PARIS — Jaeger-LeCoultre has tapped Zhang Ziyi as its latest global ambassador, the Swiss watchmaker revealed Tuesday.

“What fascinates me most about watchmaking is its precision — and the almost obsessive attention to detail it requires,” the Chinese film star said of her new role with the brand known as “the watchmaker of watchmakers.”

It’s a feeling she is familiar with in her own line of work, she revealed in an interview accompanying the announcement that sees her join a roster that includes Lenny Kravitz, Amanda Seyfried, Nicholas Hoult and South Korean actor Kim Woo-Bin.

“Perhaps, my pursuit of nuanced acting parallels a watchmaker’s quest for precision,” she continued. “Even the briefest shot calls for absolute attention to detail before it becomes part of something truly meaningful.”

The watchmaker’s chief executive officer Jérome Lambert told WWD exclusively that Zhang’s professional journey mirrors that of Jaeger-LeCoultre, “rooted in discipline, driven by a pursuit of perfection, and defined by an unwavering commitment to authenticity and cultural relevance.”

He said her appointment gave the watchmaker “a strong and credible voice: one that speaks to speaks to dedication, refinement, and artistic integrity” and that such partnerships were “instrumental in cultivating the long-term value and cultural capital of the maison.”

Her first campaign for the watchmaker is slated for release in July and Zhang she said she hoped that “as the global ambassador, and as a filmmaker,” she could convey its “spirit of pioneering, timelessness, and pursuit of excellence.”

Best known for her award-winning career both in China and internationally, Zhang made her directorial debut in 2021.

While Lambert wouldn’t be drawn into speaking of specific projects with the Chinese star, he said the brand’s “relationships are always envisioned as evolving journeys rather than defined roles” and that “what excites [the brand] most is the creative dialogue that emerges over time.”

Zhang’s appointment is also about “celebrating women who elevate their craft and who represent a form of elegance that resonates across generations and cultures,” the executive continued. “Her presence sends a clear message: Jaeger-LeCoultre stands alongside those who set the standard — not by following trends, but by defining them through excellence.”

Meanwhile, Zhang put watchmaking and shaping a compelling character on an equal footing as fields in which “the process is always one of deep focus and refinement.”

Style-wise, she revealed a penchant for classic designs but said she was partial to the Rendez-Vous collection, which nods to the watchmaker’s first gem-set timepieces for women.

But it’s a gem-set Reverso One Duetto Jewellery watch, and an all-black look, that Zhang wore in the portraits as ambassador. She deemed a watch “the most defining part of [her] look — it’s the finishing touch that quietly brings everything together.”

“Subtle yet full of presence, it not only elevates the overall style but also reflects a sense of taste and character,” she added.

Known for depicting strong and independent characters in powerful performances, Zhang earned international acclaim over the course of the past three decades. Her breakthrough role was as anti-hero Jen Yu in Ang Lee’s 2000 martial arts epic “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.”

Her roles with renowned directors such as Zhang Yimou, Wong Kar-wai, John Woo and Rob Marshall garnered her a raft of awards and nominations both in China’s prominent film awards and at the BAFTAs, Golden Globes and Cannes Film Festival. She also served as a jury member in Cannes and the Tokyo International Film Festival, where she was president of the main competition in 2017.

Other honors include her appointment as global ambassador for the Special Olympics and being inducted in France’s Ordre des Arts et Lettres in 2013.

In June, the actress made a highly anticipated return to the silver screen with “She’s Got No Name,” a period drama directed by Peter Chan Ho-Sun, which shot up to the top of the China box office on its opening weekend.

Over the years she has also lent her image to a number of luxury brands, most recently Tiffany & Co., which named her an ambassador in May.