This is the article written by Gary about a team visit that Gary himself organised. It was a visit fondly remembered by the team - it was definately the best team meeting we've ever had!!! CLIENT MANAGERS VISIT TO LA MANUFACTURE JAEGER-LECOULTRE, VALLEE DE JOUX 6TH JUNE 2008 Late 2007 we received an invitation to an exclusive factory visit by the management of this long established high end Swiss watch manufacturer and were able to fulfil this on the afternoon of Friday 6th June. The whole event needless to say ran like ‘clockwork’! CM’s were advised to travel ‘light’ as we were staying just one night not far from the airport, but Steph decided to take this to extreme – yes that is all she brought with her! Steph’s French speaking skills were very welcome – we were all very impressed! After all meeting up at Geneva airport, we then split up into two cars (Richard Moxon relegated to the lower powered 1.6 Astra) for the one hour journey over some very steep and twisty alpine roads into the Vallee de Joux where Jaeger Le Coultre have been making watches since 1833. After a lunch stop a few miles before our destination we were met by Jean-Marc Keller retired former Vice President of the company. The tour was absolutely fascinating and really made you appreciate why these watches justify the expensive retail prices. Jaeger-LeCoultre is one of the only remaining manufacturers that create all the parts and assemble them in-house. We met the design team; we saw all the intricate minute parts being produced and also parts of the final hand assembly and finishing processes. The company retain all the old patterns and dies so if your 1930’s Jaeger-LeCoultre watch needs a repair there would be no problem in replicating a part for it. The premises which have been extended over the years from the original workshop in 1833 are spotlessly clean and felt a bit like being in a hospital with everyone including ourselves wearing gowns. The final part of the tour introduced us to a room full of all the different movements the company have produced including a selection of past and present pocket and wristwatches. All the CM’s agree that this trip has given us considerable first hand knowledge of the Swiss high end mechanical watch industry, including an understanding of the different complications available, types of movement, finishes and after care. This type of knowledge enables us to communicate and share our client’s appreciation of their watches (particularly the Jaeger-LeCoultre owners). The only problem is that some of us are now contemplating placing orders for prohibitively expensive, but beautiful and desirable watches. We stayed in a very nice, but modestly priced ‘Travel Lodge’ type establishment on the Friday night. It was in a nice Spa town (Divonne les Bains) just over the border in France. We ate in another hotel nearby, and afterwards some of us retired to the local bar called Charleys Pub.