Does Jaeger-LeCoultre deserve more sales?

My take is that JLC isn't pushed as hard online by watch social media, and possibly that JLC doesn't market itself as hard as GS does. 

I suspect JLC isn't pushed as hard by social media influencers because it isn't viewed/pushed as an "underdog" like GS is. JLC is so established as a high quality luxury brand that there is little social media "cred" to be gained by influencers pushing them. You can't say you're promoting an "alternative view", or a "sleeper" when you're promoting a well established luxury brand. 

We all want to "get in on the ground floor", not hop on the elevator from floor 28-30.

I also suspect it isn't a conscious decision by everybody, but more of an unconscious bias created by algorithms. If "Rolex vs GS" gets clicks, people will make more of it. If posting your GS gets clicks because of the hype generated by the "Rolex vs GS" videos, people will post more of them. 

Some influencers are pretty open about how much talking about some brands generates clicks for them, which results in revenue, so they post the click generating content. 

💯

Every time I see a JLC posted, I think, "Wow.  THAT is truly an amazing watch."  Every single one I've seen looks incredibly distinctive, beautiful, and I lust after it - especially yours!  However, I've never pulled the trigger on one, because of a certain (perhaps entirely unfounded) fear:  High cost of maintenance.

I'll use a car analogy:

• Every single time I see an Aston Martin on the road, I can't take my eyes off it, and I endanger everyone's lives around me because I might swerve into them while trying to track the Aston
• However, I would never buy an Aston because they're incredibly small batch, with "craftsman" manufacturing - parts are hard to come by, maintenance is a nightmare, and the insides are so complex that I'd be beholden to an Aston dealership for anything and everything to do with service
• Meanwhile, with a Porsche, you know that there are tons of parts, they use lean manufacturing for production at massive scale so they're as reliable as Toyotas, and they're still relatively desirable even though they're nowhere near as good-looking as Astons

I could be dead wrong about JLC, but everything I've read or watched about them talks about how complex their movements are - they're like the world's best movement engineers.  In which case, I worry that they've OVER-engineered things.  Meanwhile, if I buy a Grand Seiko, I know that I'm buying a machine from this massive vertically-integrated conglomerate, with massive economies of scale.

Please correct me if I've totally misunderstood things!

I’ll be honest - other than the Reverso, I couldn’t tell you about any other models that stick in my mind. The pedigree is immense, but I find the watches rather safe. At some of the prices, I want to be stunned, not patted on the back if you understand what I’m trying to say. 

@chronotriggered Not to sound dismissive, but have you seen a JLC in the metal? I'd be surprised if you weren't stunned by the Master Control Chronograph Calendar in person. Not only is the watch impeccable, but the movement is something else to look at.

I am a huge fan of Jaeger LeCoultre and I sincerely believe their watchmaking and artisanal abilities rank highly with the best of them. However I think their challenges are a result of a few factors:

1. They are missing an entry level watch at about USD 5000 that becomes a gateway to the brand. Although the Reverso is iconic, and you can find a few Quartz models at this price, it doesn’t satiate the enthusiast with that budget. Being a rectangular watch also tends to be polarizing. Every other brand we talk about has something in this price segment that is desirable and a perfect gateway to the brand.

2. Struggling to create a clear justifiable differentiation at the USD7,000-10,000 price point. At this price point there are plenty of options that JLC offers. However they don’t have clear standout models that immediately scream - this is JLC at its best, again aside from the Reverso. The Polaris is great but ends up competing with the likes of Omega Seamaster and Submariners without necessarily carving a niche look that differentiates its dial from other compressor type divers. Similarly a lot of Master range watches look good but they again don‘t really have a differentiator that is uniquely JLC. I absolutely love the memovox but again on the dial side, aside from the recent limited edition blue memovoxes, the standard catalog ones struggle to standout.

Having said all that though, once you reach the price points where ‘if you have to ask, you can’t afford it’, JLC ranks amongst the absolute best in artisanal models like the gyrotourbillons and minute repeaters etc. Unfortunately that means us mortals don’t ever go near them.

I have seen and held a small number of JLCs in the metal, thank you for calling me out. I also do not think of JLC in a negative light. The crux of my point is thus: the standard Master Thin is over $8000, but it does look rather unassuming to me, as do some of the other models. If I spend $8000 I‘m one of those people who wants something to pop a little.

If you want to talk about a watch with many complications then obviously it is going to look stunning inside and out by design. That watch is also $15,600, I would expect it to look and feel exquisite, but it’s not something I can drop on willy-nilly so I’ll bow out from the thread if I cannot pay to play.
 

this is a very valid point. As a person who has no instagram or fb account, I am not experiencing that. But I know that the influencers are pushing certain brands which leads to significant higher demand. And as you wrote is a perpetuum mobile, more clicks leads to a trending topic, a trending topic leads to more videos because they want more clicks which let the topic trend more.

And JLC is not hip and fits not that much to influencers...

I hope not that they service costs will kill me ;)

The service for a simple 3hander like mine is not extraordinary, costs more then Rolex but not much more. I think the more complicated ones are difference, which is natural.

JLC has there 2 advantages:

• 8 years warranty, which reduces the risk of service costs and
•  their archives: they have drawings of everything they ever have produced. Which means that even if you buy a very very old vintage piece they can repair it! This would cost something, but many brands are not able to repair all watches they have ever produced.

1.  I would rephrase it: JLC has no mass appealing entry level watch. A Reverso classic manual wind costs 5.750€, an OP36 5.400€, an Seamaster 300m 5.600€. The Reverso is in the same cost range, but the rectangular case is not that mass market appealing. 
2.  here I completely agree ;)

As have been mentioned by several people already, the problem is that they does not offer anything in the $5k range. Personally I love JLC. I think the Mariner line was a great evolution of the standard Polaris. My favorites are the various Tribute chronos. I am hoping to some day pick up a Mariner Memovox.

Polaris Mariner on my trigger list for this year. JLC; The watchmakers watchmaker. I'm delighted that they remain a watch company more interested in making watches than marketing them. Too many brands are exactly that..  a brand, a logo, a fashion statement. No thanks. 

I think their marketing department is doing something terribly wrong. I could name the Reverso, but even the Polaris is only something I'd remember on a good day. I can remember ads and online marketing by Omega, Rolex, Breitling, and even a full-sized Tag Heuer ad with Verstappen and his Monaco. Less advertising by Lange & Söhne or Glashütte. I subscribe to the Wall Street Journal. If I can't remember JLC ads, and the brand is not really on my mind, something ain't right with their marketing.

Nice! This is one of my "must have" watches. Looks awesome!

JLC are beautifully made stylish watches, up there with GS. But all the luxury brands are suffering.  Most people with $5k+ to spend on a watch buy a Rolex.

Being frank (I struggle with diplomacy) most people with 5k+ to spend on a watch know bugger all about watches and care even less. For most (present company excepted) it's not about the watch. It's about the brand name "kudos" and showing off. JLC doesn't have that mass appeal and doesn't need to show off. I like that. 

In my area, it is hard to get hands-on with a JLC. Mayors (Watches of Switzerland) used to have JLC available here a year ago, but they’ve stopped carrying them when they did their store remodel. I’m a huge fan, not just of the Reverso, but also the Master Control and Polaris lines. The Atmos clock is also incredible and a collecting world in and of itself.

I love the polaris i just wish it was a bit smaller in diameter. prob 38 is asking too much lol

That's a pity if you don't have the chance to even try it on. However your Watches of Switzerland should be able to source it from other branches for you to try on. My AD Bucherer is doing it, if they don't have the brand in the store but in the company, even from other countries in the European Union.

And yes yes yes, the Atmos is incredible. But I don't even have a place where it would realy shine. I need chimney^^

I thought so as well! I normally wear watches between 36 and 40mm. But due to the small lug to lug and the curved profile it wears perfect on small wrists. However due to the huge dial (including the rehaut) it wears large!

I don’t know man. I mean all the watch YouTubers push Rolex like their lives depend on it and thats the ultimate establishment brand. 

I think you nailed it with this analogy 

I think it’s because their pieces are very dressy and their sports watches are too expensive, too generic, or both so people gravitate towards other brands like Rolex and Omega 

I am considering this exact watch in black.  This is truly a timeless and unique option. 

It is! and it feels so comfortable at the wrist, the case is very flat for a diver, has short lugs and is curved. So even smaller wrists will rock this watch.

I’d love to see the Polaris in person. It looks beautiful. I do wonder if it is too big for my 6.75 inch wrist and just too expensive though. 

try it on! I have an 16.5cm wrist, works. It is pretty flat and has short curved lugs, it hugs the wrist very well. On my wrist it wears better than a Submariner Hulk.

And with the price I can't help you, yes it is expensive, however yo can see and feel the hand finished brushings and the open case back let you see where the most money goes ;)

The Ultra-Thin Moon is one heck of a good looking watch!

I am starting to realize this watch in black is the exact time-only exit watch (final watch) I need 🤩 

I LOVE JLC. I finally got mine recently.

That is such an awesome watch! I love it! 😍 Limited Edition..World Time complications..World‘s famous SEPANG F1 track in the world time cities representing my time zone..I want one!! 🤣