Ready to immerse yourself in the mysteries of the cosmos? Swiss watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre will be unveiling its major exhibition ‘The Stellar Odyssey’ in Dubai this February, offering both watch enthusiasts and the general public alike the chance to see the ways that the awe-inspiring phenomena of the universe has inspired mankind.
The acclaimed installation, which debuted at Watches & Wonders 2022, will be taking residence on a pavilion that will ‘float’ on the waters of the Dubai Fountain outside The Dubai Mall with the Burj Khalifa serving as its the backdrop.
“It is an important part of our mission at Jaeger-LeCoultre to share the secrets behind the art and craft of watchmaking with the wider world by bringing our Manufacture from the Vallée de Joux to the public around the globe,” says Catherine Rénier, CEO of Jaeger-LeCoultre.
“The ancient cultures of the Middle East played a seminal role in the origins of time measurement, and we are therefore delighted that Dubai is where the world tour of The Stellar Odyssey makes its debut. It is a special opportunity to trace the unbroken line through several millennia to the exceptional legacy of innovation that has driven our Maison for 190 years and the work that we do today.”
Visitors will also have a chance to see a carefully curated selection of the Manufacture’s most remarkable timepieces from its storied history—including its most recent celestially-inspired timepieces—including the Atmos clock and the Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185.
In addition, there exhibition will feature multi-media installations that will take visitors on a visual journey to the cosmos, translates the wonders of the celestial world into art installations and multi-sensory experiences. In addition, it will also feature hands-on educational workshops based on the Stellar Odyssey theme at the Atelier d’Antoine, named after the Maison’s founder, Antoine LeCoultre.
Inside The Stellar Odyssey
The main exhibition will explore astronomically-inspired watchmaking in eight chapters, starting with the very origins of time, the impact of celestial phenomena on the way we measure it, and the origins of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s expertise in developing astronomical complications. From there, each chapter explores a different cosmic phenomenon, matched with rare historic watches as well as timepieces from the most recent collections to illustrate how the Manufacture has continually reinterpreted the movements of the stars and planets in the form of intricate complications that represent, measure and even predict celestial events directly on the wrist.
Beneath a geodesic dome in the main pavilion, an immersive digital show will take visitors on a journey through space and time, transporting them through infinite space and 13.7 billion years of time to reveal the mysteries of the cosmos in five episodes – from the origins of our known universe to the present day, according to Jaeger-LeCoultre.
“Through a variety of immersive experiences, The Stellar Odyssey presents different interpretations of the cosmos and its relation to timekeeping, inviting visitors to understand it more deeply,” says Catherine Rénier. “As well as transmitting the savoir-faire of watchmaking through the Atelier d’Antoine workshops, these experiences include two special collaborations under our Made of Makers programme.”
Also to be found will be art creations from ‘Made of Makers’, a programme of collaborations with artists and artisans from various disciplines outside watchmaking, focusing on world-class creators who share Jaeger-LeCoultre’s values of creativity, expertise and precision and whose work explores new forms of expression through different and often unexpected materials and media. Two of those artists and artisans will have their work on display.
For The Stellar Odyssey, Jaeger-LeCoultre has commissioned projects by French multi-media artist Guillaume Marmin and world-renowned mixologist Matthias Giroud.
For his installation entitled Passengers: Through Time, Guillaume Marmin employs light, sound and movement in complex relationships that redefine traditional ideas of sculpture, space and time. As visitors walk through the work, infinite reflections and dizzying perspectives take them on a stellar excursion in which they are the protagonists, inviting reflection on the fundamental question of what time really is.
For the ‘Stellar Atelier’, Matthias Giroud has created a menu of highly original soft cocktails inspired by the cosmos, taking his inspiration from the colours, temperatures and forms of the stars and planets, and blending familiar ingredients with intriguing scents and flavours from the Vallée de Joux.
In the Atelier d’Antoine, visitors can complete their journey of astral discovery by joining a hands-on Discovery Workshop that focuses on the wonder of astronomical complications and the celestial origins of time-keeping—a rare opportunity to gain deep insight and practical experience of this magical world.
How to visit The Stellar Odyssey
The Stellar Odyssey will open to the public on Saturday February 4, and run until Thursday, February 2023 at the Dubai Fountain outside The Dubai Mall, Downtown Dubai, and will be open daily from 2:00pm to midnight.
Admission will be free, but advanced tickets can be reserved in advance online, with guided tours also available.
See you there!