Jaeger-LeCoultre invents an entirely new complication that captures the romance and unpredictability of shooting star..
Unpredictable, ephemeral and mysterious, shooting stars are surely the most romantic and intriguing of all the celestial phenomena. Their light streaks across the night sky, appearing and disappearing in the blink of an eye. Even knowing that they are not stars but meteors – flashes of light created when rocky debris burns brightly on hitting Earth’s atmosphere – does nothing to diminish their magic. Visible only at certain times of year and under the right conditions, these rare phenomena have fascinated mankind since the dawn of time – and now have inspired the watchmakers of Jaeger-LeCoultre. In 2022, the Rendez-Vous Star recreates this enchanting celestial phenomenon 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.
A Joyful Ode to the Night Sky The Rendez-Vous Star is offered 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 that draw the eye towards the dial and, in 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. To complete these watchmaking treasures, an alligator leather strap, matched to the dial colour and given a glowing, pearlised finish, is fastened to the wrist by a folding buckle
