The watchmaking company has entered into a three-year partnership with the Unesco World Heritage Centre to support the preservation of outstanding marine sites that are in immediate need of protection.
“Making Time More Beautiful” is the name of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s global strategy to counter the threats to our planet. It aims not only to preserve the manufacturing company’s exceptional natural environment, but to support projects of international scope as well. In this regard, the watchmaking company has entered into a three-year partnership with the Unesco World Heritage Centre to support the preservation of outstanding marine sites that are in immediate need of protection. To make people aware of this environmental cause, Jaeger-LeCoultre will join the International Herald Tribune in publishing information about the eight selected Unesco World Heritage sites in its “Tides of Times” section.
The Tubbataha reef (Philippines)
The beauty of its natural surroundings gave Jaeger-LeCoultre an early awareness of its social and ecological responsibilities. Apart from projects to safeguard its legacy of craft skills and protect the environment in which it grew, the grand old firm of the Joux valley is always getting involved the world’s ecological causes. One example is its support of a foundation set up by the actor, Leonardo DiCaprio, to promote environmental awareness. The association with the International Herald Tribune will draw wide public attention to the need for quick action and fund-raising to launch specific projects under the aegis of Unesco.
In addition to financial support in the form of a donation, Jaeger-LeCoultre will sponsor the publication of the eight selected marine sites on eight special pages of the International Herald Tribune between September 2008 and March 2009. Furthermore, the websites of International Herald Tribune, the New York Times and the brand present additional information the heritage sites in photo documentaries while a growing archive is available for consultation. Although the links between the manufacturing company and the under-water world go back a long way — the first waterproofing system for a watchcase was patented in 1911 — the first true diving watches signed Jaeger-LeCoultre only appeared 50 years ago. The recent launch of the Master Compressor Diving collection enabled the assessment of the vulnerability of the marine ecosystems and of the urgent need to preserve the environments from which life on our planet emerged. In parallel with the protection of the preserved environment in the Joux Valley, where the manufacturing company has been established for 175 years, the brand has resolved to apply its know-how and technical expertise to the service of Unesco. The unmanned submersible, Jaeger-LeCoultre I, developed with the specialised TMT firm in 2007, has already undertaken some gripping exploration dives. In one dive to 1,080 metres, the Master Compressor Diving watch strapped to its structure fully withstood the colossal pressure at that depth. The experience gained and the Jaeger-LeCoultre I submersible will naturally be made available for projects supported by the international organisation for undersea environments.
The Galapagos Islands (Ecuador)
The World Heritage Marine Programme supported by the Jaeger-LeCoultre manufacturing company is global in scope. Its aim is particularly to check the implementation of the approved operations, take part in training site managers and to provide technical support to states wishing to apply to have an ecosystem listed as a heritage site. In a first step, eight sites were selected according to two criteria: the urgency of immediate action and their position on the globe so as to maximise the international awareness of this initiative. They are:
- The Galapagos Islands (Ecuador)
- The Great Barrier Reef (Australia)
- The Gulf of Girolata (Corsica, France)
- The Sian Ka'an coast (Yucatan, Mexico)
- The Gulf of California (Mexico) and the whale sanctuary of El Vizcaíno (Mexico)
- The Tubbataha reef (Philippines)
- Malpelo island (Colombia), Coiba National Park (Panama) and Cocos island (Costa Rica).
The Gulf of Girolata (Corsica)
This action also aims to raise private and public financing of Unesco operations to enable the organisation to carry out its ambitious policy of preserving the marine environment. Live documentaries on the projects in the media as well as on the websites of the International Herald Tribune, New-York Times and the manufacturing company will help sustain public concern for a cause essential to the survival of mankind. If Jaeger-LeCoultre has long proved its cultural and social commitment to the safeguard of skills that are our common heritage, theplayer in sustainable development and the preservation of our beautiful planet.
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