Jaeger Le Coultre Reverso

Jaeger LeCoultre, an artistic watch manufactory from a harsh village Vallee de Joux, Swiss region Jura, decided to devote this year completely to Reverso, cult watches of the XX century. Reverso, polo watches, were patented by manufacturer on March 4, 1931. By the 75th anniversary, celebrated in early March in India, Jaeger LeCoultre presented several new Reverso "species" - sports, with enamel and various complications. Reverso a Eclipse, the most effective and complicated version, represents a rare collective item with "mannerist" mechanical complication.

The first A Eclipse mechanism was invented in the manufactory in 1910's. At that time mechanism was set up in large pocket watches. Despite preserved drawings of old watch, manufacturers had to create a new mechanism for modern model. It took about a year, and production of the first Reverso a Eclipse version required other seven months. The difficulty was, first, to "transfer" mechanism from round form (a pocket watch had) in rectangular (Reverso shape), and secondly, to reduce its size three times. As a result, a mechanism was set in a large Grande Reverso shell model, had a thickness of 1.85 mm, automatic winding mechanism, as well as the range of 35 hours.

Reverso a Eclipse represents not only a watch with Reverso system, that is turning hull, but still with a double face. Reverso a Eclipse is a theater watch. Reverso a Eclipse has its small curtain, its little wings - these are two tiny gold leaves, which fulfill the role of the first, upper dial, when closed. And the second, secret one is hidden under leaves. In "closed" status, wings represent a normal face, which bears original Jaeger LeCoultre figures, showing hours. Mini-wings can be opened - with the help of a small wheel, located on the body to the right. Twist a cog wheel gently, and wings will collapse, "disappear" in the hull's sides, offering a fascinating look at a mise en scene - a color thumbnail, performed in enamel technique.

A Eclipse design was invented in 1910-ies, at a time when, under the influence of Proust's literature and Bergson's philosophy, ideas of a "secret, hidden, invisible parallel time" became popular. Watch mechanisms allowing showing such "hidden" time, was of interest to modern watchmakers, however, their real heyday came at Al-deco epoch - the end of the 1920's - early 1940's. For example, many Van Cleef & Arpels watches with "hidden time" were made at that time.

Reverso a Eclipse is 100% collector's watch, so their body can be made only from the most expensive materials - pink gold or platinum. For enamel miniatures, representing a second face, hidden behind the leaves, they selected only "historical" scenes, that is, those that have already been used by Jaeger LeCoultre masters in different years.

Indian theme is number 1. It is no coincidence: Reverso is a watch, created specifically for polo players, and many famous Indian maharajahs ordered Reverso model at Vallee de Joux manufactory in 1930's. Very often, Reverso rear cover was decorated with enamel paintings - portraits of maharajahs' beloved wives or scenes from polo game. Today, Jaeger LeCoultre museum owns a few of these precious Indian specimens.

The second issue is famous nude paintings of various great artists. A tradition to use miniature enamel copies of paintings for reverse of the shell also belongs to 1930-s. In recent years, Jaeger LeCoultre craftsmen issued Reverso with enamel copies of works of decorative modernists Alphonse Mucha, or Tamara ?empicka, the main character of art deco art. Reverso a Eclipse offers naked works of Rubens, Renoir, Klimt.

The third theme is represented by great journeys, outstanding geographical discoveries. On Reverso a Eclipse back covers you can see enamel paintings of the most famous sailing ships. This topic also is not new, not only for Jaeger LeCoultre, for example, Vacheron Constantin also offers big enamel series of complex watches called "Great Navigators". While the fourth theme - the signs of Chinese zodiac calendar - is a clear bow to the Chinese market.

Reverso a Eclipse are watches of a very high-class collection. This is indeed a rare case today, when watch can really become a descended family relic.