There is something incredibly satisfying about good design. Sure, this may seem like a basic statement; but, in the world we live in today, maybe it isn’t. So much of the watch market now relies on a steady IV drip of collaborations, bright colors, and sometimes novelty capabilities that classic design can feel like a sorbet course after a particularly heavy meal.
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute line-up is that for me. Longtime readers may know that I’m quite fond of the classic Cartier Tank, and it wouldn’t be a stretch of the imagination to say the Reverso is cut from the same cloth.
First created in the 1930’s as a watch that could withstand being beaten up during polo matches (can you think of a more 1% sentence?), the Reverso has now become a cult classic of sorts for, of course, its beauty – but also the fun tactility of the reversible case. While there have been many iterations of the Reverso collection, the latest in their Tribute line really show the sophistication and engineering know-how from the brand.
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute collection features three new references to ogle: the Reverso Tribute Monoface, Reverso Tribute Duoface Tourbillon (in steel), and the Reverso Tribute Duoface Small Seconds (in pink gold). With three personalities to introduce you to, I’ll go through each separately.
The first thing to notice about the Reverso Tribute Monoface is its size. Designed to be more in-line with the original Reverso from 1931, coming in at a comfortable 40.1 x 24.4 mm case, this Reverso can easily be worn by both men and women. This particular model comes in two styles: silver opaline and blue sunray lacquer dial options. A series of Casa Fagliano leather straps are available to complement the watch – and its well-designed, Art Deco style. The Reverso Tribute Monoface runs on a manual Caliber 822 for 45-hours of power.
The big news for the new Duoface Tourbillon is its release in steel. As the name implies, Jaeger-LeCoultre utilized the Reverso framework to build two dials on the front and back of the reversible watch. I’d like to imagine being a world traveler and just needing a watch with two time zones to be reminded where I am at any given time. But, as you know by now, I’m a romantic at heart.
The steel Duoface Tourbillon plays with its own internal contrast by providing two distinct “persoalities” so to speak for each dial. The first dial is a sunrayed grey dial, while the reverse has a peek into the Tourbillon hardware to show off the ingenuity of this Jaeger-LaCoultre’s reference.
Last in the new additions to the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute collection is the pink gold Reverso Tribute Duoface Small Seconds. The front dial is a deep blue, taking 20 layers of lacquer to complete, that offsets the rose gold case. It’s not too crazy, but undoubtedly noticeable. The dial hits home the Art Deco aesthetic with a full, but not crowded, set of hours, minutes and small seconds hands. The reverse dial has a second time-zone and a 24-hour indicator. This model is powered by the manually wound Calibre 854 for just about 42-hours of power reserve.
While none of these releases are doing anything too crazy – that’s the point. Jaeger-LaCoultre has been slowly, incrementally evolving their classics for years, and it’s this series of steady tweaks which showcase that classic design still very much has a place in the contemporary watch market.
This series of releases are available now on Jaeger-LeCoultre’s website with prices beginning at $8,900 and going to “Price available upon request” – a polite way of telling me, “You probably can’t afford this one.” Jaeger-LeCoultre
