Jaeger LeCoultre is not a name that rings a bell as much as some other watch brands, but it’s one that resonates with watch connoisseurs. And Reverso is beyond doubt their flagship model, a watch that propelled the company into runaway success when it debuted in 1931. Last year, this model celebrated its 85th anniversary. Let’s have a look at the milestones of this remarkable horological achievement.
Reverso got its name for its ability to elegantly flip on itself, exposing the back. This may not inspire awe so much today, but can you imagine the fascination Reverso instigated when it appeared in 1931? The first model of Reverso used parts made by specialists, which is to say, they weren’t produced by Jaeger LeCoultre (known as just LeCoultre until 1937). It was in 1933 that Jacques-David LeCoultre produced movements specifically designed for the rectangular case of the Reverso.
Reverso is an epitome of the Art Deco age. It was superbly practical in the first place. According to some, the design of the watch was geared towards polo players, so that they could protect their watch on the field. Even though it wasn’t the only watch of the age to flip, it was unique in the simplicity and elegance of its flipping mechanism. The undecorated back of the watch allowed the wearer to personalize it with engraving. A salient Art Deco motif on all Reverso models are the gadroons – the three carved lines that run along the top and the bottom of the watch case.
Between the end of WWII and the eighties, the production of the Reverso was waning slowly but steadily until it was completely stopped in the mid-seventies. However, in 1982 this model was resurrected with a quartz movement instead of a mechanical one. From then on, its popularity has been on an upward line. In 1991, the Reverso 60eme marked the 60th anniversary of the watch. Thereafter came other magnificent Reverso models: the first tourbillon model in 1993, the first minute repeater a year later, the first retrograde chronograph in 1996 and the first perpetual calendar to celebrate the turn of the millennium in 2000.
The celebrities that have sported Reverso watches are many and come from all walks of public life: Leonardo DiCaprio, Val Kilmer and Christian Bale in the Batman films, Pierce Brosnan and Elton John. More notable and historical figures who once appreciated the Reverso are Amelia Earhart, Edward VIII and Queen Elizabeth II, who wore it at her coronation ceremony.
In the nineties, the JLC Design Director, Janek Deleskiewicz, noticed that the sturdy modern materials have made the Reverso more resilient than ever, diminishing the need to flip the dial to protect it. That observation spurred a new 1994 design in which one single movement powered two dials, the front and the back. The dials could track two time zones, and one dial had a day-night indicator.
This JLC model is “grande” which indicates that it is large and wears large, even though it wouldn’t come across as such when looking at it. This model has a custom movement with an amazing 8-day power reserve and an accompanying display on the clock face to track it.
This is the pinnacle work of JLC. This astonishing timepiece holds as many as 6 patents. The front dial indicates time and day-night. In the bottom right corner, there is a single-pallet tourbillon. The back dial shows sidereal time, which Wikipedia explains as a time-keeping system that astronomers use to locate celestial objects. This particular sidereal watch runs the full cycle every 23 hours, 56 minutes and around 56 seconds. The back dial also informs you of the zodiac calendar and the time for sunrise and sunset. This is all powered with a single movement!
When you come to the vast and varied showroom of Leo Hamel Fine Jewelers on San Diego Avenue, you’ll always find a fresh and impressive collection of new and pre-owned luxury watches. Because we buy and sell more fine watches than anyone else in San Diego, our selection changes daily. A watch we have today might be sold by tomorrow!
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