When the Reverso was created in 1931, the Manufacture immediately recognised the design’s wide appeal beyond the sporting arena for which it was originally conceived and, within the first year, began to offer colourful variations on the original black dial.
In chocolate brown, red, burgundy or blue, the lacquered dials created a stylish and exuberant contrast with the case metal and – at a time when coloured dials were rare in watchmaking – made the Reverso appear even more modern and distinctive.
Over the decades, the Reverso has appeared with a variety of dials and in different case sizes – without ever compromising the integrity of the original design – and, in 2016, Jaeger-LeCoultre returned to the stylistic codes of the original 1931 model to create a series of Tribute models.
For 2021, recalling the early use of colour that distinguished the Reverso, La Grande Maison presents the Reverso Tribute Small Seconds in Green. The rich tone of the sunray-brushed lacquer dial and matching leather strap is reminiscent of the deep green of the pine forests that surround JaegerLeCoultre’s home in the Vallée de Joux.
The dial features all of the signature design elements of the Reverso Tribute: the hours are marked by applied indexes rather than numerals. Their faceted shape echoes the form of the Dauphine hands and adds visual depth to the lacquered surface. In the lower half of the dial, the circular track of the small seconds display provides a counterpoint to the linear geometry of the dial and case. Echoing the sunray brushing of the dial, a sunray pattern on the inside of the cradle is visible when the case is flipped over.
In keeping with Reverso tradition, the solid metal back of the reversible case is an ideal canvas for personalisation with a motif or engraving. The owner can choose to keep this personalisation hidden, as a private pleasure, or to turn the case over, so that the back becomes the front.
The slim 8.5mm case houses the manually wound mechanical Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 822/2; a rectangular shaped movement with small seconds designed expressly for the Reverso, it offers a power reserve of 42 hours. Reconnecting the Reverso to its roots in the sport of polo, Jaeger-LeCoultre began a collaboration in 2011 with Casa Fagliano. Celebrated throughout the polo world for its handmade boots, Fagliano has created straps for a series of special Reverso models. In keeping with the relaxed modernity of the Tribute collection, the calf leather strap of the new Reverso Tribute Small Seconds, made to Fagliano’s signature design, is in the same green as the dial, creating a unified aesthetic that underlines the timelessness of the Reverso design.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
REVERSO TRIBUTE SMALL SECONDS
Case material: Steel
Case dimensions: 45.6 x 27.4 mm
Thickness: 8.5mm
Movement: Manually wound Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 822/2
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds
Power reserve: 42 hours
Water resistance: 30 metres
Case back: closed
Strap: Green calf
Reference: Q3978430
ABOUT THE REVERSO
In 1931, Jaeger-LeCoultre launched a timepiece that was destined to become a classic of 20th-century design: the Reverso. Created to withstand the rigours of polo matches, its sleek, Art Deco lines and unique reversible case make it one of the most immediately recognisable watches of all time. Through nine decades the Reverso has continually reinvented itself without ever compromising its identity: it has housed more than 50 different calibres, while its blank metal flip side has become a canvas for creative expression, decorated with enamel, engravings or gemstones. Today, 90 years after the Reverso was born, it continues to epitomise the spirit of modernity that inspired its creation.
