Watches are usually best-known for their function, but Jaeger-LeCoultre brings beauty into the frame as well. Joining the Calibre 101 series by Jaeger-LeCoultre is the new Calibre 101 Chain, a bangle bridging watchmaking with jewelry design, blurring the boundaries between bracelets and timepieces. Crafted out of gold, HyCeram, and diamonds, the watch features Calibre 101’s iconic miniature watch dial, the smallest rectangular manually wound mechanical watch in the world. The Calibre 101 was originally designed as an evolution for Jaeger-LeCoultre’s constant development for smaller and smaller watches, ultimately culminating in a piece as light as two butterflies with 74 parts. Currently, the watch contains 98 parts, so tiny they require expert precision and custom-made components for assembly. 

The roots of the Calibre 101 Chain originate in Europe’s royal courts, where timekeeping was necessary, but also an opportunity to demonstrate wealth. Paying homage to a 1955 design also called “Chain,” the current model weaves together pink gold with pitchy ceramic, paired with 158 diamonds, to mimic the designs found throughout grand palaces. Contrary to the typical horological process, Jaeger-LeCoultre crafted the bangle first, then added the black-lacquer watch face, bordered by diamonds, further developing the Chain as jewelry rather than exclusively a timekeeping piece. Each watch is unique, with the design mold recreated for each iteration. With the hours of careful craftsmanship inherent to every watch, the Chain represents the history of both the brand and watchmaking in a singular wearable item.