so, redefines traditional ideas of sculpture, movement, and sound, drawing the audience into an almost transcendent world of sensory experience.
Drummer, DJ, producer, culinary entrepreneur, New York Times best-selling author, and member of The Roots, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson has partnered with Jaeger-LeCoultre to curate a 7-hour playlist exclusively for Sound Maker attendees which tells the story of New York’s illustrious music history. Serving as a celebration of sound, the playlist features iconic music from early Jazz, Soul, Funk, Hip Hop, Disco, and New Wave through modern times.
Questlove is the unmistakable heartbeat of Philadelphia’s most influential hip-hop group. He is the Musical Director for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where his beloved Roots crew serves as the house band. Beyond that, this 5-time GRAMMY Award-winning musician's indisputable reputation has landed him musical directing positions with everyone from D'Angelo to Eminem to Jay-Z. “The Sounds of New York by Questlove brought to you by Jaeger-LeCoultre” will be featured on Spotify and will be available for streaming.
To complete the exhibition, the Atelier d’Antoine —named after the Manufacture’s founder— has been specially relocated to New York City, giving visitors the opportunity to enjoy a unique, hands-on adventure with chiming timepieces. Together with an instructor and a technical expert, attendees will discover why watches go `tick-tock` and how time can be expressed through sound. To be fully immersed within the Jaeger-LeCoultre universe, participants will use larger-scale models to try to replicate the work of the Maison’s highly skilled watchmakers.
The 90-minute Atelier d’Antoine discovery workshops are accessible to the public for a fee. With classes limited to a maximum of 6 participants, pre-booking is required at www.thesoundmakernyc.com.
For more info on Jaeger-LeCoultre click here.
