Flowers, birds and carp for a symbolic rendezvous.
The designers at Jaeger-LeCoultre and artisans of the Métiers Rares atelier drew inspiration from the Japanese ukiyo-e printmaking technique popular during the Edo period to create a new artistic Rendez-Vous trilogy.
Like the katyo-e sub-genre, the three watches in the Rendez-Vous Sonatina "Peaceful Nature" trilogy feature birds and flowers. A crane (鶴, "tsuru") hovers above the branches of an evergreen pine tree on the dial of the Peaceful Nature – Crane.
A kingfisher (翡翠, "hisui") surveys the sky, perched on a blooming red quince tree on the Peaceful Nature – Kingfisher. And a koi carp (錦鯉, "nishikigoi") swims tranquilly in a pond beneath the branches of a willow tree on Peaceful Nature – Koi.
All the details are filled with natural symbolism. The crane symbolizes longevity and virtue, the pine tree has a similar meaning in Japanese culture. The kingfisher is associated with fidelity and devotion.
The koi fish is said to bring success and good fortune, while the red quince tree which comes back to life in spring is associated with longevity. Eastern motifs are masterfully reproduced on the dials using Western artisan techniques.
The artisans have imitated maki-e lacquer technique where gold-leaf dust is sprinkled onto wet lacquer by applying miniscule dots of gold lacquer paint. However, elements of each image are still highlighted by precisely applied tiny gold paillons (flakes) as a final touch.
The exquisite multi-layered canvas coated with translucent lacquer is framed with diamonds. Additional rows of precious stones decorate the bezel, caseband and lugs. The designers have managed to work an asymmetrical moon-phase display into each miniature painting.
Another essential element for Rendez-Vous watches is the star that travels around the edge of the dial, which the watch owner can set to mark the time of a rendezvous or meeting they're looking forward to.
The material used for the case measuring 38.2 mm in diameter and 10.59 mm in height is pink gold for each of the pieces. The watch is equipped with the automatic Caliber 735 movement used for the Rendez-Vous collection.
It has a power reserve of 40 hours. Each member of the Rendez-Vous Sonatina trilogy is available as a limited edition in a 10-piece series.