Powered by Jaeger-LeCoultre’s smallest mechanical movement, the 101 Secrets high jewellery watch goes large on glamour and innovation
It is baffling that the world’s smallest mechanical movement, Jaeger-Coultre’s Calibre 101, is no larger than the size of the nail on your pinkie. Even more astounding, though, is that it was created way back in 1929—and no other movement has managed to knock the Calibre 101 off its record-breaking perch since.
Now, that is a very long time to be at the top of the pile. Having said that, Jaeger-LeCoultre hasn’t taken the position for granted. Instead, it has been strengthened with each passing year with increasingly innovative offerings powered by the Calibre 101.
The movement’s unmatched dimensions make it a perfect canvas for the brand’s designers to unleash their creativity. As such, one often finds the Calibre 101 encased in precious metals, ornamental designs, and blinding gemstones, resulting in statement-making timepieces that are dainty while commanding the spotlight at the same time.
The new 101 Secrets is just that type of tiny, high-wattage watch. Taking hundreds of hours to develop and requiring 15 different types of know-how to craft, the watch is a dazzling and innovative masterpiece. Its platinum case and bracelet come lavished with 1,028 diamonds totalling 26.21 carats—festooned using grain- and griffe-setting techniques in a process that took over 182 hours.
Being a secret watch, the dial is hidden underneath the rows of diamonds. To tell the time, the owner actuates a diamond ‘button’ that pops open a section of the bracelet. Once the diamond is released, the lid of gemstones again covers up the dial like a closed book.
These feats of gem-setting ingenuity and micro-engineering are only made possible by the Calibre 101. Despite measuring just 14 mm by 4.8 mm with a thickness of 3.4 mm, and weighing just one gram, the 40-part movement offers uncompromising precision and a very reasonable 33 hours of power reserve. Indeed, a little goes a very long way for the 101 Secrets watch.
