Jaeger Lecoultre and Aston Martin are playing against time
Jaeger Lecoultre and Aston Martin created ‘the’ event at the recent Geneva International Motor Show, by respectively presenting the latest version of the Transponder watch and the DBS car model. You can’t have one without the other. So what’s this all about?
When a watch and a coupé are on the same Swiss time...
In fact, Jaeger Lecoultre conceived of the Transponder watch, which includes a transmitter micro-system able to lock and to unlock the access mechanism of the Aston Martin DBS sports car. This watch is strictly reserved for DBS car owners and also benefits from all of the usual functionalities of a Transponder watch (i.e. the vertical-trigger based mechanism and a chronograph devoid of push-pieces.)
A watch for opening and closing doors
In an exclusivity for luxe-magazine.com, we were able to test the operation, watch in hand. All you need to do is to lightly touch the OPEN key on the watch’s glass (between 8:00 and 9:00) to activate the door opening system, while a similar action on the CLOSE key (between 3:00 and 4:00) locks up when you leave. Another manipulation: this time, to turn the headlights on, all you have to do is to gently touch the figures 9 and 3, using two fingers at the same time. As explained by one of Jaeger Lecoultre’s technicians: «The miniaturization of the Transponder module, housed on the base, its wiring and its transmitter antenna have been completely redesigned from a watchmaker perspective, combining technical inventiveness with a subtle and elegant integration within the overall design.»
A real "James Bond" watch
Rightly so, for the design of the watch, Jaeger called on the services of Magali Métrailler (see photo), designer for this trademark for over eight years now. «This model is intentionally very sporty and much bolder», she tells us. «It can be activated in direction of the car, at a distance of at least ten meters and in a radius of 360°, like a normal car key. I would like to add that the dial is decorated with a radiator grill pattern, and contains black figures covered with luminescent material. The movement operating indicator appears in an opening includes the winged Aston Martin emblem, whereas the suspended specific DBS symbol appears in the centre, in a window that reveals the plate and the ruthenium bridges of the mechanism. »
A collector’s item
Even James Bond didn’t have the opportunity to enjoy the pleasures procured by such a watch!
In fact, Aston Martin’s DBS has met the needs of the Casino Royale movie (it took no less than three of these cars for shootings!). Design obliges, Magali Métrailler’s inspiration was drawn from the rounded and clean lines of cars to refine its model. A real work of an artist which makes this Transponder a collector’s item for all fetishist drivers who will naturally choose it at the same time as the DBS. It is worth adding that the miniaturized module only weighs a few grams and is less than half the size of the same system integrated in the DBS key. This creation has required no less than 18 months of work for engineers. »
In fact, Jaeger Lecoultre conceived of the Transponder watch, which includes a transmitter micro-system able to lock and to unlock the access mechanism of the Aston Martin DBS sports car. This watch is strictly reserved for DBS car owners and also benefits from all of the usual functionalities of a Transponder watch (i.e. the vertical-trigger based mechanism and a chronograph devoid of push-pieces.)
A watch for opening and closing doors
In an exclusivity for luxe-magazine.com, we were able to test the operation, watch in hand. All you need to do is to lightly touch the OPEN key on the watch’s glass (between 8:00 and 9:00) to activate the door opening system, while a similar action on the CLOSE key (between 3:00 and 4:00) locks up when you leave. Another manipulation: this time, to turn the headlights on, all you have to do is to gently touch the figures 9 and 3, using two fingers at the same time. As explained by one of Jaeger Lecoultre’s technicians: «The miniaturization of the Transponder module, housed on the base, its wiring and its transmitter antenna have been completely redesigned from a watchmaker perspective, combining technical inventiveness with a subtle and elegant integration within the overall design.»
A real "James Bond" watch
Rightly so, for the design of the watch, Jaeger called on the services of Magali Métrailler (see photo), designer for this trademark for over eight years now. «This model is intentionally very sporty and much bolder», she tells us. «It can be activated in direction of the car, at a distance of at least ten meters and in a radius of 360°, like a normal car key. I would like to add that the dial is decorated with a radiator grill pattern, and contains black figures covered with luminescent material. The movement operating indicator appears in an opening includes the winged Aston Martin emblem, whereas the suspended specific DBS symbol appears in the centre, in a window that reveals the plate and the ruthenium bridges of the mechanism. »
A collector’s item
Even James Bond didn’t have the opportunity to enjoy the pleasures procured by such a watch!
In fact, Aston Martin’s DBS has met the needs of the Casino Royale movie (it took no less than three of these cars for shootings!). Design obliges, Magali Métrailler’s inspiration was drawn from the rounded and clean lines of cars to refine its model. A real work of an artist which makes this Transponder a collector’s item for all fetishist drivers who will naturally choose it at the same time as the DBS. It is worth adding that the miniaturized module only weighs a few grams and is less than half the size of the same system integrated in the DBS key. This creation has required no less than 18 months of work for engineers. »
Janvier 2009
