Inside Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Reverso Collectibles Capsule: How the Brand Is Redefining Vintage Watch Curation
The official role of Heritage Director seems to be growing in prominence across watch brands. It makes sense – a reverence for history has always been at the heart of the art of watchmaking. With that in mind, it is likely there have long been resident historians at established maisons or perhaps even those holding the title Heritage Director working behind the scenes. But more and more, we are seeing these individuals at the forefront, and there seems to be a direct correlation with what is happening in the industry at large within the vintage and pre-owned spaces. For more than five years now, we have seen the vintage and pre-owned market grow in new ways with both a greater emphasis and prevalence of reputable dealers and marketplaces and a greater interest and demand from collectors. In turn, more and more brands seem to be getting invested in the acquisition, preservation, and in some cases redistribution of their own vintage pieces. While the role of Heritage Director was perhaps once limited to elements like museum curation and historically contextualizing modern collections, the position seems to be expanding into new realms. Heritage Director Matthieu Sauret Jaeger-LeCoultre is the perfect case study. Matthieu Sauret stepped from the role of Director of Product to the maison’s Heritage Director 2013 after starting his career at Yves Saint Laurent, another historic brand whose legacy spans more than six decades. “In 2019, Catherine Rénier, our CEO called...
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