Jérôme Lambert on legacy, innovation and the soul of Jaeger-LeCoultre
Back at Jaeger-LeCoultre after a seven-year stint leading Richemont, CEO Jérôme Lambert brings a renewed perspective to the 192-year-old manufacture he first led over a decade ago.
As he sits down with Tatler over a coffee meeting in Hong Kong, he reveals the three pillars that guide his leadership—from the proximity fostered by bringing diverse skills under one roof to the valley’s culture of loyalty, where staff turnover barely reaches three per cent. Lambert discusses why standardisation poses the greatest risk to luxury watchmaking, how a new generation is discovering the brand through social media, and the profound moments with collectors that fuel his obsession with excellence.
See also: Richard Mille just made changing time zones as simple as turning a bezel
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Geographic (Photo: courtesy of Jaeger-LeCoultre)
Reflecting on your return to Jaeger-LeCoultre, can you share a moment from your earlier time there that profoundly shaped your leadership philosophy?
I believe strongly in the concept that founded Jaeger 192 years ago—the manufacture principle of bringing different skills and tasks under one roof. This creates proximity and close relationships between people working together. That proximity extends to our partners and clients, and it [gives us] the pleasure to invent, to dream and to create products. This is the first element I consider essential to our management style.
The second element is loyalty—something perhaps old-fashioned. We come from a valley where people, when they join a company, stay for a long time. In our manufacture, staff rotation is just 3 per cent. Even 13 years after my return, 70 per cent of the people are still the same. This loyalty comes from the fact that the maison is highly technical, with vast content. To master all these aspects takes time, and it takes time to develop the expertise of our craftsmen and professionals worldwide.
The third cardinal element for any luxury maison, especially Jaeger-LeCoultre, is the blend between curiosity and creativity. You have to be curious, willing to explore, believing that in each situation there’s a way to invent and discover something new.
How would you describe your leadership approach in nurturing creativity and craftsmanship at such a storied maison?
I have quite a high level of energy and constantly set the highest targets for myself and the company—not because exhaustion is a management technique but because the maison deserves it. Jaeger-LeCoultre has been one of the main players in the industry for ages. We invented the concept of the manufacture and have produced the largest number of calibres—our famous 1,400 movements represent 60 per cent of all calibres created by the entire industry historically.
Most grand complications of the late 19th century had Jaeger-LeCoultre movements. When it comes to wristwatches, historically, Jaeger-LeCoultre was the first major player. The first complicated wristwatch was ours. Knowing all this, and seeing the amazing creators and inventors who came before, you have to walk on their shoulders and admit you must be on par with that history.
Read more: Which Tudor watch matches your holiday persona? Discover your timepiece twin
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Minute Repeater (Photo: courtesy of Jaeger-LeCoultre)
Can you share an example of recent innovation that embodies the balance between technical mastery and aesthetic heritage?The Minute Repeater in the Reverso family that we recently presented is a perfect example. You need very high capability to master all functional aspects of a minute repeater, which by definition is something anyone can perceive through sound. Nearly every person can form their own perspective on something that must meet very high technical standards.
At the same time, it’s a Reverso—not our first minute repeater. The aesthetic and creative aspects had to be particularly well-conceived to be truly Reverso, respecting the codes of the collection while creating the emotion of experiencing it for the first time.
With social media’s impact on watchmaking appreciation, how do you see the new generation engaging with Jaeger-LeCoultre?
Every generation considers fine watchmaking through different angles. The current generation is very interesting because they have genuine interest and passion for historical pieces, vintage watches, the history of the maison and the heritage. They’re drawn to cases, shapes and aesthetic elements.
This generation, perhaps influenced by social media where images are very important, brings depth that’s quite new and important. Jaeger-LeCoultre, with our distinctive shapes and specific forms, catches significant interest from this generation. It’s combined with our deep and extensive history.
You see this strong aesthetic impact combined with thoughtful choices, knowledge and attention to execution level, plus interest in historical stories. And importantly, you see it in both men and women—a common interest that’s quite new in watchmaking.
What do you see as the main risk facing the luxury watch industry?
Its standardisation: having products that all look alike, with the same characteristics. As trailblazers in many aspects, I’m paranoid about any “me-too” approach being problematic. Not because I feel someone can be better than us but because I don’t want copies to make our original work— done only in our workshops— look commonplace.
Has there been a moment that deepened your personal connection to this legacy? There are historical moments when we brought revolutionary products to life—the Gyrotourbillon, for instance. We were surprised by the impact these products had and how they’ve been digested and carried forward. When I worked on the name “Hybris”, I remember every second when I decided we’d call it that. Now, seeing colleagues and clients speak about Hybris, watching that small idea take shape— that’s something profound.
Recently, I met a longtime lover of the maison who owns one of our most extreme pieces. He was explaining to others how revolutionary the watch was, its characteristics, what it brought to the industry, the number of patents—he remembered all the watch’s characteristics better than I did.
Then, on a flight from Geneva to Paris, a family from Asia recognised me. The gentleman told me he’d bought a Reverso Sun Moon in gray gold in 2008— his first important collector’s watch. He was now considering a Gyro Two or Gyro Four. These spontaneous moments—you cannot plan or invent them but they’re part of why it’s important to do better every day.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Hybris Artistica Calibre 179 (Photo: courtesy of Jaeger-LeCoultre)
Any final thoughts on what makes Jaeger-LeCoultre unique?
During my seven years in corporate [as CEO of Richemont], I followed all Richemont maisons and had the chance to see how Jaeger-LeCoultre differs from others. What strikes me is the real uniqueness of the maison— its depth, technical mastery and history. We still have huge work to do to reveal how extraordinary and exceptional we are.
When something appears classic and simple, it’s always the most challenging to achieve. The trajectory and what comes next set the next level of requirements, and that’s what we’ll continue to pursue.
NOW READ
Tatler’s Christmas gift guide for family, friends, colleagues, Secret Santa—and yourself