====== Jacques Etoile ======

{{wst>author|[[Reschke, Gerd-Lothar|Gerd-Lothar Reschke]] ([[https://www.zeitgefuehl.de|ZEITGEFÜHL]])}}

{{wst>menue|Jacques_Etoile}}

{{wst>image_r|Jakob,_Klaus|Klaus Jakob}}
**Jacques Etoile** is a German watch manufacturer.

The watch company [[Jacques Etoile]] was founded on October 1, [[1996]] in Lörrach/Baden. While the father Horst Jakob, an experienced watchmaker, who in [[2001]] celebrated his 50-year master anniversary, works quite in the silent background at the technology and the models, his son Klaus maintains external relations, including business and customer contacts and trade fairs. Not to mention the Turkish wife of Klaus Jacob, whose name Yildiz (English Star, French Etoile) contributed to the naming of the brand.

Jacques Etoile should not be confused with the historic [[Etoile]] watch brand or the modern Etoile nameplate used since [[1986]] by Swiss-Italian, Stefan Hafner.

==== The start of a young watch company ====
After one had begun with the two product lines //Imperial// and //Racing// - these were [[chronograph]]s with the ETA-standard movement [[Valjoux 7750]] - Klaus Jacob could secure a handful of beautiful old Valjoux [[column wheel]] [[chronograph]] movements that have been incorporated into the series //Silverstone//. Sales increased, when the model //Plongeur// was released, a low-cost [[dive watch]] with solid bracelet for just 700 D-Mark. [[1997]], on the watch and jewelery fair in Basel, Japanese journalists were interested in the watches, and in the beginning of [[1999]] an invitation to Japan followed. Although Klaus Jacob had expected only introductory talks, he received orders in a stately extent.

{{wst>image_r|Jacques_Etoile_Tricompax|Jacques Etoile Tricompax}}
This success made it possible to considerably expand and enhance the watch range. An important component of the corporate philosophy has been to provide mechanical specialties that go beyond the usual mass standards. These include rare or unusual movements such as the historic [[column wheel]] caliber [[Venus 175]], the [[form movement]] by [[Jaquet Baume]] used in the rectangular Estes Park, the proven [[Unitas]] [[pocket watch]] Calibre [[Unitas 6498|6498]], the unusual movement [[Unitas 6300]] with real [[central seconds]] or the [[Tourbillon]] movement by [[Progress]].

Even if such a widespread and well-known movement as the ETA Valjoux Calibre [[Valjoux 7750|7750]] is used, there is an additional conversion effort to offer the harmonious [[Tricompax]] arrangement of the [[totaliser]]s or, as in the model [[Jacques Etoile Monaco Grand Guichet|Grand Guichet]], to achieve a instantaneous switching [[big date]] display.

{{wst>image_r|Jacques_Etoile_Gehäuse|Jacques Etoile case, manufactured by the [[SUG]]}}
The constant pursuit of above-average quality of workmanship led to a collaboration with the Glashütte housing Manufacturer [[SUG|Sächsische Uhrentechnologie GmbH Glashütte (SUG)]] (Saxon watches technology GmbH Glashütte), which is able to provide watch cases cleanly cut out from solid steel blocks.

For the tenth anniversary of the founding of the company, on October 2, [[2006]] the limited edition model [[Jacques Etoile Bidynator 42|Bidynator 42]] was presented, which, in memory of the legendary, bi-directional [[self-winding]] movement [[Bidynator]] by [[Felsa]], contained remnants of these historic calibres.

=== The secondary brand Mercure ===
In the meantime there is now, parallel to //Jacques Etoile//, the secondary brand [[Mercure]]. This covers the price range under 1,000 EUR. The motto of Klaus Jacob reads //Classical mechanics with proven Swiss movements with German finish at prices like 25 years ago.//

==== Models ====
  *Tricompax
  *Imperial
  *Racing
  *Silverstone
  *Plongeur
  *[[Jacques Etoile Atlantis|Atlantis]]
  *Estes Parc
  *[[Jacques Etoile Monaco Grand Guichet|Grand Guichet]]
  *Lunarium Chronograph
  *[[Jacques Etoile Le Mans Lunarium Carbon|Le Mans Lunarium Carbon]] [[Chronograph]]
  *[[Jacques Etoile Lunamatic CS|Lunamatic CS]]
  *1962 Automatik

===== Address =====
Jacques Etoile watches GmbH\\ Senser Platz 2\\ D-79539 Lörrach

Telefon +49 7621 84303\\ Telefax +49 7621 12706

Email: klaus.jakob@jacquesetoile.com

===== Literature =====
  *[[Das ZEITGEFÜHL-Uhrenbuch]]; Author [[Gerd-Lothar Reschke]]; ISBN 3-938607-61-0

===== Weblinks =====
  *[[http://www.jacquesetoile.com/|Jacques Etoile]]
  *[[http://www.zeitgefuehl.de/jacquesetoile.php|ZEITGEFÜHL: Jacques Etoile - Vom Uhrengeschäft zur Marke für Kenner]] - Company portrait (German)


{{tag>Watch_brands Watch_brands_Germany}}