Pushing Further the Boundaries of Classical Art
The Made of Makers programme draws a parallel between the worlds of horology and art, fostering collaborations with artists, designers, and craftsmen from disciplines outside watchmaking, who share the Maison’s values of creativity, expertise, and precision. The programme challenges the perception of classical art as static or bound to the past, instead emphasising its continuous reinvention and positioning it as a leading source of creativity today. Where today’s classics were once seen as radical at their inception, the Made of Makers programme explores how traditional forms and techniques can be reinvented through new materials and media, offering a fresh perspective on the dialogue between past and present. Like the watchmakers of La Grande Maison, these artists respect tradition as a foundation for creativity, while pushing boundaries and exploring new horizons, highlighting how both watchmaking and classical art express human’s creativity, reflect the culture of an era and trigger emotions.
To date, the Made of Makers community has embraced the worlds of contemporary art, gastronomy and music – with artists including Zimoun (Switzerland), Michael Murphy (USA), Guillaume Marmin (France), lettering artist Alex Trochut (Spain/USA), pastry chef Nina Métayer (France), mixologist Matthias Giroud (France), digital media artist Yiyun Kang (Korea), musician TØKIO M¥ERS (UK), multi-media artist Brendi Wedinger (USA), Chef Himanshu Saini (India) and street light-painter Roy Wang (China). This new collaboration with Nicolas Bonneville (France) adds perfumery to the Made of Makers portfolio.
Captured by the Power of Scent
Recognised as one of the most talented perfumers of his generation, Nicolas Bonneville continually breaks new ground with distinctive fragrances that blend traditional and avant-garde techniques, rare essences and age-old natural ingredients.
Born and raised in France, he fell in love with perfume during a holiday in Grasse, the cradle of French perfumery, when he was 12 years old. The experience had a profound impact on him: he began to teach himself the art of blending fragrances by designing his own experiments with scent at home, developing his innate gifts and growing skills as a self-taught ‘nose’. At the beginning of his professional career, he was mentored by the perfumer Jacques Maurel and, later, by Francis Kurkdjian.
In his approach to perfumery, Nicolas Bonneville combines creativity, imagination and innovation, together with an exceptional understanding of sensory perceptions. His work is notable in the way he explores new associations of scents and ingredients beyond classical codes and cultural borders. “In perfumery, just as in painting, maintaining the purity of blends is essential,” Nicolas Bonneville explains. “Similarly, when creating perfumes, it’s crucial to dose raw materials carefully to preserve their unique olfactory character without excessive dilution. The principle of ‘less is more’ ensures that your fragrance retains its clarity and depth; you achieve a unique scent with real character and distinction.”
Blending Artistic Creativity with the Precision of Science
The creation of an olfactory identity for Jaeger-LeCoultre explores the natural affinity between the world of perfumery and that of watchmaking: both art forms are intricate disciplines that share a deep sense of artistry, balance tradition with innovation and rely on precision and detail.
The purpose of each timepiece extends far beyond mere functionality—a watch is not a simple tool but an expression of personality, style, and even emotion. In the same way, a fine fragrance is intensely personal, evoking memories, moods, and feelings. Both crafts create something that emotionally resonates with the wearer.
In addition to their emotional depth, both fields embody a delicate balance between tradition and innovation. Watchmakers often draw upon centuries-old techniques, yet seamlessly incorporate cutting-edge materials and technology. Similarly, perfumers honor traditional methods while exploring modern extraction processes and novel ingredients, continually pushing the boundaries of what is possible.
Precision and attention to detail lie at the heart of both disciplines. In horology, every gear, spring, and component must fit perfectly for the watch to function. In perfumery, the same principle applies—each ingredient must be measured and balanced with exacting care, as even the smallest variation can compromise the entire composition.
Ultimately, both watchmaking and fine perfumery blend craftsmanship, precision and creativity to offer objects that are not only functional but deeply meaningful and personal.
Three Original Fragrances: the Precision of Fine Watchmaking Expressed through Scent
The three olfactory signatures crafted by Nicolas Bonneville for Jaeger-LeCoultre represent the highest practices that distinguish haute perfumery from all other fragrances.
• Short formulas – the use of fewer ingredients allows for a clearer, more refined olfactory profile, in which each raw material plays a crucial role. This minimalist approach highlights the unique characteristics of each ingredient and ensures a harmonious balance. The result is a pure, uncluttered scent that evolves beautifully over time.
• Noble Ingredients – many of them rare and prestigious, these ingredients have been enhanced by modern extraction methods that preserve their properties. Blending tradition and modernity, these fragrances combine age-old raw ingredients from as far afield as Central Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, the Philippines, Haiti and South America.
• High Concentrations – the elevated concentration of one key ingredient in each formulation translates the willingness to build balanced nuances around a single, potent scent. This approach provides clarity, ensuring a distinctive and authentic character for each fragrance.
These three factors combine to create olfactory signatures that evolve beautifully through top, heart, and base notes, revealing layers of complexity and depth at each stage. The initial impression transitions seamlessly into a rich and enduring core, finally settling into a deep, memorable base. This meticulous composition results in a rich and sophisticated sillage, leaving an evocative trail that captivates and lingers elegantly, even when its wearer leaves the room.
THE CELESTIAL ODYSSEY is an ambery and spicy fragrance that pays tribute to the moon, the sun and the stars, the three celestial bodies that have always captivated watchmakers. It opens with the diaphanous, lunar light of Heart of Patchouli. Then, in warm and mineral waves, Amber Woods reinvent the sensuality of Ambergris – a product of nature born from the depths of the ocean that symbolises the nights when ancient navigators guided their journeys by observing the starry skies. At its base, as sensual and captivating as an incandescent star, Vanilla spreads its solar attraction. The scent of the Vanilla Tahitensis is captured using a high-tech CO2 extraction method called Superfluid Critical Extraction – a waterless extraction achieved by a neutral gas that evaporates at the end of the process, revealing the preserved olfactory properties of the ingredient.
THE PRECISION PIONEER is woody and spicy in character, inspired by the heart of the Manufacture. It opens with warm notes of Incense that represent the Maison’s origins through the intense heat of the blacksmith’s fire, where raw materials are transformed into masterpieces of precision. It is then magnified by the powerful scent of Vibrant Wood, evoking the watchmaker’s bench. The distinctive scent of Vibrant Wood is obtained by blending many characteristics of different woods to create a unique wood, tailor-made specifically for this fragrance. Drawing its modernity from a millennia-old tradition, the noble essences of Cedar, Guaiac, and Oud Wood meld into the Amber Accord, serving as a bridge between ancestral craftsmanship and cutting-edge innovation.
“Like watchmaking, the art of perfumery stands at the intersection of creativity, science and precision, and we are delighted to welcome Nicolas Bonneville to our Made of Makers programme,” says Matthieu Le Voyer, Chief Marketing Officer of Jaeger-LeCoultre. “With his self-taught talent and artistic vision, Nicolas Bonneville brings an exciting new dimension to the programme, which celebrates the convergence of craftsmanship across many disciplines and cultures. As he continues to explore new territories in the world of fine perfumery, he epitomises the strong affinity that exists between the artistic world and our Maison.”
Destined to become an additional signature of La Grande Maison, the three fragrances crafted by Nicolas Bonneville will be offered as a special treatment to clients and will be used in a variety of other initiatives in the future.
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