Jaeger-LeCoultre adds parfumier Nicolas Bonneville to its Made of Makers collective

Jaeger-LeCoultre has expanded the Made of Makers universe with the addition of perfume prodigy Nicolas Bonneville. The acclaimed French parfumier who has worked for the likes of Givenchy, Jo Malone London, and Dries Van Noten has created three new olfactory signatures for the Maison inspired by the world of Jaeger-LeCoultre.
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The Made of Makers initiative was launched to explore the synergy between horology and art with artists, designers, and craftspeople outside of the world of watchmaking collaborating with Jaeger-LeCoultre on special projects. To date this community had embraced artists such as Zimoun, a Swiss artist and composer known for his sound sculptures, and Korean digital media artist Yiyun Kang. It has also collaborated with Glaswegian multi-instrumental composer and producer TØKIO M¥ERS and two-time Pastry Che(fe) of the Year winner Nina Métayer and now Bonneville, recognised as one of the most talented noses of his generation, joins the collective.

Bonneville taught himself the art of blending scents at the precocious age of 12 after he fell in love with perfume following a visit to Grasse – the crucible of scent creation in the South of France. His signature is that of experimentation, exploring new associations beyond the classical pairings. “In perfumery, just as in painting, maintaining the purity of blends is essential,” says Bonneville. “Similarly when creating perfume, 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.”

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To find an olfactory identity for Jaeger-LeCoultre, Bonneville adhered to the principles of haute parfumery. Firstly the idea of “short formulas” meaning fewer ingredients so that each raw ingredient plays a part allow for a more refined profile. Only noble ingredients were used; rare and prestigious ones from places such as Central Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, Philippnes, Haiti, and South America. To preserve their properties modern extraction methods were used, ones which also maintained a high concentration of essence. Finally, one key ingredient in each personality was chosen as the heart around which to build the scent.

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The first, Timeless Stories, is inspired by the Reverso and its history as a polo watch. A woody leathery-ness evokes stables and tack rooms. The opening note of violet is a sensory reminder of the freshly cut grass of the polo pitch. At its heart is the scent of Orris. The Orris rhizome is the root of the Iris germanica – a dark lavender bloom commonly known as Queen Elizabeth Root. It is one of the most noble ingredients in perfumery and represents the dual nature of the Reverso – durable and resilient on the outside yet refined and delicate within.

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As the name suggests Celestial Odyssey is a spicy, ambery fragrance that pays tribute to the sun, moon, and stars with whom watchmakers have eternally been fascinated. The opening scent, Heart of Patchouli, is an earthy, spicy but slightly sweet aroma representing the moon. Amber Woods stands in for ambergris; a once rare and valued ingredient harvested from the sperm whale that has since been banned. At its base is Vanilla Tahitensis, a hybrid of the orchid, in the genus vanilla, found in Raiatea in The Society Island in the South Pacific. The scent has been exracted using a high-tech CO2 method called Superfluid Critical Extraction. This is a waterless extraction method achieved byusing neutral gas that subsequently evaporates leaving only the essence behind.

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Finally Precision Pioneer takes inspiration from the Manufacture itself; a historic building in Le Sentier in the heart of the Vallée de Joux. Incense represents the heat of the blacksmith’s fire, while a particular fragrance made by combining the olfactory characteristics of different types of wood evokes the watchmaker’s bench. To create the heart, noble essences of cedar, guaiac – a type of wood used for charcoal and native to the Caribbean and South America – and Oud Wood are combined to make Amber Accord – a scent that symbolises the bridge between ancestral crafts and modern innovation.

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"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 for the Maison. “With his self-taught talent and artistic vision Nicolas brings an exciting new dimension to the programme, which celebrates the convergence of craftmanship 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.” Luckily there’s a scent for that.

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